Control method of industrial device, terminal device, gateway, industrial device system

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the field of industrial equipment control technology, specifically to control methods, terminal devices, gateways, and industrial equipment systems for industrial equipment. The control method applied to industrial equipment using terminal devices includes: determining an operation instruction, wherein the operation instruction is used to control the actuator in the industrial equipment; matching the operation instruction with a first protocol address corresponding to the operation instruction; encapsulating the operation instruction according to the first protocol address; and sending the encapsulated operation instruction to the gateway for protocol conversion before being sent to the industrial equipment, causing the PLC in the industrial equipment to control the actuator to perform the corresponding action. This disclosure enables fast and efficient data transmission to industrial equipment, effectively improving the efficiency of data transmission, communication, and computation during the control of industrial equipment. The control method provided by this disclosure also effectively solves the problem of protocol incompatibility between terminal devices and industrial equipment, providing better compatibility.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of industrial equipment control technology, specifically to control methods, terminal equipment, gateways, and industrial equipment systems for industrial equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous advancement of industrial automation, traditional industrial equipment control systems have revealed numerous shortcomings in practical applications, failing to meet the urgent needs of modern factories for efficient, safe, and intelligent operation and maintenance. Currently, in current control systems and methods for industrial equipment, protocol incompatibility between terminal devices and industrial equipment, coupled with a lack of unified communication interfaces, leads to difficulties in interconnecting devices and poor compatibility. Furthermore, protocol incompatibility between terminal devices and industrial equipment also results in data transmission delays, low efficiency, and wasted communication and computing resources. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure provides a control method for industrial equipment in a first aspect, applied to a terminal device. The control method for industrial equipment includes: determining an operation instruction, wherein the operation instruction is used to control an actuator in the industrial equipment; matching the operation instruction with a first protocol address corresponding to the operation instruction; encapsulating the operation instruction according to the first protocol address; and sending the encapsulated operation instruction to a gateway for protocol conversion via the gateway before sending it to the industrial equipment, so that a PLC in the industrial equipment controls the actuator to perform a corresponding action.

[0004] In some embodiments, the control method for the industrial equipment includes: obtaining the relationship between a second protocol address of the PLC and the operation instructions; and updating the first protocol address according to the relationship between the second protocol address and the operation instructions.

[0005] In some embodiments, the control method for the industrial equipment further includes: sending a network connection request to the gateway; in response to receiving a network connection confirmation message sent by the gateway, sending a device real-time data request to the gateway so that the gateway forwards it to the industrial equipment; in response to receiving the device real-time data forwarded by the gateway, synchronizing the device real-time data to the database of the terminal device; in response to not receiving the network connection confirmation message or the device real-time data, adding a timestamp to the operation instruction and caching it in the database; and in response to reconnecting to the gateway, sending the cached timestamped operation instruction in the database to the gateway.

[0006] In some embodiments, sending the timestamped operation instruction cached in the database to the gateway includes: determining the timestamped operation instruction cached in the database; sending the timestamped operation instruction to the gateway; receiving the execution result of the operation instruction forwarded by the gateway; and verifying the execution result based on the execution result.

[0007] In some embodiments, verifying the execution result based on the execution result includes: generating a first hash value for the timestamped operation instruction cached in the database; sending the first hash value to the gateway; receiving a second hash value generated by the gateway based on the execution result of the operation instruction; comparing the first hash value with the second hash value, and if the first hash value and the second hash value are the same, determining that the execution result is correct.

[0008] In some embodiments, the control method for the industrial equipment further includes: determining the period for sending a real-time data request to the gateway based on the priority of the operation instruction; and executing the sending of the real-time data request to the gateway based on the priority of the operation instruction and its corresponding period.

[0009] Secondly, this disclosure also provides a control method for industrial equipment, applied to a gateway, the control method for industrial equipment comprising: receiving an encapsulated operation instruction generated by the terminal device through the control method for industrial equipment as described in the first aspect; performing protocol conversion on the operation instruction; and sending the protocol-converted operation instruction to the industrial equipment.

[0010] In some embodiments, the control method for the industrial equipment further includes: performing authentication via IPSec at the network layer of the gateway; terminating the connection with the terminal device in response to IPSec authentication failure; performing authentication via TLS 1.3 mutual certificate at the transport layer of the gateway in response to IPSec authentication success; terminating the connection with the terminal device in response to TLS 1.3 mutual certificate authentication failure; performing OAuth 2.0 token verification at the application layer of the gateway in response to OAuth 2.0 token verification failure; terminating the connection with the terminal device in response to OAuth 2.0 token verification success; and sending the operation instruction after protocol conversion to the industrial equipment in response to OAuth 2.0 token verification success.

[0011] Thirdly, this disclosure also provides a terminal device for executing the control method for industrial equipment as described in the first aspect.

[0012] Fourthly, this disclosure also provides a gateway for performing the control method for industrial equipment as described in the second aspect.

