Field Firmware Update Activation for Reduced Production Downtime
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial production processes face significant downtime due to firmware updates in field devices, as existing methods either require immediate switching to new firmware, leading to short but frequent downtimes, or involve time-consuming network downloads that overwhelm bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
A field device with an update logic that decouples the firmware update process from its activation, allowing multiple devices to switch to an updated version simultaneously, using alternative communication interfaces and activation conditions such as measured values or release signals to minimize downtime, and a network device to manage and coordinate these updates across the production plant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If firmware is read in via communication interface and immediately transferred to program memory, then the field device can be updated, but the field device cannot perform its function from the start of reading until the restart with the updated firmware, causing production downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the firmware storage into two separate memory locations: program memory (containing currently active firmware) and additional memory (containing updated firmware). This segmentation allows the field device to maintain operation with existing firmware while the updated firmware is loaded into additional memory without interrupting the running process.
Solution Approach 2:
The updated firmware is loaded into additional memory in advance before it is needed, during periods when the field device is not actively requiring firmware updates. This preliminary loading action prepares the system for future updates without causing production downtime when the update is actually activated.
2Reliability
If multiple field devices are updated successively with immediate firmware activation, then each device can be updated, but the cumulative downtime affects production progress
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple field devices load their updated firmware into additional memory in advance during non-critical periods. This preliminary loading ensures that when activation is needed, all devices can switch to the new firmware simultaneously or in coordinated batches, minimizing the cumulative impact on production progress.
Solution Approach 2:
The additional memory acts as an intermediary storage layer between the communication interface and the program memory. It buffers the updated firmware, allowing the system to decouple the firmware download process from the activation process, thereby enabling coordinated updates across multiple devices without forcing sequential downtime.
3Speed
If firmware update is performed immediately upon download, then the update is applied quickly, but network bandwidth is overwhelmed and update coordination becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The update process is segmented into two independent phases: firmware download to additional memory, and firmware activation from additional memory to program memory. This segmentation allows the download phase to occur during non-critical periods without time pressure, reducing network bandwidth demands, while the activation phase can be coordinated across multiple devices to minimize production impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The firmware is downloaded to additional memory in advance during periods when network bandwidth is available and production impact is minimal. This preliminary download action separates the bandwidth-intensive download operation from the time-critical activation operation, allowing efficient use of network resources without compromising update speed when activation occurs.
Data Source
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AI summary
Field device (1, 1a, 1b), comprising: • sensor (11) and/or actuator (12) for measuring or controlling a process variable (51), • primary communication interface (13a) configured for transmitting measured values (11a) from the sensor (11) or for receiving instructions (12a) for influencing the actuator (12), • microcontroller (14a) or embedded system (14b) for controlling the acquisition of measured values with the sensor (11), orfor controlling the influence on the actuator (12), based on firmware (16) stored in a program memory (15), • further memory (17) for an updated version (16a) of the firmware (16), and/or a recording (17a) for such further memory (17), as well as • update logic (18) which is configured to cause the microcontroller (14a), or the embedded system (14b), to use the updated version (16a) of the firmware (16) after the updated version (16a) of the firmware (16) has been recorded in further memory (17) and after at least one activation condition (19) defined by the user of the field device (1, 1a, 1b) has subsequently occurred.