Control apparatus, control method, and storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides control equipment, a control method and a storage medium. The control equipment comprises one or more bus units which are respectively connected to buses in the control equipment; and a first gateway and a second gateway connected to each other, the first gateway and the second gateway being respectively connected to the bus and adapted to be coupled to the controller, in which the first gateway is configured to perform information exchange between the controller and the one or more bus units, and the second gateway is configured to respond to a fault associated with the first gateway, the exchange of information is performed at least in part in place of the first gateway. According to the embodiment of the invention, the second gateway can replace the first gateway to execute information exchange between the controller and the bus unit under the condition that the first gateway breaks down. In this way, the stability and reliability of device communication can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Example embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of electrical devices, and in particular, to a control device, a control method, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] With the development of power electronics technology, circuit breakers, contactors, and motor protectors are integrated into one device (e.g., a motor starter) to reduce the size of the system. In this case, each motor starter communicates with a control device (e.g., a programmable logic controller (PLC)) for automated control and monitoring via a bus. Multiple such motor starters can be integrated into the same control device, such as a motor control cabinet. Summary of the invention

[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control device, a control method, and a storage medium.

[0004] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a control device is provided. The device includes: one or more bus units, respectively connected to a bus in the control device; and a first gateway and a second gateway connected to each other, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively connected to the bus and are suitable for coupling to a controller, wherein the first gateway is configured to perform information exchange between the controller and the one or more bus units, and the second gateway is configured to replace the first gateway to at least partially perform the information exchange in response to a fault associated with the first gateway.

[0005] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the second gateway is further configured to: receive operating status data from the first gateway during information exchange performed by the first gateway; monitor a fault associated with the first gateway based on the operating status data; and in response to monitoring the fault, replace the first gateway to at least partially perform the information exchange.

[0006] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port and a detection port, and the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through their respective control ports, and the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0007] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port, a connection port and a detection port, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through their respective control ports, the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective connection ports to exchange data from or to the controller, and the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0008] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include two control ports and one detection port, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through their two control ports, and the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0009] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway have first gateway addresses and second gateway addresses that are independent of each other, respectively, and the first gateway is configured to perform information exchange according to a correspondence between the first gateway address and a virtual address suitable for controller access.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the second gateway is further configured to, when a fault associated with the first gateway is detected, invalidate the correspondence between the first gateway address and the virtual address, and validate the correspondence between the second gateway address and the virtual address.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway include a first switch and a second switch for setting a main gateway and a backup gateway, respectively, and the first gateway is further configured to perform information exchange as a main gateway based on a first control signal from the first switch, and the second gateway is further configured to monitor a fault associated with the first gateway as a backup gateway based on a second control signal from the second switch.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first gateway is configured to output a first on signal through a first pin to control a first resistor associated with the first gateway to be connected to a circuit of the bus; the second gateway is configured to output a first off signal through a second pin to control a second resistor associated with the second gateway to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus.

[0013] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the second gateway is further configured to generate a second on-signal and output the second on-signal through a second pin in response to detecting a fault, so as to control the second resistor to be connected to the circuit of the bus; and the first gateway is configured to output a second off-signal through the first pin when the second gateway replaces the first gateway, so as to control the first resistor to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus.

[0014] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a control method is implemented at a control device including a first gateway and a second gateway connected to each other, and the method includes: the first gateway performs information exchange between a controller and one or more bus units in the control device, the one or more bus units are respectively connected to a bus in the control device, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively connected to the bus and are suitable for coupling to the controller; and in response to a fault associated with the first gateway, the second gateway replaces the first gateway to at least partially perform the information exchange.

[0015] In some embodiments of the second aspect, replacing the first gateway with the second gateway to at least partially perform the information exchange includes: receiving, by the second gateway, operating status data from the first gateway during the period when the first gateway performs the information exchange; monitoring, by the second gateway, a fault associated with the first gateway based on the operating status data; and in response to monitoring the fault, replacing the first gateway with the second gateway to at least partially perform the information exchange.

