IoT Digital Twin Onboarding Using Device Identification Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

The manual creation and onboarding of digital twins for IoT devices in asset management platforms is a resource-intensive and error-prone process, often lacking necessary information, which hinders efficient data consumption and decision-making in IoT networks.

Innovation Solution

Automatically creating and registering digital twins within asset management platforms by combining identification data from IoT devices with ancillary information from manufacturers, operators, and service providers, and synchronizing this data across cloud and on-premise systems for real-time sensor data ingestion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If digital twins are manually created and onboarded in asset management platforms, then comprehensive data can be entered, but the process is resource-intensive and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidonboarding efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses identification data from IoT devices to automatically copy and create digital twin instances in asset management platforms, replacing manual creation processes. This automated copying mechanism reduces human error while maintaining data accuracy and significantly improves onboarding efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by allowing IoT devices to provide their own identification data automatically. The digital twin creation process is triggered automatically when IoT devices connect to the network, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing resource-intensive operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of information

If digital twins are manually created, then data can be entered, but the process is time-consuming and hinders efficient decision-making

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata completenessVSAvoidonboarding time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by automatically creating digital twins as soon as IoT devices connect to the network. The system proactively retrieves identification data and initiates digital twin creation without waiting for manual processes, thereby reducing onboarding time while ensuring data completeness through automated data collection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If manual onboarding is used, then data can be entered, but errors frequently occur reducing reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidonboarding simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical manual process of data entry with an automated electronic system. The system automatically retrieves identification data from IoT devices and populates digital twins, eliminating human error associated with manual data entry while maintaining data accuracy and improving operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11087890B2Automatic onboarding of digital twins of physical assests in Internet-of-Things (IoT) systems

Publication Date: 2021.08.10 SAP SE

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for receiving IoT data from an IoT device of an IoT network, the IoT data including identification data and sensor data, determining that a digital twin of the IoT device is stored in a cloud platform based on at least a portion of the identification data, the digital twin including a digital representation of the IoT device that is provided as an instance of a model of the IoT device, and enriching the digital twin with the sensor data.