[0013] Fifthly, this disclosure also provides an industrial equipment system, the industrial equipment system comprising: industrial equipment, including a PLC and an actuator, the PLC being used to receive operation instructions and control the corresponding actuator to execute the operation instructions; a terminal device being used to send the operation instructions through the industrial equipment control method as described in the first aspect, so that the industrial equipment executes the operation instructions; and a gateway being used to transmit the operation instructions and signals between the terminal device and the industrial equipment through the industrial equipment control method as described in the second aspect.

[0014] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0015] The industrial equipment control method provided in this disclosure enables terminal devices to determine operation commands, match these commands with a first protocol address, encapsulate the commands, and send them to a gateway for protocol conversion before finally transmitting them to the industrial equipment. This achieves fast and efficient data transmission to the industrial equipment, effectively improving the efficiency of data transmission, communication, and computation during industrial equipment control. Furthermore, the control method provided in this disclosure effectively solves the problem of protocol incompatibility between terminal devices and industrial equipment, resulting in better compatibility. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The invention can be better understood by describing exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for industrial equipment according to an exemplary disclosed invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an industrial equipment system illustrated according to an exemplary embodiment of a published document;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for industrial equipment according to an exemplary disclosed invention;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for industrial equipment according to another exemplary disclosed invention;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for industrial equipment according to another exemplary disclosed invention;

[0022] Figure 6This is a timing diagram of a control method for industrial equipment illustrated in another exemplary disclosure;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for industrial equipment according to another exemplary disclosed invention;

[0024] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for industrial equipment according to another exemplary disclosed invention;

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for industrial equipment according to another exemplary embodiment disclosed. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The following describes specific embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that, in order to provide a concise description, this specification cannot exhaustively describe all features of the actual embodiments. It should be understood that, in the actual implementation of any embodiment, just as in any engineering or design project, various specific decisions are often made to achieve the developer's specific goals and to meet system-related or business-related constraints, and this can change from one embodiment to another. Furthermore, it is understood that although the efforts made in this development process may be complex and lengthy, for those skilled in the art related to the content disclosed in this invention, some design, manufacturing, or production modifications based on the technical content disclosed herein are merely conventional technical means and should not be construed as insufficient content of this disclosure.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the claims and description shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in the patent application description and claims of this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. The terms "an" or "a" and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding "comprising" or "including" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or "including" and its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. The terms "connected" or "linked" and similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, nor are they limited to direct or indirect connections.

[0028] Industrial equipment systems can include terminal devices, gateways, and industrial equipment. Terminal devices send data and instructions to the gateway, which then forwards them to the industrial equipment. This allows the industrial equipment to receive data and instructions through its PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and control its actuators to perform the corresponding actions. Simultaneously, the terminal devices can receive data and information forwarded by the gateway from the PLC and its related actuators, enabling PLC status monitoring. The gateway facilitates information exchange and transmission between the terminal devices and the PLC. Traditional terminal devices typically use fixed consoles, resulting in poor flexibility and limited operating positions. Furthermore, protocol incompatibility between mobile terminals and industrial equipment makes interconnection difficult, leading to lag in data and instruction transmission, poor data transmission continuity and stability, and susceptibility to malfunctions that can cause system abnormalities. Additionally, the complex parameter configuration between mobile terminals and industrial equipment requires significant computing power and manual parameter configuration and modification, greatly reducing the response speed of industrial equipment control. Furthermore, industrial equipment systems have low data transmission security and are vulnerable to security risks such as unauthorized access and data leakage.

[0029] To solve the above technical problems, such as Figure 1 As shown, an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure provides a control method for industrial equipment, applied to a terminal device. The control method for industrial equipment may include steps S110 to S140.

[0030] Step S110: Determine the operation command, wherein the operation command is used to control the actuators in the industrial equipment. The operation command to be sent to the industrial equipment can be determined through the terminal device. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the terminal device can be a mobile terminal, which may include an industrial-grade tablet computer based on Android or iOS systems. The terminal device may integrate a dynamic configuration engine and protocol stack, such as a Modbus protocol stack. The industrial-grade tablet computer and the dynamic configuration engine and protocol stack can communicate via a dual-mode communication module using WiFi 6 (sixth generation wireless network technology) and 5G NR (5G New Radio). Operation commands can be used to control actuators to perform corresponding actions, such as turning a motor on or off. Through the terminal device, users can actively select corresponding buttons to determine operation commands. Alternatively, operation commands can be determined based on information exchange between the terminal device and the gateway, using data such as the status of the industrial equipment transmitted from the gateway to the terminal device.

[0031] Step S120 involves matching the operation command with its corresponding first protocol address. Since the operation command is generated on the terminal device, it needs to be sent to the gateway, which then forwards it to the industrial equipment. However, the protocols of the industrial equipment and the terminal device are inconsistent. Therefore, a protocol address needs to be assigned to the current operation command. This can be achieved through a dynamic configuration engine integrated into the terminal device, which determines the protocol address for each operation command and assigns different protocol addresses to different operation commands.

[0032] Step S130: Encapsulate the operation command according to the first protocol address. Based on the operation command and its corresponding first protocol address, the operation command can be encapsulated using the terminal device's protocol stack, facilitating its subsequent transmission to the gateway. Specifically, for mobile terminals, the Modbus protocol stack supports RTU over TCP / IP (Remote Terminal Unit based on Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol and pure Modbus TCP protocol). Therefore, according to step S120, the first protocol address of the operation command under the Modbus TCP protocol can be determined, and then the operation command can be encapsulated in step S130.

