Knowledge-Based PLC Runtime Analytics for High-Fidelity Event Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional programmable logic controllers (PLCs) face limitations in handling and analyzing large amounts of data generated in industrial automation systems, leading to loss of important data points and inefficient system operation due to hardware and software constraints, particularly in high-resolution data and fast-changing signals, which results in undetected events and increased maintenance downtime.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent PLC that executes a control program with a pre-defined and custom knowledge model, integrating reasoning algorithms for data analysis, and dynamically modifies these algorithms during runtime based on customer configurations, enabling improved monitoring and alarming functions while maintaining system operativity through separate processing threads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional PLCs store and analyze automation system data at higher automation layers, then data processing capability is improved, but network bandwidth demand and storage capacity requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data processing functions across multiple levels: the PLC performs local data collection and preliminary processing, while only essential processed data is transmitted to higher automation layers. This segmentation reduces network bandwidth consumption while maintaining automated data processing capabilities at the control level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and processes critical data locally at the PLC level before transmission, removing unnecessary data from the transmission stream. This extraction approach reduces the quantity of data requiring network bandwidth while preserving essential information for higher-level analysis.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional PLCs compress data at higher automation layers, then storage capacity requirements are reduced, but data fidelity and context information are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary data processing and filtering at the PLC level before data leaves the control system. By pre-processing data locally, the system reduces the volume of data requiring storage at higher layers while preserving critical information through intelligent selection of what to retain and transmit.
3Extent of automation
If conventional PLCs transmit complete PLC data to remote systems for analysis, then data analysis capability is improved, but communication bandwidth limitations prevent high-resolution data transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the most critical and high-value data points for transmission to remote systems, leaving detailed high-resolution data processed and analyzed locally at the PLC. This extraction strategy enables remote data analysis capability while working within communication bandwidth constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments data into different priority levels, transmitting only essential segmented data to remote systems while maintaining local copies and processing capabilities for high-resolution data. This segmentation allows remote analysis of critical parameters without requiring transmission of complete datasets.
4Reliability
If conventional PLCs use pre-defined data blocks and function blocks, then system reliability is improved, but adaptability to new sensors and monitoring rules requires complex re-engineering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal data model architecture where the PLC can handle multiple sensor types and data formats through a common interface. This universal approach maintains system reliability through standardized processing while enabling easy adaptation to new sensors and monitoring requirements without complex re-engineering.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating an intelligent programmable logic controller over a plurality of scan cycles includes the intelligent programmable logic controller executing a control program and one or more reasoning algorithms for analyzing data received and transmitted by the intelligent programmable logic controller. The intelligent programmable logic controller receives one or more user-specified declarative knowledge models from an external source via a deployment interface included in the intelligent programmable logic controller. The intelligent programmable logic controller dynamically modifies the reasoning algorithms during runtime of the control program based on the user-specified declarative knowledge models.