Industrial Process Data Prioritization for Real-Time Cloud Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud-based process control systems in industrial environments face significant latency due to data acquisition, preprocessing, transmission, and analytics, particularly in real-time applications with high bandwidth and low waiting times, which are insufficient for critical industrial processes with large data volumes.
Innovation Solution
A system with a data collector unit that prioritizes data transfer between automation and plant-external computer units using a priority dispatcher and memory, dynamically configuring data transmission based on requirements and available bandwidth to ensure real-time, deterministic data processing, reducing latency by transmitting only high-priority data first.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If all process data is transmitted to external computing units for cloud-based analytics, then comprehensive analysis and process optimization are improved, but transmission time and latency increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments process data into different priority categories (critical, important, optional) and transmits them separately. Critical process data required for real-time control is transmitted immediately with high priority, while less critical data is transmitted later or with lower priority, thereby reducing overall transmission time while maintaining comprehensive analysis capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary filtering and prioritization of data at the source before transmission. By pre-identifying which data points are critical for real-time control versus which can be analyzed later, the system prepares the data transmission schedule in advance, minimizing latency for time-sensitive operations.
2Speed
If data transmission bandwidth is increased to reduce latency, then real-time processing capability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of data prioritization by assigning different priority levels to different data points. Instead of uniformly increasing bandwidth for all data, the system dynamically adjusts transmission parameters (priority queues, timing) based on data criticality, achieving real-time processing for essential data without requiring proportional bandwidth increases across the entire system.
3Productivity
If cloud-based analytics are implemented for complex control strategies, then control optimization is improved, but deterministic real-time performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments control functions into real-time critical operations and non-critical optimization operations. Critical control loops run locally with deterministic real-time performance, while cloud-based analytics handle non-critical optimization tasks. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both real-time reliability for essential operations and advanced optimization where timing is less critical.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary prioritization mechanism that mediates between local real-time control requirements and cloud-based analytics capabilities. The intermediary filters and prioritizes data transmission, ensuring that real-time control data is handled with deterministic timing while allowing comprehensive analytics to proceed in the cloud without compromising real-time performance.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system and a method for controlling and/or analyzing an industrial process and in particular a system and a method for prioritizing the data transmission of process data from plant-side automation and computer units to plant-external computer units. The system has at least one automation or computer unit (2, 5, 6, 7) on the plant side, which carries out first process variable calculations (10) and acts on the process (1). The system also has a processor (6) outside the system, which performs a number of second process variable calculations (11) and which receives local data (3) from the at least one automation or processor unit (2, 5, 6, 7 ) receives and at least one data collector unit (10). The data collector unit (10) prioritizes the data transfer via the data connection (15) between the at least one automation or computer unit (2, 5, 6, 7) and the system-external computer unit (9).