ABB Develops New Approach to WebSocket Connection Security

October 8, 2026 — ABB Schweiz AG is advancing its work in industrial network communication with a patent application covering methods and systems for establishing WebSocket connections between clients and servers. The technology introduces a token-based connection establishment mechanism designed to strengthen access control when creating long-lived, bidirectional WebSocket communication channels.

The technology is described in international patent publication WO2025217898A1, titled “Methods, apparatuses, devices, medium and product for establishing a web socket connection.” The application was filed under PCT/CN2024/088778, with a priority date of April 19, 2024. The international publication was released on October 23, 2025, and the application is currently listed as pending.

More recently, the corresponding Chinese patent application CN122873150A was published on October 2, 2026. The Chinese filing identifies ABB Schweiz AG as the applicant and describes the same basic approach to establishing a WebSocket connection using token-based authentication.

For industrial automation, the development is relevant because WebSocket technology can support persistent, two-way communication between software clients, servers, industrial devices and digital services.

Why WebSocket Technology Matters in Industrial Automation

WebSocket is designed for full-duplex communication over a persistent connection.

Unlike conventional HTTP communication, where a client generally sends a request and waits for a response, WebSocket allows both sides of an established connection to exchange information continuously.

This makes the technology useful for applications where information needs to move quickly between systems.

In an industrial environment, potential applications include:

• Industrial equipment monitoring
• Remote service platforms
• Real-time equipment status
• Automation dashboards
• Condition monitoring
• Digital maintenance services
• Remote diagnostics
• Industrial IoT applications
• Manufacturing data visualization
• Communication between edge systems and cloud services

The ABB patent specifically describes WebSocket as a communication technology capable of supporting full-duplex communication between a client and server.

However, persistent communication also creates security requirements.

Once a WebSocket connection has been established, the communication channel can remain active for an extended period. Consequently, the mechanism used to authenticate the client and authorize the establishment of the connection becomes an important part of the overall system architecture.

ABB's Patent Uses a Two-Stage Token Mechanism

The central idea described in ABB's patent is a token-based procedure for establishing a WebSocket connection.

According to the patent, the process begins when the client sends a frame to the server requesting a token for establishing a WebSocket connection.

The header of that frame contains a first token that is used to access the server.

The server then validates this first token.

If the token is considered valid, the server generates a second token for establishing the WebSocket connection and sends that second token back to the client.

The client subsequently sends another request to establish the WebSocket connection, this time including the second token.

This creates a structured sequence:

Client → Access Request + First Token → Server

Server → Validation → Second Token → Client

Client → WebSocket Connection Request + Second Token → Server

The patent describes corresponding functions on both the client and server sides.

This architecture separates the initial access credential from the token used to establish the WebSocket connection.

That distinction is important from an industrial cybersecurity perspective because it can provide a more controlled mechanism for connection establishment than simply allowing a client to open a persistent communication channel using a single credential.

Security Begins Before the WebSocket Session

One of the notable aspects of the ABB approach is that the security mechanism is incorporated into the connection establishment process itself.

In industrial networks, cybersecurity cannot be considered only after a connection has already been established.

The system must also determine:

Who is attempting to connect?

Does the requester have permission to access the service?

Should a persistent communication channel be created?

Which credential should be associated with that connection?

ABB's patent addresses these questions through the validation of an initial token followed by generation of a second token for WebSocket connection establishment.

This does not mean that WebSocket itself automatically makes data secure.

Instead, the patented mechanism is better understood as an additional authentication and connection-control architecture designed to improve the security of establishing the WebSocket channel.

Encryption, certificate management, network segmentation, firewall configuration, endpoint security and other cybersecurity controls can still be required depending on the industrial application.

Potential Importance for Industrial Automation Networks

The development comes at a time when industrial automation systems are becoming increasingly connected.

Traditional automation architectures were often designed around relatively isolated control networks. Modern industrial environments increasingly connect PLCs, drives, HMIs, SCADA systems, engineering workstations, edge computers and cloud-based applications.

Remote monitoring and digital services add another layer of connectivity.

This creates operational advantages, but it also increases the importance of authentication and secure communication.

A persistent WebSocket connection can be particularly useful for applications requiring continuous data exchange.

For example, an industrial monitoring application may need to receive equipment status updates without repeatedly opening separate HTTP requests.

A WebSocket connection can provide a persistent communication path through which information can be exchanged in both directions.

For an automation equipment manufacturer, this could support applications such as:

• Real-time drive status monitoring
• Remote diagnostics
• Industrial equipment dashboards
• Service portals
• Machine health information
• Alarm notifications
• Remote configuration
• Edge-to-cloud communication
• Digital maintenance applications

ABB's patent specifically references electronic devices, computer-readable media and computer program products capable of implementing the described connection-establishment procedures.

A Stronger Focus on Industrial Cybersecurity

The WebSocket patent is also consistent with ABB's broader interest in secure industrial communication.

ABB Schweiz AG has previously developed patented technologies addressing secure communication for industrial devices.

For example, an earlier ABB patent describes a secure bidirectional communication system for industrial drives. That technology used a WebSocket-based communication protocol and included data, digital signature, device key and action specification blocks within communication packets. The corresponding U.S. patent was granted as US10440123B2 in 2019.

Another ABB patent concerns secure remote connections in industrial Internet of Things environments. It describes a mechanism involving access tokens, identity and access management services and tunnels between users, gateways and target industrial devices.

ABB has also developed technology for secure communication between trusted industrial automation system devices, including asymmetric key generation and certificate-related mechanisms.

