Border Router Address Translation for Industrial Network Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial networks with specialized communication protocols face difficulties in communicating with IP-based networks due to differences in packet formats and protocols, making integration with cloud computing systems and other networks unfeasible.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a border router that translates source addresses from limited domain network (LDN) format to IPv6 format and vice versa, using reversible functions or hash functions, to enable automated and stateless communication across different addressing schemes, reducing the need for manual configuration and gateways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual configuration of gateways is used for address translation between industrial networks and IP networks, then communication between different protocols is enabled, but device complexity and configuration time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The border router automatically performs address translation between LDN format and IPv6 format without requiring manual administrator configuration. The system self-configures by receiving packets, identifying the address format, and applying appropriate translation functions, eliminating the need for stateful manual gateway setup while maintaining protocol interoperability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/manual configuration process with an automated computational system. Instead of administrators manually configuring gateway translation tables, the border router uses automated address format detection and translation functions (including hash functions and reversible functions) to perform real-time address conversion, substituting manual mechanical configuration with automated electronic processing
2Measurement precision
If stateful address translation tables are maintained for LDN to IPv6 translation, then accurate address mapping is achieved, but memory usage and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs hash functions that generate IPv6 addresses on-the-fly from LDN addresses without requiring persistent storage of translation mappings. Each translation is computed independently and discarded after use, eliminating the need for large stateful translation tables while maintaining accurate address mapping through deterministic mathematical functions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach from storing translation results (stateful) to computing them on-demand using mathematical functions. By transforming the translation mechanism from a lookup-based system to a computation-based system using hash functions and reversible functions, the patent reduces memory requirements while preserving translation accuracy through deterministic algorithms
3Reliability
If multiple specialized gateways are deployed for different industrial protocols, then protocol-specific communication is optimized, but network complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The border router is designed as a universal device that can translate between multiple LDN protocols and IPv6 simultaneously. Instead of requiring separate specialized gateways for each industrial protocol, a single border router performs address translation for various protocols (Modbus, BACnet, Profibus, etc.) using the same automated translation mechanisms, reducing network device complexity while maintaining protocol-specific communication reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple protocol-specific gateways into a single border router. By combining address translation capabilities for different industrial protocols into one unified device that uses automated translation functions, the system reduces the total number of gateways needed while maintaining the reliability of protocol-specific communications through centralized management
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanism operating in a border router is disclosed. The mechanism includes receiving an upstream packet over a limited domain network (LDN). The upstream packet comprises a source address including a LDN suffix. The source address is translated into Internet Protocol version six (IPv6) format by applying a function to translate the LDN suffix into an IPv6 suffix. The upstream packet is forwarded over an IPv6 network based on the source address in IPv6 format.