[0033] Step S140: The encapsulated operation instructions are sent to the gateway for protocol conversion before being sent to the industrial equipment, enabling the PLC in the industrial equipment to control the actuators to perform corresponding actions. The encapsulated operation instructions can be sent from a terminal device to the gateway, which then forwards them to the industrial equipment, thus establishing a communication connection between the terminal device and the mobile device. The gateway, through its protocol conversion function, converts the terminal device's protocol into a protocol readable by the industrial equipment. This allows the industrial equipment to receive the operation instructions sent by the terminal device after protocol conversion and data forwarding by the gateway. The PLC can then directly control the corresponding actuators to execute the received operation instructions without needing to rewrite control programs for different actuators.

[0034] According to this embodiment, as Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, by integrating a dynamic configuration engine and protocol stack into the terminal device and combining it with a dual-mode communication module of WiFi 6 and 5G NR, efficient communication and interconnection between mobile terminals and industrial equipment are achieved. Compared with traditional fixed control consoles, this method enables operators to monitor and control industrial equipment anytime and anywhere using mobile terminals such as industrial-grade tablets, reducing personnel travel and improving the system's operational flexibility and response speed. In terms of operation command processing, by dynamically assigning protocol addresses to operation commands and encapsulating them before sending them to the gateway, the gateway performs protocol conversion and forwards them to the PLC, thus ensuring protocol compatibility between different systems. This avoids the difficulties in interconnecting traditional mobile terminals with industrial equipment and the complexity of parameter configuration, significantly reducing manual configuration workload and computing power consumption, improving the continuity and stability of command issuance and data interaction, and effectively improving the response speed of industrial equipment control. In terms of security, the end-to-end protocol encapsulation and gateway forwarding mechanism improves the security and robustness of data transmission, effectively reducing risks such as unauthorized access and data leakage, and ensuring the safe and stable operation of the industrial equipment system. Furthermore, by adopting widely used mobile terminals and the open Modbus protocol, this solution can reduce investment in dedicated HMI (Human Machine Interface) hardware while simplifying engineering implementation and subsequent maintenance through dynamic configuration, thereby reducing the overall system cost.

[0035] In some embodiments, the control method of industrial equipment, such as Figure 3 As shown, it may also include steps S150 and S160.

[0036] Step S150: Obtain the relationship between the PLC's second protocol address and the operation instructions. The terminal device may integrate a dynamic configuration engine. Since different protocol addresses of the PLC can receive signals and control different actuators to perform different operations, and the PLC's protocol address may change, the PLC requires a considerable amount of time to configure after receiving the operation instructions from the terminal device, resulting in a slow response speed. Therefore, by determining the relationship between the PLC's second protocol address and the operation instructions, the corresponding first protocol address can be configured for the terminal device's protocol stack, thereby improving response efficiency.

[0037] Step S160: Update the first protocol address according to the relationship between the second protocol address and the operation instruction. The first protocol address can be updated based on the correspondence between the second protocol address and the operation instruction, ensuring that the first protocol address in the terminal device and the second protocol address in the PLC match for the same operation instruction. Therefore, after the operation instruction is transmitted to the PLC, it is possible to directly control the corresponding actuator based on the operation instruction without reprogramming and processing each actuator individually. This eliminates the need for professional technicians to reprogram and process the operation of each actuator, effectively reducing the PLC's information processing load and data volume, thereby significantly improving the PLC's response speed and further enhancing the control efficiency of industrial equipment.

[0038] According to the industrial equipment control method provided in this embodiment, by obtaining the correspondence between the second protocol address of the PLC and the operation instructions in the terminal device, and dynamically updating the first protocol address based on this correspondence, it can be ensured that the first protocol address allocated to the operation instructions in the terminal device matches the second protocol address actually used in the PLC. Therefore, after the operation instructions are transmitted to the PLC, the PLC does not need to be reconfigured or reprogrammed for different actuators; it can directly control the corresponding actuator to operate according to the operation instructions. This method not only avoids configuration delays caused by changes in the PLC protocol address and reduces the amount of data processing and computing power consumed by the PLC in the signal processing process, but also effectively improves the real-time performance of operation instruction issuance and the response speed of the PLC. Furthermore, this solution can significantly improve the overall control efficiency and operational stability of industrial equipment, reduce reliance on manual configuration by professionals, and enhance the flexibility and intelligence level of the system.

[0039] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the control method for industrial equipment may further include steps S170 to S210.

[0040] Step S170: Send a network connection request to the gateway. The terminal device can send a network connection request to the gateway to verify the availability of the communication connection between the terminal device and the gateway. After receiving the network connection request, the gateway can send a network connection confirmation message to the terminal device, allowing the terminal device to confirm that the communication connection with the gateway is normal and available. If the communication connection between the terminal device and the gateway is abnormal, the gateway will not be able to receive the network connection request from the terminal device, or the terminal device will not receive the network connection confirmation message from the gateway, thus confirming that the communication connection between the terminal device and the gateway is abnormal.

