Search

EP-4345616-B1 - CONTAINERIZED MODELING OF DEVICE UPDATES OR MODIFICATIONS VIA DIGITAL TWINS

EP4345616B1EP 4345616 B1EP4345616 B1EP 4345616B1EP-4345616-B1

Inventors

  • SANDLER, Nathaniel S.
  • ENTZMINGER, ROB A.
  • MAZUR, DAVID C.
  • McCleave, Jr., Bruce T.
  • Mills, Jonathan Alan
  • OZIMEK, PATRICK E.
  • BIERNAT, Tim S.
  • ANTHONY, MICHAEL J.
  • SOFTLEY, Chris

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230919

Claims (14)

  1. A method, comprising: receiving (152), via at least one processor, an indication of an available updated container; identifying (154), via the at least one processor, a control system comprising a first container and a second container that correspond to the available container, wherein the first container is configured to control one or more operations of an operational technology, OT, device; scheduling (156), via the at least one processor, a deployment of the updated container to replace the second container as an updated second container, wherein the updated second container is configured to receive inputs that are also provided to the first container, and wherein, instead of controlling the OT device, the updated second container is coupled to a digital model that corresponds to the OT device; receiving (158), via the at least one processor, expected output data associated with the digital model; and scheduling (172), via the at least one processor, a switchover of control of the one or more operations to the updated second container based on the expected output data.
  2. The method of claim 1, comprising: presenting the expected output data via a display; receiving an input corresponding to an approval of the updated container; and scheduling the switchover in response to receiving the input.
  3. The method of claim 1 or 2, the method comprising scheduling an additional deployment of the updated container to replace the first container after the switchover.
  4. The method of one of claims 1 to 3, comprising: receiving one or more modifications to one or more parameters associated with the updated container; altering the updated container to include the one or more modifications; and scheduling an additional deployment of the updated container including the one or more modifications to replace the updated container.
  5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform operations comprising: receiving (152) an indication of an available updated container; identifying (154) a control system comprising a first container and a second container that correspond to the available container, wherein the first container is configured to control one or more operations of an operational technology, OT, device: scheduling (156) a deployment of the updated container to replace the second container as an updated second container, wherein the updated second container is configured to receive inputs that are also provided to the first container, and wherein, instead of controlling the OT device, the updated second container is coupled to a digital model that corresponds to the OT device; receiving (158) expected output data associated with the digital model; and scheduling (172) a switchover of control of the one or more operations to the updated second container based on the expected output data.
  6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the control system is configured to communicatively couple to the OT device.
  7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 or 6, wherein the instructions that cause the processing circuitry to perform the operations comprising scheduling the switchover of control of the one or more operations to the second container based on a machine state associated with the OT device.
  8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the instructions that cause the processing circuitry to perform the operations comprise: receiving an additional indication associated with an error present on the first container; and retrieving data associated with one or more additional operations of the OT device prior to a time associated with the error via the second container.
  9. A system configured to: receive (152) an indication of an available updated container; identify (154) a control system comprising a first container and a second container that correspond to the available container, wherein the first container is configured to control one or more operations of an operational technology, OT, device: schedule (156) a deployment of the updated container to replace the second container as an updated second container, wherein the updated second container is configured to receive inputs that are also provided to the first container, and wherein, instead of controlling the OT device, the updated second container is coupled to a digital model that corresponds to the OT device; receive (158) expected output data associated with the digital model; and schedule (172) a switchover of control of the one or more operations to the updated second container based on the expected output data.
  10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is configured to execute a master container node configured to schedule deployment of the first container, the second container, or both.
  11. The system of claim 9 or 10, wherein the system is configured to update one or more properties of the second container by deploying a third container, wherein the third container corresponds to the second container having the one or more updated properties.
  12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is configured to receive expected output data associated with one or more outputs of the OT device based on the OT device operating using the third container.
  13. The system of one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the system is configured to schedule the switchover to the updated second container in response to the expected output data being within a threshold amount of the actual output data associated with the OT device.
  14. The system of one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the system is configured to update one or more additional properties of the first container.

Description

BACKGROUND The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for employing a container orchestration system to perform certain updates and/or modifications to devices operating within an operational technology (OT) or an industrial platform. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure are related to systems and methods for leveraging container orchestration systems to coordinate update operations for OT devices. Industrial automation systems are managed and operated using automation control and monitoring systems (e.g., industrial control system), particularly in industrial automation environments. Such applications may include controlling a wide range of components, such as valves, electric motors, and so forth, and the collection of data via sensors. Typical industrial control systems may include one or more components, such as programming terminals, automation controllers, input/output (I/O) modules, communication networks, human-machine interface (HMI) terminals, and the like. Generally, industrial control systems operate in the OT environment are used to control industrial devices accessible via an OT network. Although the industrial control systems may be used to manage the operations of the devices within the OT network, improved systems and methods for operating devices within the OT network are desirable. For example, certain technologies available in the information technology (IT) environment may provide certain industrial control system users additional management tools that they employ for operating their IT assets. Indeed, in some cases, improved technologies may allow devices within the OT network to perform certain update operations in a more efficient and effective manner. This section is intended to introduce the reader to aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. US 2022/0229651 A1 relates to techniques to manage the updates for a container runtime. In one example, a host identifies a request to update a container runtime from a first version to a second version for a container executing in a virtual machine. The host further initiates execution of a second container in a second virtual machine with the second version of the container runtime, wherein the second container uses the same root filesystem as the first container. The host also updates any required networking configurations to direct communications to the second container over the first container and stops execution of the first container. EP 3 761 564 A1 relates to techniques for switching between master and standby container systems. The technique may be applied to a first container system deployed in a physical network device and functioning as a master container system, and a shared file is created in the physical network device. The technique includes: receiving a system upgrade instruction input by a user; in response to the system upgrade instruction, sending container system data to a second container system functioning as a standby container system corresponding to the master container system in the physical network device; when receiving a data backup completion notification from the second container system, writing a master/standby container system switching notification into the shared file, so that the second container system switches to function as the master container system when detecting that the master/standby container system switching notification in the shared file. BRIEF DESCRIPTION It is the object of the present invention to improve prior systems. This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims, which define the invention. Preferred embodiments are defined by the dependent claims. A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below. In an embodiment, a system may include a plurality of devices that may perform a plurality of operations within an industrial automation system, such that each of the plurality of devices may include a compute surface that may execute a respective container. The system may also include a processor that may receive a request to update firmware of a first container of a plurality of containers associated with performing operations related to one device of the plurality of devices and identify a second container of the plurality of c