[0016] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port and a detection port, and the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through their respective control ports, and the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0017] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port, a connection port and a detection port, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively suitable for being coupled to the controller through their respective control ports, the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective connection ports to exchange data from or to the controller, and the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0018] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include two control ports and one detection port, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively suitable for being coupled to the controller through their two control ports, and the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0019] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively have a first gateway address and a second gateway address that are independent of each other, and the first gateway performs information exchange, including: the first gateway performs information exchange according to a correspondence between the first gateway address and a virtual address suitable for controller access.

[0020] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the method further includes: when a fault associated with the first gateway is monitored, the second gateway invalidates the correspondence between the first gateway address and the virtual address, and validates the correspondence between the second gateway address and the virtual address.

[0021] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the first gateway and the second gateway include a first switch and a second switch for setting a main gateway and a backup gateway, respectively, and the method further includes: the first gateway performs information exchange as a main gateway based on a first control signal from the first switch; and the second gateway monitors a fault associated with the first gateway as a backup gateway based on a second control signal from the second switch.

[0022] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the method also includes: the first gateway outputs a first turn-on signal through a first pin to control a first resistor associated with the first gateway to be connected to a circuit of the bus; and the second gateway outputs a first turn-off signal through a second pin to control a second resistor associated with the second gateway to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus.

[0023] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the method further includes: in response to detecting a fault, the second gateway generates a second on signal and outputs the second on signal through a second pin to control the second resistor to be connected to the circuit of the bus; when the second gateway replaces the first gateway, the first gateway outputs a second off signal through the first pin to control the first resistor to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus.

[0024] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, a machine-readable storage medium is provided, wherein a program is stored on the machine-readable storage medium, and the program can be executed by a processor to implement the method of the second aspect.

[0025] It will be understood from the following description that according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a solution including multiple gateways is provided for information exchange between a controller and a bus unit. In the event of a fault associated with one gateway, the information exchange can be at least partially performed by another gateway. In this way, in the event of a fault in one gateway, the information exchange between the controller and the bus unit can still be carried out stably. In this way, the stability and reliability of device communication can be improved. Other benefits will be described below in conjunction with the corresponding embodiments.

[0026] It should be understood that the contents described in this content section are not intended to limit the key features or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become easily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The above and other features, advantages and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0028] Figure 1A schematic diagram of a topological structure of a control device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C A schematic diagram showing a connection method between a first gateway and a second gateway according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a controller accessing a virtual gateway associated with a first gateway and a second gateway according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a first switch and a second switch according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0032] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the connection between a main gateway and a backup gateway and a bus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0033] Figure 6 A flow chart of an example control method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are only for exemplary purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "including" and similar terms should be understood as open inclusion, that is, "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "based at least in part on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "some embodiments" should be understood as "at least some embodiments". Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below. The terms "first", "second", etc. may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below.

[0036] As briefly mentioned above, circuit breakers, contactors, and motor protectors can be integrated into a motor starter (also referred to as a motor starter and protection device). A motor control cabinet (e.g., a motor control center MCC) can include several (e.g., 8-16) motor starters. Each motor starter can communicate with the PLC device via the physical protocol interface of the motor protector. With the development of power electronics technology, the motor control cabinet can integrate more motor starters, such as 64. In this case, if all motor starters exchange information with the PLC through a gateway, many problems will be faced. For example, when the gateway fails, it will affect the communication between all motor starters and PLC devices, which leads to excessive losses caused by single point failures in the system.

[0037] The above text describes the problems faced by configuring a large number of bus units for a control device by taking a control device as a motor control cabinet and a bus unit as a motor starter as an example. In order to solve or at least partially solve such a problem, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a solution for using multiple gateways to support information interaction between a bus unit and a controller. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a control device includes one or more bus units and a first gateway and a second gateway connected to each other. The one or more bus units are respectively connected to a bus in the control device. The first gateway and the second gateway are respectively connected to the bus and are suitable for coupling to the controller. The first gateway is configured to perform information exchange between the controller and the one or more bus units, and the second gateway is configured to replace the first gateway to at least partially perform information exchange in response to a fault associated with the first gateway.

[0038] In this way, if a gateway has a problem, another gateway can at least partially take over the communication between the bus device and the controller. In this way, the stability and reliability of device communication can be improved.