[0041] In response to receiving network connection confirmation information from the gateway, step S180 is executed, sending a real-time device data request to the gateway so that the gateway forwards it to the industrial equipment. When the terminal device receives the network connection information from the gateway, it can be determined that the communication connection between the terminal device and the gateway is normal and usable. Then, step S180 is executed to send a real-time device data request to the gateway. The real-time device data request can be a request for information such as the operating status and communication connection status of the industrial equipment. The terminal device can send the real-time device data request to the gateway, which then forwards it to the industrial equipment. After receiving the real-time device data request, the industrial equipment can send real-time device data to the gateway, which can then forward the real-time device data to the terminal device. When the terminal device receives the real-time device data forwarded by the gateway, it can be determined that the communication connection between the gateway and the industrial equipment is normal and usable. If the communication connection between the industrial equipment and the gateway is abnormal, the gateway may be unable to forward the real-time device data request to the industrial equipment, or the gateway may be unable to receive the real-time device data sent by the industrial equipment, thus confirming an abnormal communication connection between the industrial equipment and the gateway.

[0042] In response to receiving real-time device data forwarded by the gateway, step S190 is executed to synchronize the real-time device data to the terminal device's database. When the terminal device receives the real-time device data forwarded by the gateway, it can be determined that the communication connection between the terminal device, the gateway, and the industrial equipment is available. Step S190 can be executed first to synchronize the real-time device data to the terminal device's database, facilitating subsequent retrieval of the real-time device data and determination of operation instructions. After successful synchronization of the real-time device data to the database, step S110 can be executed to determine the operation instructions through the terminal device. This allows the terminal device to begin sending operation instructions to the gateway, enabling the gateway to forward the operation instructions to the industrial equipment and thus control the industrial equipment.

[0043] In response to the lack of network connection confirmation information or real-time device data, step S200 is executed to add a timestamp to the operation command and cache it in the database. When the terminal device does not receive network connection confirmation information from the gateway, it can be determined that the communication between the terminal device and the gateway is abnormal, and it cannot work or operate normally, thus making it impossible to control the industrial equipment. Similarly, when the terminal device does not receive real-time device data information forwarded by the gateway, it can be determined that the communication between the gateway and the terminal device is abnormal, and signal and data transmission cannot be achieved, thus making it impossible to control the industrial equipment. During the communication breakdown between the terminal device, the gateway, and the industrial equipment, the terminal device may continuously generate operation commands, but due to the communication breakdown, it cannot send the operation commands to the industrial equipment, resulting in lost operation commands or system abnormalities, thereby affecting the stability of the industrial equipment operation and the continuity and safety of the overall system during production and operation. Therefore, the terminal device can execute step S200 to cache the operation command in the database when the communication between the terminal device, the gateway, and the industrial equipment is abnormal. Since multiple operation commands may be generated during this period, the industrial equipment needs to execute these operation commands sequentially. Therefore, timestamps can be added to these operation instructions cached in the database to effectively mark the time sequence of these operation instructions to be sent. After the communication between the terminal device, the gateway and the industrial equipment is restored, the gateway can arrange multiple operation instructions into an operation instruction sequence according to the timestamps so that the subsequent industrial equipment can execute them sequentially.

[0044] In response to reconnecting to the gateway, step S210 is executed, sending the timestamped operation instructions cached in the database to the gateway. When the terminal device reconnects to the gateway, i.e., communication between the terminal device, the gateway, and the industrial equipment is restored, step S210 can be executed to send the timestamped operation instructions cached in the database to the gateway. Specifically, multiple operation instructions can be arranged into an operation instruction queue according to time sequence based on the timestamps, and the operation instruction queue can be sent to the gateway. This allows the gateway to forward the operation instruction queue to the industrial equipment, enabling the industrial equipment to execute each operation instruction sequentially according to the order of the operation instruction queue.

[0045] According to the industrial equipment control method provided in this embodiment, such as Figure 4As shown, in the event of network anomalies or communication interruptions, the communication connections of terminal devices, gateways, and industrial equipment enter an anomaly handling mechanism: terminal devices can automatically switch to local caching mode, write operation instructions to the SQLite (Structured Query Language-Lite) database and add a timestamp. Once the network is restored and communication is re-established, the system automatically synchronizes the cached instruction queue to the gateway for execution using an MD5 (Message-Digest Algorithm) hash verification mechanism, and updates the UI (User Interface) state, ensuring operational continuity and integrity. This embodiment not only improves the fault tolerance and data integrity of industrial equipment systems under network anomalies but also ensures the continuity, traceability, and orderliness of operation instruction transmission, effectively preventing the loss of operation instructions and significantly improving the operational stability, safety, and reliability of industrial equipment in actual production environments.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, step S210, which sends the timestamped operation instructions cached in the database to the gateway, may include steps S211 to S214.

[0047] Step S211: Determine the timestamped operation instructions cached in the database. First, if the terminal device and the gateway are reconnected, i.e., communication between the terminal device, the gateway, and the industrial equipment is restored, the terminal device can first read the database to determine all the operation instructions cached in the database that are to be sent to the gateway, as well as the timestamp corresponding to each operation instruction. This allows the operation instructions to be extracted from the database and subsequently sent to the gateway.

