Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Jonathan Alan Mills

David Christopher Mazur

Rob Alan Entzminger

Todd A Wiese

Nathaniel S Sandler

Bruce T McCleave, Jr

Michael J Anthony

Patrick E Ozimek

Chris Softley

Roberto S Marques

Tim S Biernat

James M Teal

Marius G Chis

Robert J Miklosovic

Scott D Braun

Ryan Coon

Roman Vitek

Dave C Mazur

Bart Nieuwborg

Jr Bruce T Mccleave

Systems and methods are disclosed for performing a local update from a global catalog of device and system attributes. In certain embodiments, a system may comprise an edge server of an industrial automation environment, configured to update a local catalog from a cloud-based global catalog. The edge server may perform a device discovery operation to identify an industrial device connected to a local network on premises with the edge server, access the global catalog to obtain data about the industrial device, store the data about the industrial device to the local catalog, and respond to a query about the industrial device based on the data about the industrial device from the local catalog.

Local update from global catalog of device and system attributes

A computer readable medium stores instructions that cause a processor to receive an indication of a request for analysis of a simulation model associated with an industrial automation system, wherein the industrial automation system includes a plurality of devices, wherein each of the plurality of devices includes a respective compute surface configured to perform one or more software tasks, identify a first device of the plurality of devices having sufficient resources to perform the analysis, and deploy a container to the first device. The container is configured to collect data from one or more sensors disposed in or around the industrial automation system, update the simulation model based on the collected data, and provide the updated simulation model for distribution to one or more other devices of the plurality devices.

Systems and methods managing containers in an operational technology network

A method may include receiving an indication of an available updated container. The method may also involve identifying one or more compute surfaces comprising a first container and a second container that correspond to the available container, such that the first container may control one or more operations of an operational technology (OT) device. The method may also include scheduling a deployment of the updated container to replace the second container, receiving expected output data associated with a digital model associated with the OT device, and scheduling a switchover of control of the one or more operations to the second container based on the expected output data.

Containerized modeling of device updates or modifications via digital twins

An industrial automation device includes processing circuitry and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry of the industrial automation device, cause the processing circuitry to execute a software container and receive, at the software container, data from one or more industrial automation devices communicatively coupled to the industrial automation device. The instructions, when executed, also cause the processor to determine, using the software container, one or more control operations for the industrial automation device or the one or more industrial automation devices based on the data. Furthermore, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to cause the industrial automation device to perform the one or more control operations or send the one or more control operations to the one or more industrial automation devices.

Automation device firmware as a service via a container implementation

Embodiments of this present disclosure may include systems that perform operations including receiving a first symbol instance from an industrial automation device. The first template object instance may characterize a dataset accessible to the industrial automation device. Symbol object instances may inherit a categorization with respect to categories associated with the industrial automation device including an identity, a state, a runtime status, a maintenance status, sustainability information, or any combination thereof. The operations may include identifying a type of the industrial automation device based on the first symbol instance and generating template data based on the type of the industrial automation device and the first symbol instance. The template data may include values associated with the dataset and the categories associated with the first symbol instance. The operations may also include sending a control signal to the industrial automation device based on the template data.

Symbolic access of industrial device systems and methods

Systems and methods described herein may relate to a system that includes one or more industrial devices that perform one or more operations within an industrial automation system. One or more industrial devices may include a compute surface able to perform one or more software tasks. The system may include a processor that determines a trigger event has occurred. The processor may determine additional data and a target device based on the trigger event, where the processor may be located on a different hierarchical level as compared to the target device. The processor may determine a container to be deployed to the target device based on the container generating the additional data when deployed on the target device. The processor may deploy the container to the target device.

Adaptive container deployment to hierarchical levels associated with an automation control system

A method may include receiving, via a secure deployment management (SDM) system, data associated with one or more operations of an industrial device from a secure deployment management (SDM) node associated with the industrial device. The data is received via a secure communication channel established by the SDM system with the SDM node and security protocols. The method also includes sending the data to a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) container component may perform tasks in conjunction with a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) process, such that the CMMS container component may communicate with the CMMS process via a first firewall through which the SDM system is incapable of communicating. The SDM system may enable the data associated with the operations to communicate with the SDM node through a second firewall between the SDM system and the SDM node, the second firewall being different from the first firewall.

