Runtime Container Routing for Industrial Control Data Bottlenecks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems lack flexible access to external resources, with existing methods burdening industrial control devices by relying on inefficient data transmission through container managers, which act as bottlenecks in data exchange.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where industrial control devices send input metadata to a container manager to determine and communicate directly with runtime containers, allowing for dynamic management of container operations, including initiation, monitoring, and termination, enabling efficient data processing and memory usage across different programming languages and platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data transmission is routed through a container manager, then centralized control and management is improved, but communication efficiency deteriorates due to bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data transmission path into two types: control metadata flows through the container manager for centralized management, while actual data transmission occurs directly between industrial control devices and runtime containers. This segmentation eliminates the bottleneck effect on data communication while preserving centralized control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The container manager acts as an intermediary only for control metadata exchange, not for data transmission. This selective intermediary role allows centralized management of container lifecycle and configuration while enabling direct, efficient data paths between control devices and containers.
2Productivity
If runtime containers are dynamically created and removed, then resource utilization is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Runtime containers are dynamically created, managed, and removed automatically by the container manager based on workload requirements and resource availability. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual container management, reducing operational complexity while optimizing resource utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic container management where containers are created, scaled, and removed in real-time based on changing computational demands. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt resource allocation to actual needs, improving utilization without requiring permanent allocation of resources.
3Productivity
If direct communication between control devices and runtime containers is implemented, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but control and management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The communication architecture is segmented into control plane (metadata management through container manager) and data plane (direct data transmission). This segmentation enables efficient direct data communication while maintaining centralized control through separate metadata management channels.
4Adaptability or versatility
If containers are used to encapsulate applications, then portability across platforms is improved, but integration complexity with industrial control systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container manager provides universal management capabilities that work across different container types, programming languages, and platforms. This universal interface abstracts away the underlying diversity of container implementations, simplifying integration with industrial control systems while maintaining portability benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
A method in an industrial automation system, the method including: transmitting an input data set from an industrial control device to a container manager, the input data set comprising at least input metadata; determining, by the container manager, based on the input metadata, a runtime container for processing input data; generating, by an application of the runtime container, output data based on the input data; generating an output data set by using the container manager, the output data set comprising at least output metadata; and transmitting the output data set from the container manager to the industrial control device.