[0048] Step S212: Send timestamped operation instructions to the gateway. The terminal device can send all cached operation instructions to the gateway in its database, based on the timestamp information of each instruction, in a queue. The operation instructions in the queue can be arranged sequentially by time. The gateway can forward the queue of operation instructions to the industrial equipment. After receiving the operation instructions, the PLC of the industrial equipment can sequentially identify and execute the corresponding actions of the actuators.

[0049] Step S213: Receive the execution result of the operation command forwarded by the gateway. After receiving the queue of operation commands forwarded by the gateway, the industrial equipment can execute the corresponding action through its actuator. Once the operation command is completed, the industrial equipment can send the execution result to the gateway. The gateway can forward the execution result of the industrial equipment to the terminal device, enabling the terminal device to synchronously confirm the status and execution result of the industrial equipment.

[0050] Step S214: Verify the execution result based on the execution result. After receiving the execution result from the industrial equipment, the terminal device can verify the result to ensure that all operation instructions in the queue are executed sequentially by the industrial equipment. This avoids system anomalies caused by lost operation instructions or incorrect execution order, effectively improving the security of the industrial equipment and its system.

[0051] According to the industrial equipment control method provided in this embodiment, after communication is restored, the terminal device can first read all timestamped operation instructions cached in the database, arrange them in timestamp order into an operation instruction queue, and send them to the gateway. The gateway then forwards the queue to the PLC of the industrial equipment, causing the actuators to execute the corresponding actions sequentially. After completing the execution of the queued instructions, the industrial equipment feeds back the execution results to the gateway, which then forwards them to the terminal device. The terminal device can thus confirm the operating status of the industrial equipment in real time. Furthermore, the terminal device can also verify the received execution results to confirm that all operation instructions in the cache queue have been correctly executed sequentially by the industrial equipment, avoiding system anomalies caused by instruction loss or incorrect execution order. Therefore, this embodiment not only ensures that operation instructions generated during communication interruption can be executed completely, reliably, and orderly after recovery, but also enhances the data transmission integrity during the operation of the industrial equipment through the synchronization and verification of execution results, improves the reliability of the industrial equipment in executing operation instructions, effectively improves the operational safety performance of the industrial equipment, and effectively enhances the fault resistance and safety of the industrial equipment system.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, step S214, which verifies the execution result based on the execution result, may include steps S2141 to S2144.

[0053] Step S2141: Generate a first hash value for the timestamped operation instructions cached in the database. Verification of the execution result can be performed using the MD5 hash verification mechanism. Since files may be corrupted during transmission or storage due to network problems or device malfunctions, comparing the hash value with the original value can verify file integrity. Specifically, the first hash value can be generated in the terminal device based on the timestamped operation instructions cached in its database. Therefore, the first hash value in step S2141 is the original hash value, representing the original state of the operation instructions before data transmission.

[0054] Step S2142: Send the first hash value to the gateway. The first hash value, along with a queue of operation instructions with timestamps, can be sent synchronously to the gateway. Upon receiving the operation instruction queue, the gateway can forward it to the industrial equipment, enabling the equipment to execute each operation instruction. After the industrial equipment has executed all received operation instructions, it can send the execution result to the gateway.

[0055] Step S2143: Receive the second hash value generated by the gateway based on the execution result of the operation instruction. After receiving the execution result of the operation instruction from the industrial equipment, the gateway can generate a second hash value based on the execution result, and then send the second hash value along with the execution result to the terminal device. The terminal device can receive the second hash value generated by the gateway. The second hash value represents the operation instruction that has been executed by the industrial equipment after data transmission between the terminal device and the gateway, and between the gateway and the industrial equipment.

[0056] Step S2144: Compare the first hash value with the second hash value. If the first hash value and the second hash value are the same, the execution result is determined to be correct. During data transmission, operation instructions may be lost, leading to a difference between the second hash value and the first hash value. Furthermore, if the industrial equipment omits or errs in executing operation instructions, the second hash value will also change. Therefore, comparing the first hash value and the second hash value indicates a discrepancy between the industrial equipment's execution result and the operation instruction sent by the terminal device, suggesting an incorrect or omitted operation instruction. Users can then troubleshoot and repair the terminal device, gateway, and industrial equipment. Conversely, if the first hash value and the second hash value are the same, it indicates that the industrial equipment's execution result matches the operation instruction sent by the terminal device, the execution result is correct, and the communication and operation of the terminal device, gateway, and industrial equipment are functioning correctly.

[0057] In other embodiments, the terminal device integrates a graphical user interface (GUI), allowing users to configure the terminal device and view real-time data such as the operating status of the industrial equipment. Specifically, the GUI supports user-configured protocol stack parameters, and the configuration file can be stored in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format and automatically synchronized to the cloud for better real-time performance. Furthermore, the GUI supports 3D model display of the industrial equipment, enabling real-time display of the component status and operating conditions of each actuator. If communication between the terminal device, gateway, and industrial equipment is interrupted, the terminal device will be unable to receive real-time data from the industrial equipment. Upon reconnection, the terminal device can execute cached operation instructions in the database using the methods described in the preceding embodiments. After execution, the industrial equipment sends the execution result to the gateway, which then forwards it to the terminal device. The terminal device verifies the execution result; if the verification confirms its correctness, it updates the GUI to allow users to promptly determine the operating status of the industrial equipment.

