Transport-Agnostic Routing Modules for Field Asset Data Acquisition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control and data acquisition systems for field assets, such as vending machines, face complexity and high maintenance costs due to the need to support multiple communication transports and protocols, making it difficult for service technicians without network management knowledge to maintain these systems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A transport-agnostic communication system is implemented using a combination of first and second transport modules, audit devices, and routing modules that autoconfigure a local area network, allowing communication between field assets and a central communication center using various transport protocols, thereby reducing hardware costs and network complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple communication transports and protocols are used to support different field assets, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communication server as an intermediary component that handles protocol translation and routing. Field assets communicate with the server using their native protocols (MDB, EDS, etc.), and the server translates these to a standardized internal format for processing. This mediator approach allows multiple protocols at the asset level without increasing complexity at the processing level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments communication functionality into separate protocol handlers within the communication server. Each protocol (MDB, EDS, proprietary) has its own dedicated handler module that manages translation and routing. This segmentation isolates protocol complexity to separate, maintainable components rather than a monolithic complex system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple communication transports are supported at each field asset, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation and maintenance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The communication server acts as a central intermediary that handles all protocol translation and communication routing. Field asset service technicians only need to interact with the server through a single standardized interface, eliminating the need to understand multiple protocols during maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-service capabilities through automated protocol translation and routing at the communication server level. The server automatically handles protocol conversion between different field asset types and the central processing system, eliminating manual configuration requirements at individual assets.
3Reliability
If transport-specific protocols are implemented at each field asset, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication server serves as a reliable intermediary that ensures proper protocol handling for each field asset type. It maintains protocol-specific reliability through dedicated translation handlers while presenting a simplified interface to the central processing system, thus achieving reliability without distributing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In a system for a field asset site having a plurality of field assets, a first transport module interfaces with a first field asset, the first transport module operable to communicate via a first transport with a communication center outside of the field asset site. A second transport module interfaces with the first field asset. A third transport module interfaces with an associated field asset and is operable to communicate via a second transport to the second transport module. Each of a plurality of audit devices interfaces with an associated field asset from which operation data is acquired by the audit device. Each of a plurality of routing modules interfaces between an associated field audit device and at least one of the second transport module and the third transport module, with each routing module operable to provide transport-agnostic communication between its associated audit device and at least one of the communication center and another audit device.