Container-Orchestrated Automation Visualization for Thin Clients
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face limitations in providing enhanced visualization and data sharing across various interfaces, leading to inefficiencies in monitoring and controlling complex machines and processes, particularly in leveraging IT advancements for improved management tools and processing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A distributed control system integrated with a container orchestration system, where a visualization manager receives container images, identifies suitable container hosts, and transmits configurations to thin client devices for displaying visualizations of industrial automation systems, leveraging container orchestration constraints for efficient visualization delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional industrial control systems are used for monitoring and controlling machines, then basic control functions are provided, but enhanced visualization and data sharing capabilities are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments visualization functionality into separate containerized applications that can be independently deployed and managed. Each visualization application is packaged as a container image that can be executed on suitable hosts within the orchestration system, allowing visualization capabilities to be added without complicating the core control system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The container orchestration system provides a universal platform that can host multiple visualization applications serving different functions and devices. The system enables multiple thin client devices to access and display visualizations from various containerized applications, allowing a single infrastructure to support diverse visualization needs across the industrial automation system.
2Productivity
If container orchestration systems are integrated to provide enhanced visualization, then data sharing and processing capabilities are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container orchestration system operates autonomously to manage containerized visualization applications. The system automatically handles container deployment, execution, and resource allocation based on predefined constraints and policies, reducing the need for manual intervention and simplifying operations despite the underlying complexity of the orchestration infrastructure.
3Ease of operation
If multiple thin client devices are used to display visualizations, then user accessibility and data sharing are enhanced, but resource management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container orchestration system acts as an intermediary between containerized visualization applications and multiple thin client devices. It manages the distribution and delivery of visualization content to various clients, handling resource allocation and coordination centrally, which simplifies resource management compared to direct peer-to-peer management between applications and clients.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and method for leveraging container orchestration systems to generate visualizations related to components or operations of an industrial automation system. In particular, a visual manager, a primary node of the container orchestration system, may receive a container image for operating an application of the industrial automation system. A visual manager may identify a container host from a cluster of nodes of the container orchestration system for executing the container in response to the container host meeting container orchestration constraints. Upon execution of the constraint, the container host may transmit configuration details for accessing a visualization associated with the container image to a thin client for di splay. In some embodiments, the container host, itself, may include a thin client device. Accordingly, the thin client device may execute the container and display the corresponding visualization