[0058] The industrial equipment control method provided in this embodiment can automatically cache operation instructions and add timestamps when the network connection is abnormal, avoiding the problems of instruction loss and out-of-order execution. After the network is restored, the system can synchronize and execute the cached instructions in chronological order, ensuring the security and continuity of the industrial equipment operation. By introducing a hash verification mechanism, operation instructions and execution results can be quickly compared, preventing failures caused by transmission errors, lost operation instructions, or abnormal execution of operation instructions, thereby significantly improving the data security and operational reliability of industrial equipment. Through this embodiment, it is possible to achieve network interruption resumption of data transmission between terminal devices, gateways, and industrial equipment, effectively avoiding the problems of lost operation instructions and out-of-order execution, effectively improving the fault tolerance of industrial equipment and its system, and providing high security.

[0059] In some embodiments, the control method for industrial equipment may further include: determining the period for sending real-time data requests to the gateway based on the priority of the operation instructions; and executing step S180 to send real-time data requests to the gateway based on the priority of the operation instructions and their corresponding period. During operation, the terminal device needs to poll the PLC of the industrial equipment to obtain real-time data of each actuator and determine the operating status of each actuator. For industrial equipment with multiple actuators, a high polling frequency can lead to increased memory usage and reduced PLC operating efficiency. Conversely, a low polling frequency can prevent timely acquisition of real-time data for some critical actuators, potentially causing errors or malfunctions during operation. Therefore, the dynamic priority task scheduling mechanism provided in this embodiment can be used to first preset priorities for different operation instructions. Operation instructions that are crucial for the normal operation of the industrial equipment have a higher preset priority than other operation instructions. Specifically, priorities can be preset from 1 to 10, with operation instructions at priority level 10 being those crucial for the normal operation of the industrial equipment, such as controlling the opening and closing of motors, sensors, and other devices. Level 1 operation instructions have lower priority and are for non-primary actuators in the equipment, such as controlling the air conditioner to turn on and off. Operation instructions can be sorted according to their priority to determine the cycle of real-time data requests for the corresponding actuator. For higher-priority operation instructions, the cycle of real-time data requests from the terminal device to that actuator can be shorter, while for lower-priority operation instructions, the cycle can be longer. Subsequently, real-time data requests are sent to the gateway based on the cycle of each operation instruction. This reduces the PLC polling frequency. Specifically, the PLC polling frequency can be reduced by 30% to 50%, optimizing the polling cycle from 1 second / time to 2 seconds / time, effectively reducing resource and computing power consumption, and improving system response efficiency and resource utilization.

[0060] According to the industrial equipment control method provided in this embodiment, by introducing a dynamic scheduling mechanism based on the priority of operation instructions, the system can adjust the cycle of real-time data requests from the equipment as needed. Compared with the traditional fixed-frequency PLC polling method, this solution can maintain a shorter request cycle for critical actuators, ensuring the real-time performance and accuracy of real-time data acquisition; while for non-critical actuators, the polling cycle is appropriately extended, thereby effectively reducing the pressure on the PLC and network. This effectively avoids the problem of excessive memory and computing power consumption caused by high-frequency polling, and also avoids the risk of data lag and operational failures in key devices caused by low-frequency polling. Through this dynamic priority allocation, the utilization rate of industrial equipment computing resources can be improved while ensuring the stable operation and safety of industrial equipment.

[0061] Based on the same inventive concept, such as Figure 8 As shown, this disclosure also provides a control method for industrial equipment, applied to a gateway. The control method for industrial equipment may include steps S310 to S330.

[0062] Step S310: Receive the encapsulated operation command generated by the terminal device using the industrial equipment control method provided in any of the foregoing embodiments. The gateway is compatible with different protocols of the terminal device and the industrial equipment, enabling information interaction between the terminal device and the industrial equipment. The gateway can receive the encapsulated operation command from the terminal device, and the gateway can receive and identify the protocol corresponding to the operation command.

[0063] Step S320: Protocol conversion of the operation command. After receiving the operation command sent by the terminal device, the gateway can perform protocol conversion on the operation command, thereby converting the operation command into another protocol that the industrial equipment can recognize.

[0064] Step S330: The protocol-converted operation command is sent to the industrial equipment. The gateway can convert the operation command into a protocol before sending it to the industrial equipment, enabling the industrial equipment to directly recognize the received command. This achieves efficient communication and protocol compatibility between the terminal device and the industrial equipment without requiring additional computation or protocol conversion, effectively saving computing power and improving the response speed of the industrial equipment.

