def METHOD_NAME(config, ingest_ref, callback):
    """ Initialise the plugin.
    Args:
        config: JSON configuration document for the plugin configuration category
    Returns:
        data: JSON object to be used in future calls to the plugin
    Raises:
    """
    global shutdown_in_progress
    _LOGGER.info("plugin_init called")
    _config = config  # copy.deepcopy(config)
    _config['ingest_ref'] = ingest_ref
    _config['callback'] = callback
    _config['readings_buffer'] = list()
    shutdown_in_progress = False
    return _config