Digital Twin Archival via IoT Sensor Inactivity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital twins associated with decommissioned physical assets can become unreadable due to long lifecycles and vendor lock-in, posing operational risks if not properly archived, especially when IoT sensor readings cease for a pre-configured threshold period.
Innovation Solution
A system that monitors IoT sensor data from physical assets, determines when a decommissioning threshold is met, reviews digital twin agreements, and archives the digital twin by either destroying it, moving it to a cost-effective state, or transferring it to a 'digital twin junk yard' for archival services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If digital twins are maintained indefinitely for decommissioned physical assets, then historical data is preserved, but storage costs increase and data becomes unreadable due to vendor lock-in
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting when a physical asset is decommissioned (through IoT sensor inactivity) and automatically archiving the digital twin before it becomes unreadable. This prevents the future problem of data loss by acting in advance, converting passive storage into active lifecycle management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the state parameter of the digital twin from 'active' to 'archived' based on the decommissioning detection. This parameter change triggers different storage policies, cost structures, and accessibility levels, resolving the contradiction between preserving data and managing storage resources.
2Reliability
If digital twins are archived automatically when IoT sensors stop reporting, then operational risks are reduced, but false archiving may occur due to sensor failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from multiple IoT sensors to continuously monitor physical asset status. When sensors stop reporting, the system receives feedback about this anomaly and initiates an archiving workflow that includes verification steps, preventing false archiving due to temporary sensor failures while maintaining automated response.
3Adaptability or versatility
If digital twins are stored in active state longer, then future operational recovery is possible, but vendor lock-in and storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the storage state of digital twins based on real-time asset status. Digital twins transition from active (high resource consumption, full accessibility) to archived (reduced resource consumption, controlled accessibility) states. This dynamic approach maintains flexibility for asset recovery while optimizing storage resource usage based on actual need.
Data Source
AI summary
In an approach to archive a digital twin in response to a determination to decommission its associated physical asset, a processor monitors for data sent from an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor associated in the physical asset. A processor determines that a pre-configured threshold is met. A processor reviews a digital twin agreement for the digital twin. A processor archives the digital twin.