[0039] Some example embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Please note that in some descriptions of the embodiments, certain specific values ​​may be involved in order to better help readers understand. These values ​​are exemplary and may vary according to specific application scenarios, and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0040] The following will be combined Figure 1 The topological structure diagram of the control device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is described. Figure 1As shown, the control device 100 may include one or more bus units 130. The bus unit 130 may include various suitable devices required in the control device 100. In some embodiments, the bus unit 130 may be implemented in a drawer form, and therefore may also be referred to as a drawer. Accordingly, the control device 100 may also be referred to as a drawer cabinet. In some embodiments, the control device 100 may be a motor control cabinet, and the bus unit 130 may be a motor starter.

[0041] In some embodiments, multiple bus units 130 are physically connected to bus 160 via backplane connectors so that these bus units 130 can share power and data signals. In addition, the backplane connector also provides mechanical stability and reliability, ensuring that each bus unit 130 is correctly inserted and has good contact.

[0042] The control device 100 further includes a first gateway 110 and a second gateway 120 connected to each other to implement a primary-standby redundant configuration of the gateway. For example, the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may be connected to each other via Ethernet. Through such a connection, the two gateways may exchange operation data with each other to determine whether the other party is operating normally and / or synchronize configuration and operation status, etc.

[0043] The first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 can be implemented by hardware devices or software, and are used for functions such as address allocation and conversion, data processing and analysis, protocol conversion, and routing selection. The first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 are respectively connected to the bus 160. For example, the bus 160 can be connected to the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 respectively through a 1-to-2 structure. The bus 160 is used to control the communication between the various parts within the device 100, and is therefore also referred to as an internal communication bus. The bus 160 can be a bus of any suitable type or following any suitable protocol. For example, the bus 160 can be a controller area network (CAN) bus.

[0044] The control device 100 can communicate with the controller 150. For example, the control device 100 can receive and execute instructions from the controller 150, and return corresponding data to the controller 100. Specifically, the control device 100 communicates with the controller 150 through at least one of the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120.

[0045] The first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 are adapted to be coupled to the controller 150. In some embodiments, Figure 1As shown, the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may be coupled to the controller 150 via the switch 140, so as to communicate with the controller 150. Exemplarily, the connection between the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 and the controller 150 may be an Ethernet connection. In other embodiments, the connection between the control device 100 and the controller 150 may not pass through a switch. For example, the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may be directly connected to the controller 150. The embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited in this respect.

[0046] One of the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 serves as a master gateway to perform information exchange between the controller 150 and the bus unit 130. The other serves as a backup gateway to at least partially replace the master gateway to perform information exchange in the event of a failure associated with the master gateway.

[0047] Take the first gateway 110 as the main gateway and the second gateway 120 as the backup gateway as an example. During the period when the first gateway 110 performs information exchange as the main gateway, the second gateway 120 as the backup gateway can receive operation status data from the first gateway 110 (for example, through the connection between them). Based on the operation status data, the second gateway 120 can monitor the fault associated with the first gateway 110. Such faults may include, for example, a fault of the first gateway 110 itself, a fault of the coupling line between the first gateway 110 and the controller 150, a fault of the connection between the first gateway 110 and the bus 160, etc. If a fault is detected, the second gateway 120 can replace the first gateway 110 to at least partially perform the information exchange.

[0048] In other words, during operation of the main gateway, the backup gateway can determine whether there is a fault related to the main gateway through the operating status data of the main gateway. Once a fault is detected, the backup gateway can at least partially take over the information exchange between the bus unit 130 and the controller 150.

[0049] In some embodiments, the controller 150 may be a PLC. The control device 100 may be a motor control center (MCC), and the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may be head devices of the MCC. The bus unit 130 may be a motor starter (e.g., a motor starter integrating a circuit breaker, a contactor, and a motor protector).

[0050] Figure 1 The control device 100 and its connection with the external controller 150 are merely exemplary and are not intended to be limiting. In some embodiments, the control device 100 may include more gateways, such as three or more, to achieve greater communication redundancy.