Coordinating maintenance management operations via a secure deployment system

A method may include receiving, via a secure deployment management (SDM) system, data associated with operations of an industrial device from a SDM node associated with the industrial device. The data is received via a secure communication channel established by the SDM system with the SDM node and security protocols. The SDM node is communicatively coupled with a machine learning system for sending and receiving data. The machine learning system may generate an updated machine learning model based on the data and a machine learning model representative of expected outputs associated with the operations of the industrial device and generate updated configuration data based on the updated machine learning model. The method may then include receiving the updated configuration data from the SDM node via the secure communication channel and sending the updated configuration data to the industrial device without performing security operations on the updated configuration data.

Implementing device modifications based on machine learning processes performed within a secure deployment system

A method may include receiving, via a secure deployment management (SDM) system, a notification indicative of a change in configuration data associated with an industrial device from a secure deployment management (SDM) node associated with the industrial device. The notification is received via a secure communication channel established by the SDM system with the SDM node and one or more security protocols. The method also includes retrieving, via the SDM system, the configuration data associated with the industrial device from a data source in response to receiving the notification and sending, via the SDM system, the configuration data to the SDM node via the secure communication channel. The industrial device may receive the configuration data from the SDM node without performing one or more security operations on the configuration data.

Managing firmware and software updates within a secure deployment system

A method may include receiving, via a secure deployment management (SDM) system, configuration data associated with an industrial device, identifying, via the SDM system, a presence of a secure deployment management (SDM) node associated with the industrial device, and establishing, via the SDM system, a secure communication channel between the SDM system and the SDM node using one or more security protocols. The method may also involve sending, via the SDM system, the configuration data to the industrial device via the secure communication channel. The industrial device may receive the configuration data without performing one or more security operations on the configuration data.

Facilitating direct device-to-cloud communications within a secure deployment management system

An industrial automation device includes processing circuitry and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to execute a software container and receive, at the software container, a first set of data having raw data from one or more industrial automation devices communicatively coupled to the industrial automation device. When executed, the instructions also cause the processing circuitry to pre-process the first set of data using the software container to generate a second set of data and send the second set of data to a second industrial automation device communicatively coupled to the first industrial automation device.

Chainable and nested edge for industrial automation device analytics

Embodiments of this present disclosure may include systems that perform operations including receiving a request to access data of an industrial automation device from a requesting device and identifying the industrial automation device based on the request. The operations may include sending a query for template data to the industrial automation device based on the request and symbolic data operations. The template data may include one or more instantaneous values associated with the industrial automation device. The operations may include sending the template data to the requesting device.

Symbolic access of industrial device systems and methods based on an on-premise gateway device

An industrial automation system is described including multiple devices, a master container node, a container node, and a control system. The devices may connect to an external application programming interface (API) of an external device (e.g., an electric power utility company), receive an API call from the external API indicative of a time window for monitoring electrical power consumption of the devices by the external API, and output one or more information technology (IT) commands in response to receiving the API call. The container node may be coupled to the master container node, wherein the container node may map the IT commands to operation technology (OT) commands. The control system may be coupled to the container node and the plurality of devices. The control system may implement the OT commands on the devices to perform one or more operations.

Systems and methods for energy management of operation technology networks by an information technology network

An industrial device includes an input/output module and a processor. The input/output module is configured to communicate with one or more other devices via an industrial network. The processor is configured to configure the industrial device as a leader device or a follower device. The processor includes a leader module, upon being activated, configured to detect and configured one or more follower devices connected to the industrial network; and a follower module, upon being activated, configured to broadcast identity and receive configuration command from a leader device.

Systems and methods for controlling coordinated drive systems

Embodiments of this present disclosure may include systems that perform operations including receiving a first symbol instance from an industrial automation device. The first template object instance may characterize a dataset accessible to the industrial automation device. Symbol object instances may inherit a categorization with respect to categories associated with the industrial automation device including an identity, a state, a runtime status, a maintenance status, sustainability information, or any combination thereof. The operations may include receiving a first input corresponding to the first symbol object instance. The first input may include an indication of a change to the original symbolic definition. The operations may include identifying a type of the industrial automation device based on the first symbol object instance and generating enhanced template data based on the type of the industrial automation device, the first input, and the first symbol object instance.

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Mayfield Heights, OH, United States of America

Jonathan Alan Mills