Gateway Device Prioritizes Datagrams via Multi-Network Interfaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges with message traffic, leading to communication interruptions and additional loads on connections, which can cause system malfunctions and prevent safe operating states, especially with the suboptimal use of 5G networks for both time-critical and non-time-critical industrial data.
Innovation Solution
A gateway device with multiple network interfaces, including cellular and local area networks, prioritizes datagrams based on identifiers generated by control devices considering Quality of Service requirements, using a filter with bit masks to determine the appropriate priority queue for transmission, ensuring efficient communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If all industrial data is transmitted over 5G networks, then machine to machine communication is enabled, but extensive bandwidth is required and time-critical data transmission is not optimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments industrial data transmission by dividing data into different priority categories (time-critical and non-time-critical) and routing them through different network interfaces (5G and WLAN respectively). This segmentation allows the system to optimize bandwidth usage by sending only essential time-critical data over 5G while handling non-time-critical data over WLAN.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different transmission qualities to different data types based on their urgency. Time-critical data receives high-priority treatment with guaranteed bandwidth over 5G, while non-time-critical data is transmitted over WLAN with standard priority, ensuring each data type receives the appropriate quality of service.
2Adaptability or versatility
If integrated WLAN and LTE network devices are used, then network flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by enabling the gateway device to dynamically select between 5G and WLAN networks based on real-time conditions such as data priority, network availability, and quality of service requirements. This dynamic selection capability provides network flexibility while managing device complexity through automated decision-making algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device acts as an intermediary between industrial control devices and multiple network types. It introduces intelligent routing logic that simplifies the complexity by automatically managing the interaction between 5G and WLAN networks, allowing control devices to communicate with either network without requiring them to understand the complexity of dual-network management.
3Productivity
If message traffic with large number of short messages is handled, then industrial automation monitoring is improved, but communication connections experience additional loads leading to malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments message traffic into different priority queues, separating time-critical short messages from non-time-critical messages. Time-critical messages are transmitted over 5G with high priority to ensure reliable and timely delivery, while non-time-critical messages are handled over WLAN, reducing the load on 5G communication connections and preventing malfunctions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining constant monitoring capabilities through the 5G network for time-critical data while using WLAN for supplementary non-time-critical data transmission. This continuous operation prevents communication interruptions and ensures the industrial automation system remains in safe operating states.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for transmitting a plurality of datagrams by a gateway device with a plurality of network interfaces includes determining a first priority queue from a plurality of the priority queues for transmittal of a first datagram from the plurality of datagrams, based on a filter and the datagram identifier of the first datagram, and placing the first datagram in the determined first priority queue for transmittal of the first datagram by a first network interface associated with the determined first priority queue, where the datagram identifier of the first datagram is generated by a control device based on network Quality of Service (QoS) requirements associated with a process application associated with the first datagram.