[0051] In order to implement the communication scheme between the main gateway and the backup gateway, the connection between the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 and between them and the external device can adopt various suitable topologies. FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C Let's describe some examples.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may include a control port and a detection port, respectively. The first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may be adapted to be coupled to the controller 150 through their respective control ports, respectively. The first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operation status data. In such an embodiment, if a line coupling the main gateway to the controller 150 fails, the backup gateway detects this situation and can immediately operate to take over the information exchange between the controller 150 and the control device 100.

[0053] For example, in Figure 2A In the example of , the first gateway 110 includes a first control port 211 and a first detection port 212. The second gateway 120 includes a second control port 221 and a second detection port 222. The first control port 211 and the second control port 221 can be used to realize the connection between the switch 140 and the gateway to transmit the information exchanged between the control device 100 and the controller 150. The first detection port 212 and the second control port 221 can be used to realize the interconnection between the two gateways so that the gateways can perform operations such as heartbeat detection and configuration synchronization for each other. In some embodiments, the first detection port 212 and the second detection port 222 can be connected via Ethernet.

[0054] exist Figure 2A In the example of FIG. 1 , a simple topology is adopted between the gateway and the switch 140. The first control port 211 on the first gateway 110 is connected to one port of the switch 140, and the first detection port 212 is connected to the second detection port 222 on the second gateway 120. The second control port 221 on the second gateway 120 is connected to another port of the switch 140. In this example, the first control port 211 and the second control port 221 are suitable for connecting to the switch 140, but in some cases, the first control port 211 and the second control port 221 are not required to be connected to the switch 140 but can be directly connected to the controller 150. In such an embodiment, the topology is simple and convenient for installation and connection.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may include a control port, a connection port, and a detection port, respectively. The first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may be adapted to be coupled to the controller 150 through their respective control ports, respectively. The first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may be connected to each other through their respective connection ports to exchange data from or to the controller 150. The first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may be connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0056] refer to Figure 2B Describe an example. Figure 2B In the example of , a ring network structure is adopted between the gateway and the switch 140, and a first communication protocol is adopted. The first control port 231 on the first gateway 110 is connected to a port of the switch 140 and the first connection port 233 is connected to the second connection port 243 of the second gateway 120. The second control port 241 on the second gateway 120 is connected to another port of the switch 140 and the second detection port 242 is connected to the first detection port 232 of the first gateway 110. In such an embodiment, in the event that any one of the paths between the first gateway 110 and the switch 140 or between the second gateway 120 and the switch 140 is disconnected, the first communication protocol can quickly restore the network. The exchanged data can be transmitted to the first gateway 110 through the connection between the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120, so there is no need to completely switch to the second gateway 120. Exemplarily, the first communication protocol can be a Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP).

[0057] In some embodiments, the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may include two control ports and one detection port, respectively. The first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 may be respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller 150 through their two control ports, and may be connected to each other through their detection ports to exchange operation status data.

[0058] refer to Figure 2C Describe an example. Figure 2CIn the example, a dual-port redundant load balancing structure is adopted between the gateway and the switch 140, and the second communication protocol is used on the two lines connected to the same gateway. Each first control port 251 on the first gateway 110 is connected to the switch 140, and the second communication protocol is enabled on the two lines connected to the switch 140 by the two first control ports 251. Similarly, each second control port 261 on the second gateway 120 is connected to the switch 140, and the second communication protocol is enabled on the two lines connected to the switch 140 by the two second control ports 261. The first detection port 252 of the first gateway 110 and the second detection port 262 of the second gateway 120 are interconnected to exchange operation status data and synchronize configuration data. In such an embodiment, when one of the two lines of the switch 140 connected to the same gateway is disconnected, the second communication protocol can put all traffic on the other line without affecting the normal information exchange between the gateway and the switch 140. Thus, the communication stability of the device is further improved. In some embodiments, the second communication protocol can be a bond protocol or a team protocol.