[0065] According to the industrial equipment control method provided in this embodiment, cross-protocol interoperability between terminal devices and industrial equipment can be achieved through a gateway. The terminal device only needs to output a uniformly formatted encapsulated instruction, and the gateway can automatically complete the identification and conversion of the corresponding protocol, thereby ensuring that the industrial equipment can directly parse and execute it. This avoids adding additional adaptation logic on the terminal device or industrial equipment side, which reduces the consumption of system computing power and reduces the communication delay and failure risk caused by protocol incompatibility. It effectively improves the response speed and security of industrial equipment, thereby ensuring stable control of industrial equipment and enabling the industrial equipment to operate efficiently.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the control method for industrial equipment may also include the following steps.

[0067] At the gateway's network layer, authentication is performed using IPSec (Internet Protocol Security). Gateways consist of multiple layers, each performing different functions. Since gateways enable communication connections between terminal devices and industrial equipment, various security risks exist during this process, such as unauthorized access and data leakage. Therefore, security protection mechanisms can be added to different layers of the gateway to ensure the security of communication connections and data transmission. For the gateway's network layer, authentication can be performed using IPSec, thereby verifying the IP (Internet Protocol) information between the gateway and the terminal devices.

[0068] In response to IPSec authentication failure, the connection with the terminal device is terminated. When IPSec authentication fails, it can be determined that there is a risk at the network layer in the connection between the gateway and the terminal device, and the communication connection between the gateway and the terminal device can be terminated.

[0069] In response to successful IPSec authentication, authentication is performed at the gateway's transport layer using a TLS 1.3 (Transport Layer Security Layer, version 1.3) mutual certificate. If IPSec authentication at the network layer is successful, authentication can continue at the gateway's transport layer. At the gateway's transport layer, mutual TLS 1.3 certificates can be used for authentication, allowing the gateway and the terminal device to exchange certificates, enabling both parties to verify each other's identity and ensuring the security of their connection.

[0070] In response to the failure of TLS 1.3 mutual certificate authentication, the connection with the terminal device is terminated. When TLS 1.3 mutual certificate authentication fails, it can be determined that there is a risk at the transport layer in the connection between the gateway and the terminal device, and the communication connection between the gateway and the terminal device can be terminated.

[0071] In response to successful TLS 1.3 mutual certificate authentication, OAuth 2.0 (Open Authorization 2.0) token verification is performed at the gateway's application layer. If TLS 1.3 mutual certificate authentication at the transport layer is successful, verification can continue at the gateway's application layer. OAuth 2.0 token verification can be performed at the gateway's application layer.

[0072] In response to OAuth 2.0 token verification failure, the connection with the end device is terminated. When OAuth 2.0 token verification fails, it can be determined that there is a risk at the application layer in the connection between the gateway and the end device, and the communication connection between the gateway and the end device can be terminated.

[0073] Upon successful OAuth 2.0 token authentication, step S330 is executed, sending the protocol-converted operation instruction to the industrial equipment. When OAuth 2.0 token authentication is successful, meaning the communication connection between the gateway and the terminal device has undergone three levels of authentication—IPSec authentication, TLS 1.3 mutual certificate authentication, and OAuth 2.0 token authentication—the security of the connection between the gateway and the terminal device can be confirmed, and therefore step S330 can be executed.

[0074] According to the industrial equipment control method provided in this embodiment, by introducing IPSec authentication, TLS 1.3 two-way certificate authentication, and OAuth 2.0 token verification at the network layer, transport layer, and application layer of the gateway respectively, a three-level protection system is formed. This effectively constructs a multi-layered access control mechanism, which can verify access requests at different layers, improving the security and reliability of communication. According to this embodiment, fine-grained access control can also be achieved by combining the RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) permission model. Simultaneously, all operation logs are encrypted using SHA (Secure Hashalgorithm)-256 and stored in a local SQLite database and a cloud server respectively, ensuring data traceability and tamper-proofing. Therefore, the interaction between the terminal device and the gateway not only achieves protocol compatibility and efficient transmission but also ensures the security of data transmission.

[0075] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a terminal device for executing the control method of industrial equipment as described in any of the foregoing embodiments. The terminal device is an industrial-grade tablet computer capable of running Android or iOS systems. The terminal device may integrate a Modbus protocol stack supporting RTU over TCP / IP and pure Modbus TCP, and also integrate a dynamic configuration engine. It is equipped with a dual-mode communication module supporting WiFi 6 and 5G NR, and is powered by a six-core ARM (Advanced RISC Machines) architecture processor with a main frequency of ≥2.0GHz, and supports OTG direct-connect storage expansion.

[0076] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a gateway for controlling industrial equipment as described in any of the foregoing embodiments. The gateway supports both hardware and software deployments: the hardware gateway can adopt an x86 architecture and be configured with dual gigabit optical ports. The gateway can have Modbus TCP / RTU bidirectional conversion capabilities and automatically identify PROFIBUS (Process Field Network) / EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology) protocols through an intelligent protocol adaptive module. The gateway can ensure protocol conversion latency ≤5ms through zero-copy memory technology, achieving efficient protocol conversion. Furthermore, the gateway also supports virtualization deployment, enabling flexible expansion.

[0077] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides an industrial equipment system, which includes: industrial equipment, terminal equipment, and gateway.

