Wireless Industrial Device Configuration via Secure Session Routing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for updating configurations of industrial devices are time-consuming, resource-intensive, and pose safety risks due to the need for physical connection and manual data conversion.
Innovation Solution
A software application that establishes secure sessions between industrial devices and endpoint devices using short-range communication protocols like NFC or Bluetooth, allowing for the extraction and transmission of configuration information without physical connection, and automatically generating and routing modified configuration data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a worker physically connects a handheld device to an industrial device for configuration extraction and updating, then the configuration data can be accessed and modified, but the process becomes time-consuming (5-10 minutes per device) and poses safety risks due to physical access requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical connection system (handheld device physically connected to industrial device) with a wireless communication system. The configuration extraction and updating is performed through wireless protocols, eliminating the need for physical cable connections and manual device attachment, thereby reducing configuration time while maintaining data accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that receives configuration data from the handheld device and distributes it to multiple industrial devices. This intermediary system enables bulk configuration updates by acting as a central hub, reducing the time required to configure multiple devices compared to individual direct connections.
2Ease of operation
If a worker physically accesses industrial devices in the field for configuration purposes, then direct device control is possible, but safety risks increase due to exposure to hazardous environments requiring PPE
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as an intermediary that enables configuration updates without requiring the worker to physically access the industrial devices. The worker uses a handheld device to communicate with the server, which then distributes configurations to the industrial devices remotely, eliminating exposure to hazardous environments while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service configuration capabilities where the industrial devices can receive configuration updates automatically through the server without requiring physical worker intervention at each device location. This reduces the need for workers to enter hazardous areas while ensuring devices remain properly configured.
3Adaptability or versatility
If configuration information is manually extracted and converted for each industrial device, then customization is possible, but the process becomes resource-intensive when dealing with hundreds or thousands of devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple configuration operations into a single bulk update process. Instead of individually extracting and converting configuration data for each device, the system combines multiple device configurations into a unified data structure that can be processed and distributed simultaneously through the server, dramatically increasing productivity while preserving customization capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The server provides a universal configuration management platform that can handle multiple industrial devices of different types through a single interface. The system universalizes the configuration process by implementing standard protocols and data formats that work across diverse device types, eliminating the need for separate manual configuration processes for each device while maintaining adaptability to specific device requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Systems and methods for establishing a secure session between an industrial device and an end-point device are provided herein. In an example, the method includes establishing, by a client device, a first channel, such as a short-range communication protocol, with an industrial device and extracting, by a software application executing on the client device, configuration information for the industrial device via the first channel. The method also includes establishing, by the client device using the software application, a second channel with an end-point device, generating, by the software application, modified configuration information based on the configuration information extracted from the industrial device, and transmitting, by the client device, the modified configuration information to the end-point device via the second channel.