Industrial Software Testing With Digital Twin Latency Validation

The patent creates virtual copies (digital twins) of physical systems including virtual sensors, actuators, and control systems that replicate the behavior and operating conditions of actual equipment. These virtual models allow software testing to be performed in a controlled virtual environment rather than on expensive and complex physical systems, thereby maintaining reliability validation while reducing testing complexity and cost.

The patent implements comprehensive software testing in the virtual environment before deployment to actual physical systems. By performing preliminary validation of control algorithms, sensor processing, and actuator commands in the virtual model under simulated unpredictable conditions, the system ensures software reliability is established beforehand, preventing the need for complex post-deployment testing on physical equipment.

The patent implements a hierarchical deployment architecture that operates across multiple dimensions: cloud-based virtual models for comprehensive monitoring and analysis, edge computing nodes for intermediate processing, and local embedded controllers for time-critical operations. This multi-dimensional approach allows the system to leverage cloud accessibility while maintaining real-time response through local execution of time-sensitive control functions.

The patent applies different operational qualities to different parts of the system based on latency requirements. Time-critical control loops execute locally on embedded controllers with direct hardware access, while non-time-critical monitoring, logging, and analytical functions are distributed to network and cloud platforms. This local quality differentiation ensures that remote accessibility benefits are achieved without compromising the response time of critical operations.

The patent implements a risk-based testing strategy that applies comprehensive virtual testing to high-risk, high-impact software functions while using lighter testing approaches for lower-risk components. The virtual environment enables automated extensive testing of critical control algorithms, safety functions, and edge-case scenarios without proportionally increasing overall development time, as the virtual models can be rapidly instantiated and tested in parallel.

The patent implements automated testing frameworks within the virtual environment that self-generate test cases, automatically execute comprehensive operating condition simulations, and self-validate results. The digital twin system autonomously explores various operating scenarios, identifies edge cases, and validates software responses without requiring manual intervention for each test scenario, thereby maintaining comprehensive testing coverage while preserving development productivity.