Taken together, these patent activities indicate a continued focus on protecting communication between industrial equipment and remote digital services.

What the New Patent Could Mean for Industrial Equipment

For industrial equipment manufacturers, the significance of the technology is not limited to WebSocket itself.

The larger issue is how automation equipment communicates with external software while maintaining appropriate security controls.

Modern industrial products increasingly include:

• Ethernet communication
• Embedded web servers
• Remote monitoring
• Cloud connectivity
• Mobile applications
• Digital service platforms
• Edge computing
• Remote maintenance capabilities

These functions can create new communication paths into industrial equipment.

Consequently, connection management needs to become part of the product design rather than being treated as an afterthought.

A token-based connection mechanism can help provide a defined process for authorizing the establishment of communication.

However, manufacturers still need to implement broader cybersecurity measures around the communication architecture.

Token Authentication Is Not the Same as Complete Data Encryption

It is important to distinguish between authentication and encryption.

ABB's newly published patent focuses on establishing the WebSocket connection through token-related procedures.

The technology described in the patent does not mean that simply implementing the patented token mechanism automatically encrypts every piece of information transmitted through the network.

In a complete industrial cybersecurity architecture, secure data transmission can involve multiple layers, including:

Authentication → Authorization → Secure Connection → Encryption → Network Protection → Monitoring

For example, WebSocket communication may be implemented over WebSocket Secure (WSS) using TLS encryption where appropriate.

Network segmentation, firewalls, secure gateways, access management and monitoring can provide additional protection.

Therefore, ABB's patent should be viewed as one component of a broader secure communication architecture rather than as a standalone solution to industrial cybersecurity.

The Chinese Patent Publication Adds Fresh Industry Attention

The publication of CN122873150A on October 2, 2026 gives the technology particular relevance for the Chinese industrial automation market.

The application is classified under H04L9/32, a classification related to security arrangements involving authentication. The filing identifies ABB Schweiz AG as the applicant, with the underlying application filed on April 19, 2024.

For China's industrial automation industry, this development is relevant because industrial companies are increasingly integrating local equipment, international automation platforms, industrial Ethernet networks and cloud-based services.

Secure connection mechanisms can become increasingly important as more equipment moves from isolated control environments toward connected industrial architectures.

Implications for PLC, Drive and DCS Applications

For industrial control engineers, the technology has potential relevance across several automation layers.

PLC and PAC Systems

PLCs increasingly exchange information with supervisory software, edge devices and manufacturing execution systems.

A secure connection establishment mechanism can help control which software clients are permitted to establish persistent communication channels.

Variable Frequency Drives

Drives are becoming more connected through Ethernet interfaces and digital service platforms.

ABB has historically used WebSocket-related technologies for remote communication involving industrial drives, making secure connection establishment particularly relevant to drive-based applications.

DCS and SCADA

DCS and SCADA environments depend heavily on reliable communication between field-level equipment, controllers, servers and operator interfaces.

As these systems become increasingly integrated with enterprise and cloud services, secure authentication and communication management become more important.

Industrial IoT

IIoT platforms can connect thousands of devices and continuously collect equipment data.

A structured token-based mechanism can provide an additional layer for controlling how clients establish communication with servers.

ABB's Patent Strategy Reflects the Changing Automation Industry

Industrial automation is increasingly moving toward convergence between OT and IT.

Operational technology traditionally prioritizes availability, deterministic control and safety. Information technology places greater emphasis on connectivity, software and data.

Modern automation systems need to combine both.

WebSocket is fundamentally an IT-oriented communication technology, but it can be applied to industrial environments where real-time or near-real-time bidirectional data exchange is useful.

The challenge is ensuring that increased connectivity does not create unnecessary security exposure.

ABB's latest WebSocket patent addresses one specific part of this challenge: how a client and server establish a WebSocket connection using validated tokens.

That makes the patent relevant not only to software developers but also to industrial automation engineers responsible for designing connected equipment and remote service architectures.

What Industrial Users Should Watch Next

The publication of the patent application does not mean that every ABB automation product will immediately adopt the described technology.

The application is currently listed as pending in the international patent record, and patent publication should not be interpreted as confirmation that a specific commercial product already implements every feature described in the application.

Nevertheless, the technology highlights several trends worth watching in industrial automation:

1. More persistent industrial network connections
2. Greater use of token-based authentication
3. Increasing integration of OT and IT systems
4. More remote monitoring and service functions
5. Growing demand for secure industrial IoT connectivity
6. Stronger security requirements for connected drives and controllers
7. Greater attention to cybersecurity during product design

For industrial equipment buyers and system integrators, cybersecurity is increasingly becoming part of the technical specification rather than simply an IT concern.

Conclusion

ABB Schweiz AG's WebSocket patent application demonstrates how industrial automation communication is evolving as equipment becomes more connected.

The patented approach introduces a two-stage token mechanism for establishing WebSocket connections. The server first validates an access token and then generates a second token used to establish the WebSocket session. This approach is intended to provide controlled authentication during connection establishment.

The publication of the corresponding Chinese application in October 2026 adds fresh visibility to the technology in one of the world's largest industrial automation markets.

For PLC, DCS, SCADA, drive and industrial IoT applications, the broader message is clear: connectivity and cybersecurity increasingly need to be designed together.

As industrial equipment moves toward remote monitoring, cloud connectivity and AI-enabled services, secure communication protocols will become an increasingly important part of the automation infrastructure.

ABB's latest patent does not by itself guarantee secure data transmission across an entire industrial network. Rather, it represents a specific technical approach to strengthening the process of establishing WebSocket communication — an increasingly relevant building block for connected industrial automation systems.