Industrial Robot Controller Backup Sync for Safe Cloud Restore
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial robot controllers face challenges in securely storing and restoring backups, with local storage being vulnerable and prone to errors, and manual labor required for restoring outdated or incorrect backups, which can lead to unpredictable robot behavior.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a robot controller system with a local real-time partition for controlling the robot and a non-real-time partition for storing a cache of the complete file system, connected to a remote cloud infrastructure, where the cache is synchronized with the cloud, ensuring data accuracy and reliability through timestamp comparison and automatic data transmission between local and cloud storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If backup is stored on local disk of robot controller, then backup is easily accessible, but backup is vulnerable to damage and loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud storage service as an intermediary between the robot controller and the backup data. The backup data is transmitted from the robot controller to the cloud storage service, which acts as a mediator to store and protect the data remotely. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining easy accessibility through automated cloud synchronization while ensuring reliability through remote secure storage that is protected from physical damage to the robot controller.
2Reliability
If manual backup tracking is implemented for multiple robots, then all backups can be monitored, but time consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automation where the robot controller automatically tracks and manages its own backups in the cloud storage service. The system autonomously performs backup operations, tracks backup status, and manages multiple robot backups without requiring manual intervention. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring complete backup tracking reliability while eliminating time consumption through automated self-service operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud storage service provides universal functionality that serves multiple robots simultaneously. A single cloud storage account can store and manage backups for numerous robots, providing a unified platform that replaces the need for separate manual tracking for each robot. This multi-functional approach ensures comprehensive backup tracking while significantly reducing the time required compared to individual manual management.
3Reliability
If old backup is restored to robot controller, then data recovery is achieved, but manual labor is required to restore machine to original state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by automatically creating and maintaining up-to-date backups in the cloud storage service before any potential failure occurs. The system continuously synchronizes the latest robot controller data to the cloud, ensuring that when restoration is needed, the most current backup is already available. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring data recovery reliability while minimizing restoration effort, as the latest backup is readily available without requiring manual searches through old backups or additional manual restoration steps.
4Reliability
If wrong backup is restored to robot controller, then data restoration is attempted, but robot may move in unpredictable way causing safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the robot controller automatically verifies backup integrity and compatibility before restoration. The system checks whether the backup data is appropriate for the current robot configuration and only restores verified backups. This feedback loop prevents wrong backups from being restored, ensuring restoration reliability while eliminating the harmful effect of unpredictable robot behavior through automated verification and validation processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling an industrial robot are disclosed, wherein the method is performed by a robot controller system, the robot controller system includes a local part connected to an industrial robot and a remote cloud part connectable to the local part. The local part includes a first real-time partition and a second non-real-time partition, and the method includes the steps of: storing a local cache of a complete file system of the robot controller system in the second non-real-time partition; storing the complete file system in the remote cloud part; and controlling the industrial robot in real time from the first real-time partition.