A4Gate is a hardware-based unidirectional gateway designed to connect to machine networks and collect data from smart components via IoT edge software. It transmits the collected data in real-time to external networks without direct physical connections. By operating at Layer 1 of the ISO/OSI stack, the device enforces a strict one-way data flow that prevents unauthorized external access to the internal machine network.
To accommodate necessary external interactions, A4Gate includes a physically activated switch that temporarily enables bidirectional communication. This monitored, timed opening with configurable intervals allows for authorized assistance or the transmission of new configurations to Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). The system is built with a chip-based architecture and features components such as an Intel Atom E3940 processor and support for MS-Windows 10 IoT Enterprise and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS.
