Edge Metadata Aggregation for Real-Time Hydrocarbon Site Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems at hydrocarbon sites, such as oil and gas extraction stations, face limitations in processing and analyzing sensor data in real-time due to limited processing capabilities and data storage, leading to inefficiencies in controlling hydrocarbon operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control system with edge devices equipped with processing circuits that aggregate metadata from sensors, integrate and categorize data using dictionaries or lexicons, and adjust operations based on metadata analysis, enabling real-time control and data standardization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sensor data is processed and analyzed in real-time at hydrocarbon sites, then control efficiency and operational optimization are improved, but processing capabilities and data storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces metadata as an intermediary layer between raw sensor data and control decisions. Edge devices generate metadata that summarizes and structures sensor data, which then feeds into control algorithms. This mediator approach allows real-time processing without requiring full sensor data to be stored and processed centrally, thus improving control efficiency while managing processing complexity at edge devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments data processing into multiple levels: edge devices perform local metadata generation from sensor data, intermediate systems aggregate metadata from multiple edge devices, and central systems perform high-level analysis. This segmentation distributes processing capabilities across the hierarchy, enabling real-time control at the edge while reducing the burden on central systems.
2Speed
If metadata aggregation and analysis is performed at edge devices, then data processing speed is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Edge devices perform preliminary actions by generating metadata summaries of sensor data before transmitting to central systems. This preliminary processing at the edge captures time-critical information locally, improving data processing speed for time-sensitive control decisions, while the metadata generation follows standardized templates that manage device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If standardized data representations are implemented across devices, then system interoperability is improved, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universal metadata templates and standardized data representations that can be applied across diverse sensor types and edge devices. These standardized templates define common structures for metadata generation, enabling different devices to interoperate through a common language. The universality of the metadata framework improves system interoperability while the templated approach reduces implementation complexity by providing reusable patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
A control system for aggregating metadata at hydrocarbon site is shown. The control system includes one or more edge devices. At least one of the one or more edge devices includes a processing circuit configured to receive sensor data from a plurality of sensors and integrate the received sensor data into a set of metadata, the set of metadata including stored operational data of the hydrocarbon site. The processing circuit is configured to aggregate the set of metadata according to one or more criteria, the one or more criteria configured to categorize the received sensor data. The processing circuit is configured to identify one or more connected devices based on the aggregated set of metadata and the one or more criteria and adjust operation of the one or more edge devices based on the aggregated set of metadata.