[0059] It should be understood that FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C The connection method involved in the example is only exemplary and may vary according to specific application scenarios, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0060] An example implementation of communication between a gateway and a controller is described below. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a controller accessing a virtual gateway associated with a first gateway 110 and a second gateway 120 is shown. As shown in the figure, the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 have a first gateway address and a second gateway address that are independent of each other, respectively. A third communication protocol can be enabled on the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 to generate a virtual address (VIP) accessible to the controller 150. That is, from the perspective of the controller 150, it communicates with the virtual gateway 340 having a virtual address. In the case of operating as a master gateway, the first gateway 110 can perform information exchange between the controller 150 and the bus 160 according to the correspondence between the first gateway address and the virtual address. In other words, in this case, the virtual address points to the first gateway 110 as the master gateway. When the controller 150 accesses the virtual address, it actually accesses the master gateway.

[0061] In the case of operating as a backup gateway, the second gateway 120 may, in the case of detecting a fault associated with the first gateway 110, invalidate the correspondence between the first gateway address and the virtual address, and validate the correspondence between the second gateway address and the virtual address, so as to at least partially replace the first gateway 110 to perform information exchange between the controller 150 and the bus 160. As an example, in the case where the backup gateway detects a fault associated with the primary gateway, the backup gateway may obtain ownership of the virtual address through a third communication protocol. Thereafter, when the controller 150 accesses the virtual address, it actually accesses the backup gateway. The third communication protocol may be, for example, a virtual routing redundancy protocol (VRRP). In such an embodiment, by using a virtual address, the controller 150 may be unaware of the switching between the primary gateway and the backup gateway.

[0062] In some embodiments, when two gateways are started simultaneously, in order to ensure the expected active / standby status, a mechanism for specifying the initial active / standby status of the two gateways, such as a switch, may be added to the two gateways. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a first switch and a second switch according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In some embodiments, the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120 include a first switch 413 and a second switch 423, respectively, and each switch can be used to set whether the gateway in which it is located is a main gateway or a backup gateway. Exemplarily, the first gateway 110 can operate as a main gateway based on a first control signal from the first switch 413. The second gateway 120 can operate as a backup gateway based on a second control signal from the second switch 423. By setting such a switch on the gateway, the user can specify the main gateway and the backup gateway when the gateway is started. Thereby, confusion between the main gateway and the backup gateway can be avoided.

[0063] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the connection between a main gateway and a backup gateway and a bus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5 The main gateway 510 shown can be regarded as a gateway operated as a main gateway in the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120, and the backup gateway 520 can be regarded as a gateway operated as a backup gateway in the first gateway 110 and the second gateway 120. Exemplarily, in the initialization of the bus 530, the main gateway 510 can be initialized as a master node, and the backup gateway 520 can be initialized as a floating master node.

[0064] The main gateway 510 may have a first pin, such as a general purpose input and output (GPIO) pin, and may output a first on signal (e.g., a high level) through the first pin. The first on signal may be used to control a first resistor associated with the main gateway 510 to be connected to a circuit of the bus 530. Accordingly, the standby gateway 520 may have a second pin, such as a GPIO pin. The standby gateway 520 may output a first off signal, such as a low level, through the second pin. The first off signal is used to control a second resistor associated with the standby gateway 520 to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus 530.

[0065] In some embodiments, if a fault associated with the main gateway 510 is detected, the backup gateway 520 may make itself a master node, and may generate a second on signal (e.g., a high level) and output the second on signal through a second pin to control the second resistor associated with the backup gateway 520 to be connected to the circuit of the bus 530. Accordingly, in the case where the backup gateway 520 replaces the main gateway 510, the main gateway 510 may output a second off signal through the first pin to control the first resistor to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus 530.

[0066] In summary, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, on the one hand, in the event of a failure in the communication line between the controller and the gateway, a backup line can be started to ensure high availability. Thus, the reliability of the upper communication line is achieved. On the other hand, in the event of a failure in the gateway, a backup gateway can be started to ensure high availability. Thus, the reliability of the gateway itself is achieved. On the other hand, in the event of a failure between the gateway and the internal bus, a backup line can be started to ensure high availability. Thus, the reliability of the lower internal bus is achieved. In this way, the stability and reliability of device communication can be improved.

