Device-to-Device Communication in Industrial Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation environments face challenges with communication due to noise and electrical interference, which affect wireless connectivity, and the lack of network infrastructure, making it difficult for users to communicate effectively without intermediary servers or cloud infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
Implementing direct device-to-device communication using peer-to-peer networking protocols such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi Direct, and NFC, allowing computing systems to connect directly and engage in communication sessions within a graphical user interface, enabling users to discuss industrial data in real-time without intermediate networking equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless communication is used in industrial automation environments, then users can communicate and access operational data remotely, but communication reliability deteriorates due to noise and electrical interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wireless communication interface as an intermediary component that bridges the operational data system and user devices. This interface handles the communication protocol conversion and data transmission, isolating the core operational system from direct wireless interference while enabling remote access. The intermediary manages the connection stability despite environmental noise and electrical interference.
2Ease of operation
If network infrastructure is deployed to support communication, then communication coverage is improved, but system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the communication functionality from the core operational system by implementing a separate, standalone wireless communication interface. This extraction allows the communication coverage to be improved independently without adding complexity to the main operational data system. The communication interface can be deployed as a separate module or device, reducing the overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If intermediary servers or cloud infrastructure are used for communication, then communication stability is improved, but communication latency and data transmission time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication architecture into a direct peer-to-peer connection layer and a data processing layer. The wireless communication interface establishes direct connections between user devices and the operational data system, eliminating intermediate servers for real-time data transmission. This segmentation allows stable communication through direct links while maintaining fast data access by separating the communication pathway from the processing pathway.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques to facilitate communication between users in an industrial application associated with an industrial automation environment are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, a graphical user interface (GUI) associated with the industrial application is displayed on a display system of the computing system. The computing system engages in a peer-to-peer communication session with a remote computing system, wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is displayed within the GUI of the industrial application. Industrial data associated with the industrial application is displayed within the peer-to-peer communication session.