Industrial Information Hub for Secure Asset Modeling and Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in development and testing due to complexity and custom nature, leading to long development cycles, cost overruns, and difficulty in managing proprietary intellectual property and protecting against cyber-attacks, with current virtualization and simulation capabilities being inadequate.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based Industrial Development Hub (IDH) provides enhanced storage and design tools, facilitating easy management of digital content, system backup, and restore capabilities, along with simulation and analytics to support development and testing of industrial automation projects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If industrial automation systems are developed using traditional methods, then development can be completed, but development cycles become long and costs overrun
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by creating digital twins and virtual prototypes before physical implementation. The system allows developers to simulate, test, and validate automation systems in a virtual environment first, which accelerates the development process and reduces on-site debugging time, directly addressing the long development cycle problem
2Reliability
If virtualization and simulation capabilities are enhanced for better development and testing, then development quality improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality through a standardized digital twin platform that serves multiple functions: simulation, testing, validation, and training. This multi-functional approach consolidates various development and testing capabilities into a single system, improving reliability while managing complexity through standardization rather than proliferation of separate tools
3Object-affected harmful factors
If proprietary intellectual property is protected through traditional methods, then security is maintained, but management of proprietary assets becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by creating digital twins - virtual replicas of physical assets and intellectual property. These digital copies can be securely managed, shared, and protected in the virtual environment while the original physical assets remain secure. This allows easy management of proprietary assets through the digital domain while maintaining security through controlled access to the actual physical systems
Data Source
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AI summary
An industrial information hub (IDH) serves as a single industrial ecosystem platform where multiple participants can deliver repeatable and standardized services relevant to their core competencies. The IIH system is centered around the development of an ecosystem that creates and delivers value to users - including industrial enterprises, OEMs, system integrators, vendors, etc. - through the aggregation of digital content and domain expertise. The IIH system serves as a trusted information broker between the ecosystem and the OT environments of plant facilities, and provides a platform for connecting assets, contextualizing asset data and providing secure access to the ecosystem. Additionally, the IIH system provides tools and support to OEMs and other subject matter experts, allowing those experts to enable their digital assets for use in the ecosystem. The IIH system reduces the cost and risks for digital transformation of industrial assets.