Abstraction Layers for Multi-Vendor Automation Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automation systems face challenges in integrating equipment from multiple vendors due to vendor-specific programming languages, runtime environments, and protocols, making it difficult to execute automation functions across different systems.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing abstraction layers to enable the execution of automation functions in a platform-agnostic manner, comprising a control application and a runtime environment with automation equipment and production abstraction layers that translate generic instructions into equipment-specific and environment-specific instructions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vendor-specific programming languages and protocols are used for each piece of automation equipment, then the equipment can be controlled with precise vendor-specific instructions, but the complexity of integrating equipment from multiple vendors increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary translation layer that converts vendor-specific automation instructions into a universal intermediate representation. This mediator component sits between the control system and diverse automation equipment, translating proprietary protocols into a common language without losing control precision, thereby reducing integration complexity while maintaining reliable equipment control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the automation control system into distinct modular components: a universal instruction set layer, a translation layer for vendor-specific protocols, and equipment-specific execution layers. This segmentation allows each component to handle its specific function independently, reducing overall system integration complexity while preserving precise control capabilities
2Reliability
If automation functions are hardcoded with vendor-specific protocols, then the automation functions can execute reliably on specific equipment, but the adaptability of automation functions to different vendors' equipment decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal automation instruction set that can execute on multiple vendor-specific platforms. The universal instructions are designed to be platform-agnostic and can be translated into various vendor-specific protocols, enabling a single automation function to operate reliably across different equipment vendors while maintaining cross-vendor compatibility
3Adaptability or versatility
If abstraction layers are introduced to enable platform-agnostic automation functions, then the adaptability to different equipment increases, but the device complexity of the runtime environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the protocol-specific complexity from the core automation logic by isolating translation functionality into separate, dedicated components. The abstraction layer removes vendor-specific details from the universal instruction set, placing translation responsibilities in distinct modules that can be managed independently, thereby enabling platform compatibility without excessively increasing runtime environment complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for implementing automation functions through abstraction layers includes a control application and an automation equipment abstraction framework executable in a runtime environment. The control application is designed to communicate with automation equipment using one or more automation functions. Each automation function comprises one or more equipment-agnostic instructions. During execution of the control application, the automation equipment abstraction framework receives an equipment-agnostic instructions and an indication of a particular unit of automation equipment. The automation equipment abstraction framework translates the equipment-agnostic instructions into equipment-specific automation instructions executable on the particular unit of automation equipment. These equipment-specific automation instructions may then be sent to the particular unit of automation equipment.