[0067] Figure 6 1 is a flow chart showing an example method 600 of a control method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The method 600 may be implemented, for example, at the control device 100. Figure 1 Method 600 is described. It should be appreciated that method 600 may include additional acts not shown and / or may omit acts shown, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0068] At block 610, information exchange between the controller and one or more bus units in the control device is performed by the first gateway 110, the one or more bus units are respectively connected to a bus in the control device, the first gateway 110 and the second gateway are respectively connected to the bus and are adapted to be coupled to the controller. At block 620, in response to a failure associated with the first gateway 110, the second gateway replaces the first gateway 110 to at least partially perform the information exchange.

[0069] In some embodiments, replacing the first gateway 110 with the second gateway to at least partially perform information exchange includes: receiving, by the second gateway, operating status data from the first gateway during the period when the first gateway performs information exchange; monitoring, by the second gateway, a fault associated with the first gateway based on the operating status data; and, in response to monitoring the fault, replacing the first gateway with the second gateway to at least partially perform information exchange.

[0070] In some embodiments, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port and a detection port, and the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through their respective control ports, and the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0071] In some embodiments, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port, a connection port and a detection port, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively suitable for being coupled to the controller through their respective control ports, the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective connection ports to exchange data from or to the controller, and the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0072] In some embodiments, the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include two control ports and one detection port, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through their two control ports, and the first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through their respective detection ports to exchange operating status data.

[0073] In some embodiments, the first gateway and the second gateway have first gateway addresses and second gateway addresses that are independent of each other, respectively, and the first gateway performing information exchange includes: the first gateway performing information exchange according to a correspondence between the first gateway address and a virtual address suitable for controller access.

[0074] In some embodiments, method 600 further includes: when a fault associated with the first gateway is detected, the second gateway invalidates the correspondence between the first gateway address and the virtual address, and validates the correspondence between the second gateway address and the virtual address.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first gateway and the second gateway include a first switch and a second switch for setting a main gateway and a backup gateway, respectively, and the method further includes: the first gateway performs information exchange as a main gateway based on a first control signal from the first switch; and the second gateway monitors a fault associated with the first gateway as a backup gateway based on a second control signal from the second switch.

[0076] In some embodiments, method 600 further includes: outputting a first turn-on signal by the first gateway through a first pin to control a first resistor associated with the first gateway to be connected to a circuit of the bus; and outputting a first turn-off signal by the second gateway through a second pin to control a second resistor associated with the second gateway to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus.

[0077] In some embodiments, method 600 further includes: in response to detecting a fault, generating a second on signal by the second gateway and outputting the second on signal through a second pin to control the second resistor to be connected to the circuit of the bus; when the second gateway replaces the first gateway, outputting a second off signal by the first gateway through the first pin to control the first circuit to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus.

[0078] According to an exemplary implementation of the present disclosure, a machine-readable storage medium is also provided, on which machine-executable instructions are stored, wherein the machine-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method described above. According to an exemplary implementation of the present disclosure, a program product is also provided, which is tangibly stored on a non-transitory machine-readable medium and includes machine-executable instructions, and the machine-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method described above.

[0079] Various aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the methods, devices, equipment and program products implemented according to the present disclosure. It should be understood that each box in the flowchart and / or block diagram and the combination of each box in the flowchart and / or block diagram can be implemented by machine-readable program instructions.

[0080] These machine-readable program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a server, a single-chip microcomputer and its cluster or other programmable data processing device, so as to produce a machine, so that when these instructions are executed by the machine, the programmable data processing device and / or other equipment, a device that implements the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram is generated. These machine-readable program instructions can also be stored in a machine-readable storage medium, and these instructions make the machine, the programmable data processing device and / or other equipment work in a specific way, so that the machine-readable medium storing the instructions includes a manufactured product, which includes instructions for implementing various aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0081] Machine-readable program instructions may be loaded onto a machine, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device so that a series of operational steps are performed on the machine, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a machine-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the machine, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to implement the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0082] The flow chart and block diagram in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, function and operation of the system, method and program product according to multiple implementations of the present disclosure. In this regard, each square frame in the flow chart or block diagram can represent a part of a module, program segment or instruction, and a part of a module, program segment or instruction comprises one or more executable instructions for realizing the logical function of the specification. In some implementations as replacements, the function marked in the square frame can also occur in a sequence different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two continuous square frames can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can also be executed in the opposite order sometimes, depending on the function involved. It should also be noted that each square frame in the block diagram and / or flow chart, and the combination of the square frames in the block diagram and / or flow chart can be realized by a special hardware-based system that performs the function or action of the specification, or can be realized by a combination of special hardware and machine instructions.

