Value-added services in industrial automation

Many of todays existing industrial applications are controlled by a so-called embedded system, which is application-specific hardware with a specific software running on it. To monitor, control, maintain and update the system, the presence of an expert is highly recommended. Remote monitoring and control would provide a considerable advantage for such industrial applications. In order to do so, the increasing number of communication possibilities via the Inter- or Intranet would have to be made available in a simple, inexpensive and secure manner. This paper describes a generic approach, where the up-to-date standard techniques Java and Actuator Sensor Interface (ASI) are combined in order to support a simple integration of arbitrary industrial applications on the Internet.