Industrial Controller Firmware for Direct Multi-Cloud Connectivity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial controllers are limited to configuring a single cloud provider, preventing the direct utilization of multiple cloud-based solutions with different strengths and weaknesses, and existing systems require additional components for cloud connection, increasing complexity and error analysis difficulty.
Innovation Solution
An industrial controller with configuration information stored in the firmware enables direct communication with multiple cloud platforms, allowing seamless and robust multi-cloud connectivity without additional components, facilitating error analysis and data distribution based on criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If only one cloud provider is configured in the industrial controller, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability to multiple cloud-based solutions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is segmented into a core control unit and separate add-on components for cloud connectivity. Each add-on component can be independently configured for different cloud providers, allowing multi-cloud support without complicating the core controller architecture. The configuration is divided into modular units that can be selectively activated.
Solution Approach 2:
The add-on component is designed with universal interfaces that can connect to multiple different cloud providers through standardized communication protocols. A single add-on component can be configured to work with various cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.), providing multi-functionality without requiring separate components for each provider.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional add-on components are used for cloud connection, then the adaptability to cloud platforms is improved, but the device complexity and error analysis difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cloud connection functions are merged into a single integrated add-on component rather than using separate components for each cloud provider. This consolidation maintains adaptability to multiple platforms while reducing the overall number of components, thereby simplifying error analysis and troubleshooting through a unified interface and centralized logging system.
3Reliability
If multiple cloud platforms are connected simultaneously, then the reliability through redundancy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The add-on component acts as an intermediary layer between the controller and multiple cloud platforms. It manages all communications, data transfers, and error handling through a single interface, allowing the controller to maintain reliable redundant connections to multiple clouds without the complexity of managing each connection individually. The intermediary abstracts the complexity away from the core control system.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial controller including a controller for controlling one or multiple field bus(es) in an automation system, first pieces of configuration information for configuring a communication link to a first cloud platform, second pieces of configuration information for configuring a communication link to a second cloud platform, and to for transfer process data of the automation system to the first and the second cloud platform.