Container-Based Automation Project Validation for Resource Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in managing updates and identifying available computing resources due to discrepancies between the actual system and its initial design, especially when containers are used, making it difficult to validate modifications and allocate resources effectively.
Innovation Solution
A container orchestration system that utilizes project code files to validate updates, deploy containers, and identify suitable compute surfaces within the industrial automation system, ensuring compliance with predefined rules and optimizing resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If containers are utilized by the industrial automation system, then resource allocation flexibility is improved, but difficulty in identifying available computing resources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the actual industrial automation system state and compares it with the project code file representation. This feedback mechanism tracks computing resources dynamically, updating the project code file to reflect current resource availability, thereby resolving the difficulty in identifying available computing resources while maintaining allocation flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary validation system that acts as a mediator between the actual industrial automation system and the project code file. This intermediary automatically detects modifications, validates them against rules, and updates the project code file accordingly, making computing resources identifiable without reducing allocation flexibility
2Adaptability or versatility
If the industrial automation system is updated or modified over time, then system adaptability is improved, but discrepancy between actual system and project code file increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation by establishing rules representing the initial design before modifications occur. When changes are made to the industrial automation system, these pre-established rules are used to validate the modifications, ensuring the project code file remains synchronized with the actual system state, thereby preventing information loss
Solution Approach 2:
The validation system continuously monitors modifications to the industrial automation system and provides feedback by updating the project code file. This feedback loop ensures that the project code file accurately reflects the current system state, maintaining consistency while allowing the system to adapt to changes
3Reliability
If validation of modifications is performed manually, then rule compliance can be checked, but time consumption and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-validation by automatically comparing modifications against predefined rules and updating the project code file without human intervention. This self-service mechanism maintains reliable rule compliance verification while significantly improving validation efficiency and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual validation mechanics with an automated computational validation system. The system uses algorithms to automatically check rule compliance and update project code files, substituting human labor with automated processes that maintain reliability while dramatically improving productivity
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive an indication of a modification to a particular device of an industrial automation system that includes a compute surface configured to perform software tasks, deploy a container to the compute surface of the particular device, retrieve one or more sets of rules and a project code file for the industrial automation system that includes a portion of code that represents a structure of the industrial automation system and one or more functions of the industrial automation system, determine, via the container, that the modification complies with the one or more sets of rules, update the project code file to reflect the modification to the particular device of the industrial automation system, and store the updated project code file in memory.