Industrial Name Service Tree for Reliable Device Addressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face issues with reliable communication and addressing of devices due to interruptions in communication links, leading to unnecessary load and potential system failures, especially with large volumes of short messages, which can result in costly production downtime.
Innovation Solution
A method for providing an extended name service within industrial automation systems using a tree structure name service system that records name-address associations for both device names and plant identifiers, allowing for efficient resolution of system identifiers to communication network addresses, enabling direct access and maintenance without requiring browser extensions or software architecture changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple name systems are used for automation devices, then devices can be addressed via hostnames and system identifiers, but the complexity of the addressing system increases and reliability decreases due to communication interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple name systems (hostnames and system identifiers) into a unified addressing approach where both name types are recorded in the same DNS server with name-address mappings. This merging allows devices to be addressed through either hostname or system identifier uniformly, reducing addressing complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The DNS server acts as an intermediary that resolves both hostnames and system identifiers to communication network addresses. By using the DNS server as a central mediator for name resolution, the system handles multiple naming conventions uniformly, reducing the complexity of managing multiple separate name systems while maintaining the ability to address devices through different name types.
2Adaptability or versatility
If communication links are interrupted, then devices may be addressed through multiple name systems, but unnecessary retransmission of service requests occurs causing additional strain on communication links
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary name resolution by recording name-address mappings in the DNS server before communication occurs. Both hostnames and system identifiers are pre-resolved to their corresponding communication network addresses, allowing devices to detect communication link status and avoid unnecessary retransmissions by using the pre-resolved addressing information.
3Ease of operation
If device names have hierarchical structure in tree format, then name service organization is improved, but the complexity of name service system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The DNS server performs multiple functions including storing name-address mappings for both hostnames and system identifiers, resolving names to addresses, and organizing names hierarchically in a unified database structure. This multi-functionality allows the system to manage hierarchical device names efficiently without requiring separate complex systems for each naming convention.
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide an extended name service for an industrial automation system, name-address assignments between device names and communication network addresses are recorded in a name service system, device names recorded in the name service system having a hierarchical structure represented by a tree structure. In the naming service system, additional assignments between device names and plant identifiers are recorded, with the plant identifiers being recorded within the same tree structure as the device names. End nodes assigned to the installation identifiers in the tree structure include a reference to end nodes assigned to the device names. As an alternative to this, intermediate nodes for facility identifiers include a reference to facility units which are respectively assigned intermediate nodes.