NFC Fleet Configuration for Industrial Devices in Hazardous Areas

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Solution Overview

Problem

Configuring industrial devices in industrial applications is a time-consuming, burdensome, and often unsafe process due to the need for physical connection and the potential hazards of accessing these devices in industrial settings.

Innovation Solution

The use of software applications and near-field communication (NFC) enables the configuration of industrial devices without physical connection, allowing for fleet deployment of configurations and enabling configuration of devices in a powered-off state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical connection is used to configure industrial devices, then configuration reliability is improved, but configuration time increases and safety decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration reliabilityVSAvoidconfiguration time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical physical connection system with a wireless communication system. Specifically, it uses near-field communication (NFC) technology to transmit configuration data between the computing device and industrial devices without requiring physical cables or direct contact, thereby eliminating the time-consuming physical connection step while maintaining configuration reliability through wireless data transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a wireless communication intermediary (NFC protocol and communication module) between the computing device and industrial devices. This intermediary enables configuration data to be transmitted without direct physical connection, resolving the contradiction by providing an alternative transmission path that is both reliable and time-efficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If physical connection is used to configure industrial devices, then configuration reliability is improved, but safety decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration reliabilityVSAvoidsafety hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical physical connection system with a wireless communication system using NFC technology. This substitution eliminates the need for workers to physically access hazardous areas where industrial devices are located, thereby removing exposure to safety hazards such as noxious fumes and dangerous equipment while maintaining configuration reliability through wireless data transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces wireless communication as an intermediary that enables configuration without direct physical presence in hazardous environments. The NFC communication module acts as a mediator that transfers configuration data remotely, allowing workers to avoid harmful factors while still achieving reliable device configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If individual configuration is performed for each industrial device, then configuration precision is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration precisionVSAvoidconfiguration productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the configuration process for multiple industrial devices into a single unified operation. By using NFC wireless communication, the system can efficiently transmit configuration data to multiple devices in sequence without the overhead of repeated physical connections, thereby maintaining individual device configuration precision while significantly improving overall productivity through streamlined bulk deployment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables continuous configuration deployment by eliminating the interruption caused by physical connection and disconnection cycles. The NFC wireless communication allows for seamless, continuous transmission of configuration data across multiple devices, maintaining precision for each device while improving productivity through uninterrupted workflow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP4550064A1Fleet deployment of industrial device configurations using near-field communication

Publication Date: 2025.05.07 ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECH INC

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AI summary

Systems and methods for modifying a configuration of an industrial device using near-field communication (NFC) are provided herein. For example, the method includes receiving, via a graphical user interface (GUI) of a software application, a configuration schema for a group of industrial devices. The configuration schema includes a parameter and a range of available values for the parameter for each industrial device of industrial devices. The method also includes determining, by the software application installed on a client device, a configuration for a respective industrial device within the group of industrial devices based on the configuration schema, where the configuration includes a value selected from the range of available values for the parameter and the value is selected based on an order of transmission of the configuration to the respective industrial device. The method also includes transmitting, via NFC from the client device to the respective industrial device, the configuration.