Software-Defined Wireless Network for Industrial IoT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication technologies, such as public cellular networks, fail to meet the specific needs of industrial applications like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) due to limitations in range, reliability, and latency, and are not cost-effective for high-throughput communications in noisy environments.
Innovation Solution
Modifying the IEEE 802.11 protocol to create a software-defined wireless communication system with application-specific parameters, including small channel sizes, Ultra Reliable Low Latency Channels, and multi-frequency mesh networks, to establish a private communication network tailored for industrial applications, leveraging MIMO and COFDM technologies for robust and interference-resistant communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If public cellular networks (LTE/5G) are used for IIoT applications, then accessibility and ease of deployment are improved, but cost, latency, and QoS deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a private wireless network infrastructure as an intermediary between industrial devices and the cloud/control systems. This private network uses modified IEEE 802.11 protocols to create a dedicated communication channel that bypasses public cellular networks, thereby achieving both ease of deployment (through wireless technology) and high reliability (through dedicated infrastructure).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies key parameters of the IEEE 802.11 protocol including channel bandwidth (reducing from standard widths to narrower channels for better range and penetration), power levels (adjusting transmit power for industrial environments), and MAC layer parameters (customizing frame structures and transmission protocols). These parameter changes enable the network to achieve both wide coverage and high reliability simultaneously.
2Productivity
If standard IEEE 802.11 WiFi is used for industrial applications, then high data throughput is achieved, but range and reliability in noisy environments deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different channel bandwidth configurations for different application needs within the industrial network. Narrower channels (e.g., 1.25 MHz, 2.5 MHz) are used for long-range, low-data-rate control signals requiring high reliability, while wider channels are used for local, high-data-rate applications like video surveillance. This local quality approach allows the system to optimize for reliability where needed and throughput where possible.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic parameter adjustment where the wireless system can adapt channel bandwidth, power levels, and modulation schemes based on real-time environmental conditions, interference levels, and application requirements. This dynamic behavior allows the network to maintain high reliability under varying industrial conditions while preserving throughput capability when conditions permit.
3Productivity
If larger channel sizes are used in WiFi systems, then data throughput is improved, but transmission range and penetration in noisy environments deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wireless communication spectrum into multiple narrow channels (e.g., 1.25 MHz, 2.5 MHz, 5 MHz channels) rather than using wide channels. This segmentation allows the system to achieve extended transmission range and better penetration through industrial environments while maintaining adequate throughput by utilizing multiple segmented channels simultaneously or by selecting appropriate channel widths for specific applications.
Data Source
AI summary
An application-specific wireless communication network for use in an industrial environment based on parameters defined by the IEEE 802.11 standard, modified by providing software-defined control of an assigned operating frequency band and software-defined control of the channel size, allowing the channel size to be relatively small as appropriate for the particular industrial application. The application-specific wireless communication network further controls other parameters defined by the standard to configure at least optimum transmitter power, receiver sensitivity, transmission latency, and ACK-retransmit to values appropriate for the specific industrial application.