Error Correction Layer for CRC Alarms in Safety Message Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing industrial automation systems face frequent downtime and safety risks due to CRC alarms caused by transmission errors in safety messages and safety-relevant data, especially in networks with poor quality and high susceptibility to interference, leading to increased productivity issues and safety concerns.

Innovation Solution

An Error correction layer is inserted between the Safety communication layer and underlying communication layers, utilizing a logical operation and Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) to detect and correct errors in safety messages and data packets, reducing CRC alarms and downtime by applying a logical inequality operation and Guessing Random Additive Noise Decoding (GRAND) to enhance error detection and correction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) is applied to detect transmission errors in safety messages, then transmission reliability is improved, but CRC alarms cause increased downtime and productivity loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidsystem downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies GRAND decoding as a preliminary error correction action before CRC verification. By guessing and correcting error patterns in advance, the system prevents CRC alarms that would otherwise cause downtime, thus maintaining productivity while preserving transmission reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of transmission errors (which cause CRC alarms and downtime) into a beneficial process by using GRAND decoding to guess and correct error patterns. This transforms potential productivity loss into an opportunity for active error management that maintains both reliability and productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Reliability

If error correction is implemented in safety communication, then transmission reliability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror detection and correction capabilityVSAvoidcommunication system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces GRAND decoding as an intermediary error correction mechanism between the transmission layers and CRC verification. This intermediary component handles error correction without requiring modifications to existing safety communication protocols, thus improving reliability while minimizing complexity increase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the error handling function into a separate GRAND decoding module that operates independently from the existing safety communication layers. This segmentation allows error correction capability to be added without complicating the overall system structure, as the new function is isolated and modular

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If existing safety communication layers are modified to implement error correction, then error detection capability is improved, but ease of operation and implementation is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror detection precisionVSAvoidimplementation simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies GRAND decoding as a preliminary error correction step before data reaches the existing safety communication layers. This preliminary action improves error detection precision without requiring modifications to established protocols, thereby maintaining ease of operation and implementation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of modifying existing safety communication layers to add error correction (which would reduce ease of operation), the patent inverts the approach by adding GRAND decoding at the receiving end before standard processing. This inversion achieves improved error detection while preserving the simplicity of implementing with existing protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS20250208608A1Method and system for error detection and correction

Publication Date: 2025.06.26 ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG

AI summary

A method and a system for detecting and correcting errors in safety messages and/or safety-relevant data received by an automation component of an industrial automation system via a digital communication network is described, wherein a safety protocol is used for data transmission of the safety messages and/or safety-relevant data. Cyclic Redundancy Checks are applied to the safety messages and/or safety-relevant data, and the safety messages and/or safety-relevant data are transmitted in the form of data packets. An Error correction layer is designed to carry out steps to detect and correct errors in the safety messages and/or safety-relevant data. The steps are repeated, until either the value of an error signal indicates that the data packet is error-free or the number of repetitions of the steps reaches a predefined maximum number of repetitions.