Industrial Ethernet Device Emulation With Kernel Frame Interception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Physical testing of industrial automation devices is challenging due to hardware shortages, supply chain issues, and the need to protect actual networks from vulnerabilities, while testing low-level communications using high-level operating systems is difficult.
Innovation Solution
A network device emulator system with a kernel module intercepts low-level communication frames at the operating system's firewall layer, allowing secure emulation and testing of industrial automation devices by forwarding communications to simulated devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical testing is performed using actual industrial automation devices, then testing accuracy and reliability are improved, but hardware availability decreases and network security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies (emulators) of industrial automation devices that replicate their communication behavior and protocols. These emulators run within the host operating system and can be instantiated in unlimited quantities, eliminating hardware shortages while maintaining testing reliability through accurate protocol simulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a kernel module as an intermediary layer between the physical network and the host operating system. This module intercepts and redirects low-level communication frames to emulated devices, allowing physical testing infrastructure to coexist with virtual testing environments without compromising either network security or hardware availability.
2Measurement precision
If physical testing is performed using actual industrial automation devices, then testing accuracy is improved, but network security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The kernel module serves as a security intermediary that sits between the physical network and the host operating system. It filters and redirects only the necessary low-level communication frames to emulated devices while blocking potentially harmful traffic, thus maintaining testing accuracy without exposing the network to security vulnerabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts low-level communication frame handling from the standard operating system network stack and isolates it within the kernel module. This extraction allows precise interception and redirection of testing traffic while keeping the rest of the network isolated from testing operations, maintaining both accuracy and security.
3Ease of operation
If high-level operating systems are used for testing, then ease of operation is improved, but ability to test low-level communications decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of high-level operating systems (ease of use, graphical interfaces, development tools) with low-level communication testing capabilities through the kernel module. The module captures raw communication frames and makes them accessible to high-level applications, combining operational simplicity with deep protocol access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical requirement of direct hardware manipulation with software-based frame interception and emulation. Instead of physically connecting test equipment to devices, the kernel module captures and redirects communication frames through software, eliminating the need for complex physical test setups while maintaining testing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, may cause processing circuitry to perform operations including receiving, at a communications stack of an operating system, communications from one or more industrial automation devices. The operations may also include identifying a subset of the communications, wherein the subset of the communications comprises one or more low-level communication frames and forwarding the remaining communications to the operating system. Further, the operations may include determining a networking operation indicated by the low-level communication frames and transmitting the one or more low-level communication frames to one or more simulated industrial automation devices according to the determined networking operation.