[0078] Industrial equipment includes a PLC and actuators. The PLC receives operation instructions and controls the corresponding actuators to execute those instructions. Industrial equipment may include a PLC for sending and receiving data, and actuators for performing actions. The PLC can receive operation instructions forwarded by a gateway and control the corresponding actuators to perform the corresponding actions.

[0079] Terminal equipment is used to send operation commands so that industrial equipment can execute the operation commands.

[0080] A gateway is used to transmit operating commands and signals between terminal devices and industrial equipment. Specifically, an industrial equipment system can integrate multiple components such as an industrial-grade tablet PC, a control system, a hardware gateway, a PLC controller, a Modbus protocol stack, a dual-mode communication module supporting WiFi 6 and 5G NR, an SQLite local database, a cloud server, a dynamic priority task scheduling algorithm, and a visualization engine to achieve efficient, secure, and intelligent control of industrial equipment.

[0081] This application uses specific terms to describe embodiments of the application. Terms such as "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of the application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that references to "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" in different locations throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the application can be appropriately combined.

[0082] In the context of this application, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular and may also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of explicitly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0083] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description of the present application and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments, the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present application sometimes combines multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of the present application requires more features than those mentioned in the claims. In fact, the embodiments contain fewer features than all the features of the single embodiments disclosed above.

[0084] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the above disclosure is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this application. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and corrections to this application. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this application, and therefore remain within the spirit and scope of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A control method for industrial equipment, applied to terminal equipment, characterized in that, The control method for the industrial equipment includes: Determine operating instructions, wherein the operating instructions are used to control the actuators in the industrial equipment; Match the operation instruction with the first protocol address corresponding to the operation instruction; The operation instructions are encapsulated based on the first protocol address; The encapsulated operation instructions are sent to the gateway, where they are converted into a protocol and then sent to the industrial equipment, so that the PLC in the industrial equipment controls the actuator to perform the corresponding action.

2. The control method for industrial equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method for the industrial equipment includes: Obtain the relationship between the second protocol address of the PLC and the operation instruction; The first protocol address is updated according to the relationship between the second protocol address and the operation instruction.

3. The control method for industrial equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The control method for the industrial equipment also includes: Send a network connection request to the gateway; In response to receiving network connection confirmation information from the gateway, a device real-time data request is sent to the gateway so that the gateway forwards it to the industrial equipment; In response to receiving real-time device data forwarded by the gateway, the real-time device data is synchronized to the database of the terminal device; In response to the absence of network connection confirmation information or real-time data from the device, the operation instruction is timestamped and cached in the database; In response to reconnecting to the gateway, the timestamped operation instruction cached in the database is sent to the gateway.

4. The control method for industrial equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, Sending the timestamped operation instructions cached in the database to the gateway includes: Determine the timestamped operation instruction cached in the database; Send the operation instruction with a timestamp to the gateway; Receive the execution result of the operation instruction forwarded by the gateway; The execution result is verified based on the execution result.

5. The control method for industrial equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of verifying the execution result based on the execution result includes: Generate a first hash value for the timestamped operation instructions cached in the database; Send the first hash value to the gateway; Receive the second hash value generated by the gateway based on the execution result of the operation instruction; The first hash value is compared with the second hash value. If the first hash value is the same as the second hash value, the execution result is determined to be correct.

6. The control method for industrial equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control method for the industrial equipment also includes: The period for sending real-time device data requests to the gateway is determined based on the priority of the operation instructions. Based on the priority of the operation instruction and its corresponding period, the request to send real-time device data to the gateway is executed.

7. A control method for industrial equipment, applied to a gateway, characterized in that, The control method for the industrial equipment includes: Receive the packaged operation command generated by the terminal device through the control method of industrial equipment as described in any one of claims 1-6; The operation instructions are converted to a different protocol. The converted operation instructions are sent to the industrial equipment.

8. The control method for industrial equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The control method for the industrial equipment also includes: At the network layer of the gateway, authentication is performed via IPSec; In response to IPSec authentication failure, the connection with the terminal device is terminated. In response to successful IPSec authentication, authentication is performed at the transport layer of the gateway using a TLS 1.3 mutual certificate. In response to the failure of TLS 1.3 mutual certificate authentication, the connection with the terminal device is terminated; In response to successful TLS 1.3 mutual certificate authentication, OAuth 2.0 token verification is performed at the application layer of the gateway; In response to OAuth 2.0 token verification failure, the connection with the terminal device is terminated; In response to successful OAuth 2.0 token verification, the operation instruction after protocol conversion is sent to the industrial equipment.

9. A terminal device, characterized in that, The terminal device is used to execute the control method for industrial equipment as described in any one of claims 1-6.

10. A gateway, characterized in that, The gateway is used to execute the control method for industrial equipment as described in claim 7 or 8.

11. An industrial equipment system, characterized in that, The industrial equipment system includes: Industrial equipment includes a PLC and an actuator. The PLC is used to receive operation instructions and control the corresponding actuator to execute the operation instructions. A terminal device is configured to send the operation command via the industrial equipment control method as described in any one of claims 1-6, so that the industrial equipment executes the operation command; A gateway for transmitting the operation instructions and signals between the terminal device and the industrial equipment via the control method of the industrial equipment as described in claim 7 or 8.

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