Location-Based Asset Provisioning for Industrial License Configuration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face complexity in managing licenses and configurations due to the large number of devices, requiring tracking of both device purpose and location, which is time-consuming and prone to errors, especially when devices are replaced or upgraded.
Innovation Solution
Employing location services to determine the location of industrial assets and using a central server-based system to provision feature licenses and configurations based on the asset's location and identifier, thereby automating the licensing and configuration process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual tracking and management of device-specific codes is implemented, then licensing and configuration can be managed, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service provisioning by automatically detecting device location through GPS coordinates and retrieving appropriate licenses and configurations from the repository without requiring manual intervention. The device itself reports its location, and the system autonomously completes the provisioning process.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of tracking and entering device codes is replaced with an automated electronic system that uses location services, database queries, and automated provisioning servers to retrieve and apply licenses and configurations based on device location.
2Ease of operation
If device-specific codes are tracked and managed manually, then licensing status can be confirmed, but the operation becomes complex and tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The complexity of license management is extracted from the device provisioning process and centralized in a separate provisioning server and repository system. The device itself only needs to report its location, while the complex tasks of license retrieval, validation, and configuration are handled by the external system.
Solution Approach 2:
A provisioning server acts as an intermediary between the device and the license repository. This intermediary automatically handles the complex operations of querying the repository, retrieving appropriate licenses based on device location, and applying configurations, thereby simplifying the user experience.
3Extent of automation
If conventional web portal systems are used for license transfer, then some automation is achieved, but device-specific information and activities are still required
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates the need for user intervention in license transfer by implementing self-service functionality. The device automatically reports its location, the provisioning server autonomously queries the repository, retrieves the appropriate license, and applies the configuration without requiring users to manually enter device-specific information or activities.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Method and system for provisioning industrial assets. A provisioning server processes location data and an identifier associated with a selected industrial asset for verifying a presence of the asset within a predefined area and for determining a feature set for the asset. The location data is indicative of a location of the asset and the identifier identifies the asset and has the feature set associated therewith. The provisioning server then retrieves a license and/or configuration corresponding to the feature set for the asset from the repository in response to the asset being located within the predefined area. The provisioning server provisions the asset with the retrieved license and/or configuration.