Federated Digital Process Management for IoT Edge Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital process management systems face limitations in real-time management and customization, particularly in the Internet of Things (IoT) environment, where process management is often delayed due to centralized control and reduced customizability, leading to inefficiencies and increased network traffic.
Innovation Solution
A digital process management system comprising a processor and memory that determines and executes process models across IoT devices, gateways, and enterprises, allowing for real-time management, customization, and automation, with the ability to communicate directly and reduce data transmission needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If process management is centralized within enterprise, then control and management are simplified, but real-time management capability and customization are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments process management into multiple hierarchical levels: enterprise-level process models, gateway-level process instances, and device-level process execution. This segmentation allows centralized definition of process models at the enterprise level while enabling decentralized real-time execution and customization at gateway and device levels, resolving the contradiction between simplified control and real-time adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to process management by implementing process models that can be executed in real-time at edge devices while being defined centrally. The system adds the dimension of hierarchical decomposition where process models exist at multiple levels (enterprise, gateway, device), allowing simultaneous centralized control and distributed real-time execution
2Device complexity
If process management is centralized within enterprise, then system complexity is reduced, but network traffic and processing demands increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts process execution capability from the centralized enterprise system and places it at the edge gateways and devices. Gateway-level process instances and device-level process execution are separated from enterprise-level process model definition, allowing local real-time execution without continuous enterprise communication, thus reducing network traffic while maintaining system simplicity through hierarchical organization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining process models at the enterprise level and pre-configuring gateway-level process instances before real-time execution. This allows devices to execute processes autonomously using pre-loaded models without requiring real-time communication with the enterprise system, reducing network traffic while maintaining centralized control over process definitions
3Adaptability or versatility
If process management allows customization, then adaptability improves, but system complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing customization at specific hierarchical levels (gateway and device) while maintaining standardized process model definitions at the enterprise level. Each gateway can customize process instances locally based on local conditions, and devices can execute customized processes, without requiring complex centralized management of all customizations, thus enabling adaptability while controlling system complexity through localized customization
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a system for digital process management comprises at least one memory and processor communicatively coupled to one another. The memory is operable to store input data, output data, and a process model, each associated with a digital process management system. The processor is operable to determine the process model, which comprises a set of rules, determine the input data based upon data received from a data source, and determine whether to initiate the process model based upon the input data. The system is further operable to execute the process model across two of an Internet-connected device, a gateway, and an enterprise by determining a state of a process, determining an activity based upon the state and the set of rules, executing the activity, determining results data, and determining the output data based upon the results data. The system is further operable to communicate the output data.