OT Data Collection Containers for Low-Latency Edge Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial control systems in OT networks face challenges in optimizing control of industrial devices due to communication latencies when collecting and processing data from high-speed and high-frequency sources, which hinders efficient operation and decision-making.
Innovation Solution
Deploying data acquisition containers to compute surfaces within a threshold distance of OT devices to collect and analyze data in real-time, reducing latency by processing data closer to the source and enabling immediate remedial actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If data is collected and processed from OT devices through centralized industrial control systems, then data processing capability is improved, but communication latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized data processing function into distributed container instances deployed at multiple compute surfaces within the OT network. Each container processes data locally at its deployment location, eliminating the need for long-distance data transmission to a centralized system. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining processing capability while removing communication latency through spatial distribution of processing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new spatial dimension for data processing by deploying containers directly within the OT network at compute surfaces proximate to data sources. This moves processing from a single centralized location to multiple distributed locations across the network topology, adding a spatial distribution dimension that simultaneously maintains processing power while eliminating communication delays.
2Productivity
If container orchestration is implemented in OT networks, then data processing efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal container orchestration layer that can deploy, manage, and coordinate heterogeneous container instances across diverse compute surfaces within the OT network. This single orchestration system provides multi-functional capabilities including container lifecycle management, resource allocation, and coordinated data processing, thereby improving processing efficiency while managing complexity through a unified control mechanism rather than multiple specialized systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive, via the processor, a characteristic of data to be collected from an operational technology (OT) device disposed within an OT network associated with an industrial automation system configured to perform an industrial automation process, determine, via the processor, that the characteristic exceeds a threshold value, and deploy, via the processor, in response to determining that the characteristic exceeds the threshold value, a container to a compute surface within the OT network that is disposed within a threshold distance of the OT device. The container is configured to receive the data from the OT device and process the received data.