Wireless Packet Converter for Factory Automation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current factory automation systems rely on wired Ethernet connections, which are inflexible and costly to maintain, especially as manufacturing processes evolve, and legacy systems struggle to transition to wireless communication due to sub-optimal protocol design for wireless connections.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a pair of nodes, a transmitting node and a receiving node, that process packets from a wired format to an optimized wireless format and vice versa, allowing efficient communication over wireless connections while maintaining compatibility with legacy systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wired Ethernet connections are used in factory automation systems, then communication reliability and timing precision are maintained, but system flexibility and adaptability deteriorate as manufacturing processes evolve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidsystem flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a wireless communication system as an intermediary between control systems and machinery, replacing direct wired Ethernet connections. This wireless intermediary maintains communication reliability through protocol optimization while providing the flexibility to reposition machinery without physical cable constraints, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical wired connection system with a wireless communication system. By substituting physical Ethernet cables and connectors with wireless signals, the system eliminates the mechanical constraints that limit machinery movement and reconfiguration, while maintaining communication integrity through specialized wireless protocols designed for industrial automation requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If additional machineries are added to scale production, then productivity increases, but cable management complexity and maintenance requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction capacityVSAvoidcable management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the physical cable infrastructure from the production scaling process. By removing the requirement for physical Ethernet cables connecting each piece of machinery, the system eliminates the growing complexity of cable management, conduits, and cable trays that would otherwise accompany each added machine, allowing productivity to increase without proportional increases in infrastructure complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The wireless communication system serves as a universal communication medium that can connect any number of machines without requiring additional physical infrastructure. A single wireless access point can serve multiple machines simultaneously, providing multi-functional connectivity that scales with productivity without increasing cable management complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If legacy wired systems are transitioned to wireless communication, then system flexibility and ease of reconfiguration improve, but communication reliability and timing precision may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of reconfigurationVSAvoidtiming precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the communication parameters by implementing wireless protocols specifically optimized for industrial automation timing requirements. By adjusting transmission parameters, packet structures, and synchronization mechanisms to meet deterministic timing needs, the system achieves both the ease of reconfiguration inherent in wireless technology and the timing precision required for automated manufacturing processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20240340661A1Transmitting node, receiving node and methods performed therein

Publication Date: 2024.10.10 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

Embodiments herein may for example disclose a method performed by a transmitting node, such as a first network node, for handling communication between a control node and a device controlled by the control node. The control node and the device are configured for wired communication. The transmitting node receives one or more packets in a first format from the control node or the device over a wired connection. The transmitting node processes the one or more packets into a second format for communication over a wireless connection by using a transmission process for processing the one or more packets into the second format; and transmits the one or more packets in the second format over the wireless connection towards the device or the control node.