Software-Defined Automation Management for Cross-Environment Remediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional automation systems are inflexible, complex, and lack centralized management, leading to inefficiencies, increased costs, and vulnerability to security risks and disasters, due to their rigid architecture and fragmented device networks.
Innovation Solution
The Software-Defined Automation (SDA) technology introduces a flexible, 'flatter' architecture with a fog platform that enables centralized management of compute, network, and security resources, using software-defined approaches to dynamically manage and configure automation systems, allowing for easier adaptation to changing business needs and improved connectivity between devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional automation systems use rigid hierarchical architecture with distributed device networks, then device control and monitoring can be achieved, but the system becomes complex, inflexible, and lacks centralized management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized cloud platform as an intermediary between field devices and enterprise systems. This cloud-based automation platform serves as a mediator that consolidates management functions, providing centralized control while reducing architectural complexity. The platform abstracts the complexity of distributed device networks from end users, enabling flexible adaptation without direct management of individual devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts management and control functions from the distributed device network architecture and consolidates them into a separate cloud-based automation platform. By taking out complex management functions from the edge devices and concentrating them in the cloud, the system achieves both simplified device architecture and centralized management capability, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and complexity.
2Reliability
If automation systems use distributed device networks without centralized management, then device autonomy is maintained, but security risks and vulnerability to disasters increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges security management functions across distributed devices into a unified cloud-based security framework. The automated security management system consolidates security policies, threat detection, and response mechanisms at the cloud level, providing comprehensive security coverage while maintaining device autonomy. This merging approach enhances security reliability without requiring complex distributed security management at each device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements automated security management with continuous feedback loops between cloud-based security analytics and field devices. The system monitors security events, analyzes threats using AI/ML algorithms in the cloud, and automatically responds by updating device security configurations. This feedback mechanism provides robust security protection while keeping the management structure relatively simple through automation rather than manual intervention.
3Productivity
If traditional systems use manual control methods, then system simplicity is maintained, but operational efficiency and performance are inferior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automation where the cloud-based platform automatically performs monitoring, control, and optimization functions without requiring manual intervention. Field devices autonomously report status and receive control commands based on pre-configured automation rules and AI-driven decisions. This self-service approach dramatically improves operational efficiency while keeping the user interface simple, as the system manages its own complexity internally.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control operations with software-based automation and AI-driven decision-making. Instead of operators manually monitoring and adjusting device parameters, the cloud platform uses digital algorithms to automatically optimize system performance. This substitution of mechanical/manual control with intelligent software systems enhances productivity while the abstraction layer manages the underlying complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If automation systems lack centralized management, then deployment is simpler, but adaptation to changing business needs becomes difficult and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability through cloud-based configuration management that allows real-time adjustment of automation logic and device parameters without physical reconfiguration. Business rules and control strategies can be dynamically updated in the cloud and automatically propagated to field devices, enabling rapid adaptation to changing business needs. The system transitions from static, hard-coded automation to dynamic, software-defined control that can evolve with business requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal cloud-based automation platform that can manage diverse device types and business processes through standardized interfaces. The platform provides multi-functional capabilities including monitoring, control, analytics, and security management across different device categories. This universal approach enables easy deployment of new applications and services without requiring device-specific infrastructure, achieving both deployment simplicity and business adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of system and methods for providing centralized management of a software defined automation (“SDA”) system are disclosed. The SDA system comprises of a collection of controller nodes and logically centralized and yet physically distributed collection of compute nodes by monitoring activities of the compute nodes. In accordance with some embodiments, one or more components of the system monitor execution, network and security environments of the system to detect an event in a first environment. In response to the detected event, at least one component in the first environment is remediated, the remediation of the first environment creating a trigger to cause remediation of at least one component in each of a second and third environments.