Industrial IoT Controller Architecture for Legacy-OT Microservices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of legacy industrial applications with newer Industrial IoT (IIoT) microservices is hindered by the challenge of interfacing with proprietary third-party microcontrollers and software, particularly in mission-critical systems, where proprietary protocols and closed infrastructures need to be opened up for centralized management and monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A computer system architecture that divides a microcontroller into two domains: a real-time (RT) domain for legacy applications and a high-performance (HP) domain for microservices, allowing for inter-processor communication and shared memory, while using a universal industrial I/O interface bridge like an FPGA to manage electronic communications and translate protocols, enabling the coexistence of legacy and new technologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proprietary third-party microcontrollers and closed infrastructures are used for legacy industrial applications, then system reliability and timing precision are maintained, but adaptability and ease of integration with new IIoT microservices deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two distinct domains: a real-time (RT) domain for legacy applications and a high-performance (HP) domain for new microservices. This segmentation allows each domain to operate independently with its own optimized architecture, maintaining reliability in the RT domain while enabling adaptability in the HP domain through standardized interfaces and communication protocols.
2Loss of time
If proprietary third-party microcontrollers and closed infrastructures are used, then mission-critical timing requirements are met, but device complexity and difficulty of centralized management increase
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary communication interface is introduced between the RT and HP domains, along with a universal industrial I/O interface bridge. This intermediary layer manages the complexity of interfacing with multiple proprietary protocols while presenting a standardized interface for centralized management, thus meeting timing requirements without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Speed
If legacy industrial applications run on proprietary microcontrollers, then real-time performance is ensured, but ease of operation for centralized infrastructure management deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The HP domain is designed with universal, standardized interfaces and communication protocols that enable centralized management and monitoring of the entire infrastructure. This universal layer can operate multiple functions including management, monitoring, and coordination of diverse legacy systems, thereby improving ease of operation without compromising real-time performance in the RT domain.
4Stability of the object's composition
If closed infrastructures are used for legacy systems, then system stability is maintained, but loss of information and lack of centralized monitoring increase
Solution Approach 1:
The HP domain acts as an intermediary that bridges closed legacy infrastructures with open monitoring systems. It captures and translates information from stable legacy systems into standardized formats that enable centralized monitoring and data aggregation, thus preventing information loss while maintaining the stability of the underlying legacy systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for enabling coexistence of Information Technology (IT) systems and Operational Technology (OT) systems, where advanced computing functionality realized by the IT systems can be applied to legacy applications and incumbent hardware technologies resident in the OT systems. A distributed control node (DCN) implemented between the IT and OT systems may comprise a microcontroller system partitioned into two processor clusters. Microservices associated with the IT systems are provisioned to a high performance processor cluster, and legacy applications running bare metal associated with the OT systems are provisioned to a real-time processor cluster. Partitioning of the microcontroller system allows for interoperability between the microservices and the legacy applications.