Cloud Industrial Controller for Hybrid Local and Centralized Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in centralized control and data analysis, leading to inefficiencies in decision-making and operational optimization due to the lack of integrated, cloud-based solutions that can collect and analyze data from diverse industrial assets and processes.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based industrial controller that collects data from industrial devices and processes, performs big data analysis, and generates control instructions to optimize operations, allowing for real-time monitoring and decision-making across multiple facilities, and can interface with hardware-based controllers to enhance control and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If industrial controllers are deployed locally at each facility, then real-time control decisions can be made, but data analysis capabilities and centralized optimization are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two parts: local industrial controllers that execute real-time control decisions and a cloud-based data analysis platform that performs centralized data processing and optimization. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its strengths while working together as an integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
A communication interface serves as an intermediary between local controllers and the cloud-based analysis platform. This intermediary enables bidirectional data exchange, allowing controllers to send operational data to the cloud for analysis and receive optimized control parameters in return.
2Productivity
If cloud-based control algorithms are used, then centralized optimization and multi-facility coordination are improved, but real-time control response may be delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud-based platform performs preliminary analysis of operational data and pre-calculates optimized control parameters before real-time control events occur. This advance preparation ensures that when real-time decisions are needed, pre-computed optimization results can be quickly deployed without delaying control response.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a hybrid approach where critical real-time control functions are handled locally by industrial controllers, while non-critical optimization and coordination functions are performed by the cloud-based platform. This partial distribution of control actions maintains real-time responsiveness for essential operations while still achieving centralized optimization benefits.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple controller platforms with different formats are integrated, then system versatility is improved, but data standardization and interoperability become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud-based data analysis platform serves as a universal interface that can accept and process data from multiple different controller platforms and formats. It performs data normalization and standardization internally, allowing the system to work with diverse control systems without requiring each controller to be customized for specific formats.
Data Source
AI summary
A cloud-based industrial controller that controls devices, processes, and other assets of an industrial automation system via control algorithms that execute on a cloud platform is presented. A cloud-based collection component collects information from the industrial automation system via cloud gateways associated with the industrial automation system or extrinsic data sources. The cloud-based industrial controller can monitor and analyze the information, generate control instructions based on the analysis results, and communicate the control instructions to the devices, processes, and/or other assets of the industrial automation system to control operation of the industrial automation system. The cloud-based industrial controller also can interface with a industrial plant-based industrial controller, wherein the cloud-based industrial controller can determine supplemental control instructions to the industrial plant-based industrial controller, based on the information, including extrinsic information, to assist in controlling the industrial automation system and control decision-making.