Automation Device Data Interface for Database Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face limitations in efficiently interacting with databases due to proprietary protocols like CIP, which restrict data transmission sizes and require cumbersome polling methods, hindering seamless communication and connectivity between automation devices and data systems.
Innovation Solution
An interface system comprising a device interface component and a data interface component facilitates communication between industrial automation devices and databases or services, enabling the transmission of SQL statements and other database interactions, and supporting middleware execution on controllers or database servers, utilizing protocols like JDBC, CIP, and web services for efficient data exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary industrial control protocols like CIP are used for database communication, then automation devices can communicate with databases, but data transmission is limited by connection size restrictions and requires cumbersome polling methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component that translates between proprietary industrial control protocols (like CIP) and standard database protocols (like JDBC). This mediator enables automation devices to communicate with databases without being constrained by protocol limitations, as the translation layer handles data formatting and transmission protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication process is segmented into distinct layers: the automation device layer using proprietary protocols, the translation layer handling protocol conversion, and the database layer using standard protocols. This segmentation allows each layer to operate independently with its own optimized protocol, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
2Productivity
If continuous polling methods are used to retrieve data from automation devices, then data can be transferred to databases, but communication efficiency is reduced and time is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements event-driven periodic action where data retrieval is triggered by specific events (data changes, alarms, etc.) rather than continuous polling. This allows the system to maintain productivity by transferring data only when necessary, significantly reducing time loss while ensuring data freshness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where automation devices notify the database system when data changes occur. This feedback loop enables efficient data retrieval by activating communication only when there is actual data to transfer, eliminating wasteful polling of unchanged data and improving overall productivity.
3Reliability
If data transmissions are limited by proprietary protocol connection size, then protocol compatibility is maintained, but data exchange completeness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The translation intermediary aggregates data from multiple smaller protocol-compliant transmissions and reconstructs complete data sets for database storage. This maintains protocol compatibility at the automation device level while achieving complete data exchange at the database level, effectively bypassing connection size limitations through intelligent data batching and reconstruction.
Data Source
AI summary
The subject invention pertains to facilitating communication between industrial automation devices such as controllers and data systems and/or services. Systems and methods are provided that receive statements or other unit of data interaction from an automation device, provide the statements to an appropriate system or service for processing, and optionally return a response such as a result set. Furthermore, in accordance with an aspect of the invention native controller code, variables, or tags can be mapped to stored data, procedures or combinations of data and/or procedures and updated automatically or semi-automatically.