Mobile Bridge Link for Field Device Data Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in establishing a bidirectional data exchange between field devices and central facilities, especially in brownfield plants where infrastructure for digital communication is lacking, leading to difficulties in synchronizing data and causing unplanned downtimes and high retrofitting costs.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a mobile communication terminal to establish a bidirectional connection between a field device and a central facility through a bridge function, creating a short-range radio link with the field device and a long-range radio link to the central facility, enabling a data channel for bidirectional communication without requiring permanent digital network connectivity or new hardware infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If field devices are connected only via analog input/output cards to controllers, then the system can operate with existing infrastructure, but digital data cannot be accessed or transmitted to the central system
Solution Approach 1:
A mobile communication device serves as an intermediary between field devices and the central system. The mobile device establishes a short-range radio link to the field device and a long-range radio link to the central facility, enabling bidirectional data transmission without requiring permanent digital network infrastructure at the field device location.
2Loss of information
If a wireless infrastructure with fixed access points and gateways is installed to enable digital communication, then data transmission capability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile communication device utilizes its own built-in radio interfaces (short-range and long-range) to establish communication links. The device serves itself as the communication bridge, eliminating the need for separate fixed access points, cables, repeaters, and gateways that would otherwise be required to provide wireless infrastructure.
3Loss of information
If HART multiplexers are retrofitted to input/output cards to enable parallel data readout, then digital communication capability is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile communication device acts as an external intermediary that interfaces with the field device's radio link directly, bypassing the need to modify or retrofit the existing analog input/output cards with HART multiplexers. This approach enables digital data access without altering the existing I/O system architecture.
4Loss of information
If field devices are equipped with radio interfaces and permanent digital network connectivity is established, then continuous data synchronization is improved, but system cost and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communication connection is made dynamic rather than permanent. The mobile device establishes radio links on-demand when data synchronization is needed, and can move between locations to maintain connectivity. This dynamic approach enables data synchronization without requiring permanent digital network infrastructure at each field device location.
Data Source
AI summary
A bidirectional connection (19) is established between a device (1, 2, 3, 4), in particular a field device, and an application (13) in a central facility (10) by a bridge function (18) running on a mobile communication terminal (7) establishing a short-range radio link (5) to the device (1, 2, 3, 4), establishing a long-range radio link (8, 9) to the application (13) in the central facility (10), and establishing a data channel (19) for bidirectional communication between the application (13) in the central facility (10) via the long-range radio link (8, 9) and the device (1, 2, 3, 4) via the short-range radio interface (5).