Embedded Emulation Modules for Industrial Control Logic Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maintaining emulation in a virtual environment for industrial control systems is time-consuming and resource-intensive once the system is implemented in a physical environment.
Innovation Solution
An industrial control device is equipped with an emulation module that models its logical behavior, allowing it to provide this emulation to another device via a standard communication interface. This enables effective emulation in a virtual environment while the system is in a physical environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If emulation is maintained in a virtual environment after physical implementation, then logic validation can be performed, but it becomes time-consuming and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy (emulation module) of the physical industrial control device that can be downloaded and executed in a virtual environment. This copying approach allows logic validation to be performed efficiently by running the emulation module on standard hardware rather than maintaining complex virtualization infrastructure, thereby reducing time and resource consumption while preserving validation capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The emulation module is extracted from the physical control device as a separate downloadable component. This extraction allows the emulation functionality to be independently deployed and executed without requiring the physical device to be present or maintaining a full virtualized environment, thus reducing the time and resources needed for emulation maintenance
2Reliability
If emulation is maintained in a virtual environment after physical implementation, then logic validation can be performed, but it requires significant resources and expense
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining resource-intensive virtualization infrastructure, the patent uses a lightweight copying approach where the emulation module is downloaded as a compact binary file and executed on standard hardware. This reduces energy consumption and resource requirements while maintaining the ability to perform logic validation
Solution Approach 2:
The emulation module is designed as a lightweight, disposable executable that can be downloaded and run on inexpensive standard hardware rather than requiring expensive virtualization infrastructure. This approach significantly reduces resource consumption and expense while enabling logic validation
Data Source
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AI summary
An emulation module configured to model a logical behavior of an industrial control device may be stored or embedded in the industrial control device for subsequent downloading and emulation by another device. The industrial control device storing the emulation module may execute firmware for its operation, and the stored emulation module may be used to model the logical behavior of the industrial control device executing the firmware. The industrial control device storing the emulation module may provide the emulation module to another device using an industry standard bi-directional communication interface, such as an EtherNet/IP control network interface. The industrial control device may also store multiple emulation modules with identifiable revisions, and a revision of an emulation module may correspond to a revision of firmware for execution by the industrial control device.