Message Queue Industrial Machine Data Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing industrial machine data communication systems are inefficient, requiring manual data retrieval, being specific to each machine, and prone to network failures leading to machine downtime, with data often confined to local systems and difficult to centralize.
Innovation Solution
A message queue-based system that enables asynchronous data communication and instruction of industrial machines across multiple locations, using a 'publish-subscribe' architecture for decoupling and fault tolerance, allowing data to be queued locally until network connectivity is restored, and enabling connection to the cloud for horizontal scaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual data retrieval methods are used (portable storage devices or local shared folders), then data can be transferred between machines, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical data transfer methods (portable storage devices, local shared folders) with an automated network-based message queue system. The machine communication messages are automatically routed through message queues to remote servers, eliminating the need for manual intervention and significantly improving data transfer efficiency while reducing errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces message queues as intermediary components between machines and remote servers. These queues act as buffers that automatically manage data flow, allowing machines to send communication messages that are queued and then retrieved by remote servers, thereby automating the previously manual data retrieval process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If point-to-point connection configuration is used for each machine, then specific communication requirements can be met, but the system complexity increases and requires separate implementation for each machine type
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal message queue architecture that can handle communication with multiple different machine types through a single standardized interface. Instead of configuring separate point-to-point connections for each machine, the system uses generic message queues that can process communication messages from various machine types, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the communication system into independent components: message producers (machines), message queues (intermediaries), and message consumers (remote servers). This segmentation allows each component to be developed and configured independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the ability to handle machine-specific requirements through standardized interfaces.
3Ease of operation
If synchronous communication is used (wait until response is received), then real-time control is achieved, but machine operation may be delayed due to network issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic communication modes that can switch between synchronous and asynchronous operations. The message queue system allows machines to send communication messages and continue operating while responses are processed, providing real-time control capability when needed while maintaining operation continuity when network issues occur, thus dynamically adapting to network conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The message queue acts as an intermediary buffer that decouples the sending and receiving of communication messages. Machines can deposit messages into the queue and continue operation without waiting for responses, while remote servers retrieve and process messages at their own pace. This intermediary mechanism maintains real-time control capability while ensuring machine operation continuity independent of network status.
4Ease of operation
If data is stored locally on stand-alone machines, then data security and accessibility are maintained, but centralizing data requires additional infrastructure and programming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses message queues as intermediaries to automatically bridge local machine data and remote central storage. Instead of requiring complex additional infrastructure and programming for data centralization, the message queue system naturally routes communication messages from machines to remote servers, enabling data centralization through the existing communication infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the data communication function with the existing message queue infrastructure. By combining data retrieval and centralization operations into the same message queue system used for machine control, the patent eliminates the need for separate data infrastructure, thereby reducing complexity while improving data accessibility across the organization.
Data Source
AI summary
Method, and corresponding system, for establishing data communications with, and instructing, industrial machines in multiple locations. The method includes generating, using a first application, one or more machine communication messages. Each machine communication message contains data produced by one of a plurality of machines located at a first location. An instance of the first application runs on a processor of each of the plurality of machines. The method further includes sending the machine communication messages to a first message queue via a local area network. The method further includes retrieving, using a first server at a remote location connected via a network, the machine communication messages from the first message queue; and extracting from the messages, at the remote location, the data produced by the plurality of machines. The sending of the machine communication messages and the retrieving of the machine communication messages are done asynchronously.