Industrial Device Twins for Low-Traffic OT Network Access

Solution Overview

Problem

Industrial automation systems experience excessive communication traffic and slow response times due to multiple parallel communication channels when applications interact with industrial automation devices in operational technology (OT) networks.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of device twins, which are digital representations of physical industrial automation devices, act as common interfaces for applications to interact with the devices, optimizing communication by managing and replicating data between cloud and on-prem environments, and utilizing edge devices and smart filters to optimize data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple applications directly interact with industrial automation devices via parallel communication channels, then applications can access device data and control functions, but network traffic increases and response times slow down

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication access capabilityVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces device twins as intermediary entities that mediate between multiple applications and the actual industrial automation devices. Instead of applications directly communicating with physical devices through multiple parallel channels, all communication is routed through device twins, which consolidate the communication load and reduce network traffic while maintaining application access capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates digital copies (device twins) of physical industrial automation devices. These copies contain replicated data and control interfaces that allow applications to interact with the device state without directly accessing the physical device, thereby reducing communication overhead and improving response times while maintaining full application functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Loss of information

If multiple applications directly communicate with industrial automation devices, then applications can access real-time device data, but excessive communication traffic slows the OT network

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates digital copies (device twins) of physical industrial automation devices. These copies contain replicated data and control interfaces that allow applications to interact with the device state without directly accessing the physical device, thereby reducing communication overhead and improving response times while maintaining full application functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent consolidates multiple application communication channels into a single standardized interface through device twins. Instead of having multiple parallel communication paths that consume network bandwidth, all applications communicate through the device twin, which merges the communication load and reduces overall network traffic while maintaining data accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Speed

If device twins are implemented as common interfaces, then communication is optimized and network traffic is reduced, but system complexity increases due to additional digital representations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates digital copies (device twins) of physical industrial automation devices. These copies contain replicated data and control interfaces that allow applications to interact with the device state without directly accessing the physical device, thereby reducing communication overhead and improving response times while maintaining full application functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The device twin serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a data repository, a communication interface, a control mechanism, and a synchronization point. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate system components, thereby managing complexity while achieving communication optimization and network traffic reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250321555A1Systems and methods for generating and maintaining industrial automation device twins

Publication Date: 2025.10.16 ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECH INC

AI summary

A system includes processing circuitry and a memory, accessible by the processing circuitry, storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to receive discovery data including one or more characteristics of an industrial automation device of an industrial automation system configured to perform an industrial automation process, wherein the industrial automation device is communicatively coupled to an operational technology (OT) network, request, from a database, catalog data for the industrial automation device, and generate, based on the discovery data and the catalog data, a device twin for the industrial automation device, wherein the device twin comprises an interface by which one or more applications may interact with the industrial automation device.