Virtualized Industrial Automation Interface for Secure OT Data Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing industrial control systems struggle to efficiently integrate data from remote monitoring operations back into the operational technology (OT) network, due to network security constraints and the need for reprogramming existing data exchange pathways.
Innovation Solution
The system employs processing circuitry to provide a virtualized industrial automation device, which receives event notifications from external containers and transmits data back into the industrial control system, allowing for seamless integration without reprogramming existing pathways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If data is transmitted from external monitoring operations back into the OT network, then data integration and monitoring quality improve, but network security constraints and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between the IT network (external monitoring operations) and the OT network (industrial control system). This gateway translates and forwards data packets, enabling data integration while maintaining network security boundaries. The gateway acts as a mediator that allows controlled data flow without direct network integration, thus improving data accessibility while managing system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing data exchange pathways are reprogrammed to integrate remote monitoring data, then data exchange capability improves, but reprogramming cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data exchange architecture by introducing a separate gateway component that handles remote monitoring data independently from the existing OT network pathways. This segmentation allows the gateway to be configured and programmed separately, enabling data exchange capability enhancement without requiring reprogramming of the entire OT network infrastructure, thus reducing reprogramming time and effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a network bridge between IT and OT networks and as a data translation endpoint. This universal design allows the same gateway infrastructure to handle various data exchange scenarios without requiring custom reprogramming for each case, improving adaptability while minimizing reprogramming requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods described herein may involve an industrial control system that performs one or more operations in association with an industrial automation system based on data received via one or more of its input terminals. Processing circuitry may provide a virtualized industrial automation device communicatively coupled to the industrial control system via one or more output terminals. The processing circuitry may receive an event notification from a first container provided by one or more computing devices external to the industrial automation system, where the first container may perform a monitoring operation and generate the event notification based on the monitoring operation. The processing circuitry may operate the virtualized industrial automation device to expose the event notification to the one or more input terminals and may transmit the data via the one or more input terminals to the industrial control system.