Proxy Device for Flexible Control of Wireless Field Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Ethernet-based control systems face challenges in dynamically controlling field devices in short-range wireless networks, as they require detailed interaction and are not flexible enough to handle changes in network configuration or device status.
Innovation Solution
A proxy device provides an interfacing function between the Ethernet-based network and the short-range wireless network, receiving information from field device clusters, creating logical objects for control activities, determining signal handling, and forwarding signals to appropriate entities, thus simplifying control and enabling flexible management of field devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a control device in an Ethernet-based network directly controls field devices in a short-range wireless network, then control functionality is achieved, but the control device must be involved in details of network interactions and cannot handle network configuration changes flexibly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy device as an intermediary between the Ethernet-based control network and the short-range wireless field device network. The proxy device handles all complex interactions, cluster formations, and network configuration changes in the wireless network, while presenting a simplified interface to the control device. This resolves the contradiction by shielding the control device from network interaction details while maintaining full control functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If field devices form independent clusters in a dynamic wireless network, then network flexibility and adaptability are improved, but control signal routing and management become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy device serves as an intermediary that manages cluster formations and signal routing in the dynamic wireless network. It receives control signals from the control device, determines the appropriate target field devices based on current network configuration and cluster status, and forwards signals accordingly. This allows the network to dynamically reconfigure into different clusters while maintaining simple control signal management through the proxy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic cluster formation where field devices can independently organize into clusters based on network conditions, device status, and operational requirements. The proxy device continuously monitors network configuration changes and adapts signal routing accordingly, enabling the network to be flexible and responsive while keeping control management simplified through automatic adaptation.
3Measurement precision
If the control system maintains detailed awareness of field device interactions and network configuration, then control precision is improved, but system complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy device acts as an intermediary that maintains detailed awareness of network configuration, cluster formations, and field device status. It performs the complex processing required to track and manage these details, while the control device operates with simplified information. This resolves the contradiction by concentrating processing requirements in the proxy device, which has full visibility, while the control device maintains control precision through the proxy's accurate signal routing.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a method, proxy device and computer program product for enabling a control device provided in a first Ethernet based network (N1) to control field devices provided in a second short-range wireless network (N2) as well as to a computer based control system. In the control system (10) a proxy device (20) receives, from field devices (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) that are independently forming clusters (CL1, CL2), information of the clusters and the capabilities of the field devices in them, creates a logical object (LO1, LO2) for a cluster regarding one or more related control activities to be addressed by its field devices, receives all control related signals dedicated to activities addressed by these field devices, determines, in a corresponding logical object, how a received signal is to be handled and by what entity, and forwards the received signal to the entity selected in this determination.