Unified Data Plane for Real-Time and Non-Real-Time Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing industrial control systems face challenges in communicating data between isolated real-time and non-real-time data planes, which limits the ability to share information and coordinate operations between these domains, potentially impacting the efficiency and safety of industrial processes.

Innovation Solution

A data share module is introduced to facilitate communication between real-time and non-real-time domains by determining the availability of destinations and transmitting messages directly when possible, ensuring that non-real-time messages do not interfere with real-time operations, and allowing for the generation of operating responses based on received messages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data planes are isolated for real-time and non-real-time systems, then system reliability and safety are improved, but data sharing capability and communication efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem safetyVSAvoiddata sharing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides data planes into separate real-time and non-real-time domains, each with dedicated communication channels. This segmentation maintains isolation for safety-critical real-time operations while enabling controlled data sharing through defined interfaces, resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A data sharing mechanism acts as an intermediary between isolated real-time and non-real-time data planes, enabling controlled communication without compromising the integrity of either domain. This mediator allows selective data exchange while maintaining the safety boundaries required for real-time operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If data planes are merged for unified communication, then data sharing capability is improved, but real-time operation stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata sharing capabilityVSAvoidreal-time operation stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The communication architecture is segmented into distinct real-time and non-real-time channels, allowing unified data sharing capability while maintaining separate stable pathways for time-critical operations. This prevents non-real-time traffic from destabilizing real-time operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different communication quality requirements are applied to different data types: real-time data receives guaranteed low-latency treatment with stable transmission properties, while non-real-time data allows flexible sharing without impacting real-time stability, thus achieving both unified access and operational stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If direct message transmission is implemented, then communication efficiency is improved, but risk of interference with real-time operations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidinterference risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A controlled interface mechanism serves as an intermediary for direct message transmission between domains. This intermediary validates and manages message routing, enabling efficient direct communication while filtering out potentially harmful interference to real-time operations through controlled access policies

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10587560B2Unified real-time and non-real-time data plane

Publication Date: 2020.03.10 GE DIGITAL HLDG LLC

AI summary

According to some embodiments, system and methods are provided, comprising at least one asset; a computer programmed with a data share module for the asset, the data share module for controlling data flow in the asset; the computer including a data share processor and a memory in communication with the data share processor, the memory storing the data share module and additional program instructions, wherein the data share processor is operative with the data share module and additional program instructions to perform functions as follows: receiving a message from a source at the data share module; determining, via the data share module, whether the source is one of a non-real time domain of the asset and the real-time domain of the asset; determining, via the data share module, when a destination is able to respond to the message, wherein the destination is one of the non-real time domain and the real-time domain, and wherein the destination is different from the source; transmitting, via the data share module, the message directly to the destination when the destination is able to respond to the message; receiving a response to the message; and generating an operating response of the asset based on the response. Numerous other aspects are provided.