Abbreviated as OPC,
OLE for Process Control is a
series of standards specifications. The current OPC specifications form a set of
standard
OLE/
COM interface
protocols based upon the functional requirements of
Microsoft's OLE/COM technology. Such technology defines standard objects,
methods and properties for servers of real-time information like distributed
process systems, programmable logic controllers, smart field
devices and
analyzers in order to communicate the information that such
servers contain to
standard OLE/COM compliant technologies enabled devices. The OPC Foundation is
the body that maintains the standard.
[Adapted from the
OPC Foundation Web site]