[0083] The above descriptions of various implementations of the present disclosure are exemplary, non-exhaustive, and not limited to the disclosed implementations. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described implementations. The selection of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the implementations, practical applications, or improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the various implementations disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A control device, comprising: One or more bus units, respectively connected to the bus in the control device; as well as a first gateway and a second gateway connected to each other, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively connected to the bus and are adapted to be coupled to the controller, wherein the first gateway is configured to perform information exchange between the controller and the one or more bus units, and The second gateway is configured to, in response to a failure associated with the first gateway, replace the first gateway to at least partially perform the information exchange.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the second gateway is further configured to: During the period when the first gateway performs the information exchange, receiving operation status data from the first gateway; Based on the operational status data, monitoring a fault associated with the first gateway; as well as In response to detecting the failure, replacing the first gateway to at least partially perform the information exchange.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port and a detection port, The first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through the respective control ports, and The first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through the respective detection ports to exchange operation status data.

4. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port, a connection port and a detection port, The first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through the respective control ports, The first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through the respective connection ports to exchange data from or to the controller, and The first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through the respective detection ports to exchange operation status data.

5. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include two control ports and one detection port, The first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through the two control ports, and The first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through the respective detection ports to exchange operation status data.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway respectively have a first gateway address and a second gateway address independent of each other, and the first gateway is configured to perform the information exchange according to the correspondence between the first gateway address and a virtual address suitable for access by the controller.

7. The control device according to claim 6, wherein the second gateway is further configured to invalidate the correspondence between the first gateway address and the virtual address and validate the correspondence between the second gateway address and the virtual address when a fault associated with the first gateway is detected.

8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a first switch and a second switch for setting a main gateway and a backup gateway, The first gateway is further configured to perform the information exchange as a master gateway based on a first control signal from the first switch, and The second gateway is further configured to monitor a fault associated with the first gateway as a backup gateway based on a second control signal from the second switch.

9. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the first gateway is configured to output a first on signal through a first pin to control a first resistor associated with the first gateway to be connected to a circuit of the bus; and The second gateway is configured to output a first shutdown signal through a second pin to control a second resistor associated with the second gateway to be disconnected from a circuit of the bus.

10. The control device according to claim 9, wherein the second gateway is further configured to generate a second on signal and output the second on signal through the second pin in response to detecting the fault, so as to control the second resistor to be connected to the circuit of the bus; and The first gateway is configured to output a second shutdown signal through the first pin to control the first resistor to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus when the second gateway replaces the first gateway.

11. A control method, the control method being implemented at a control device including a first gateway and a second gateway connected to each other, and the method comprising: The first gateway performs information exchange between the controller and one or more bus units in the control device, the one or more bus units are respectively connected to a bus in the control device, the first gateway and the second gateway are respectively connected to the bus and are suitable for coupling to the controller; as well as In response to a failure associated with the first gateway, the information exchange is at least partially performed by the second gateway in place of the first gateway.

12. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the information exchange is at least partially performed by the second gateway instead of the first gateway, comprising: During the period when the first gateway performs the information exchange, the second gateway receives the operation status data from the first gateway; The second gateway monitors a fault associated with the first gateway based on the operating status data; as well as In response to detecting the failure, the second gateway replaces the first gateway to at least partially perform the information exchange.

13. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port and a detection port, The first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through the respective control ports, and The first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through the respective detection ports to exchange operation status data.

14. The control method according to claim 12, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a control port, a connection port and a detection port, The first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through the respective control ports, The first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through the respective connection ports to exchange data from or to the controller, and The first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through the respective detection ports to exchange operation status data.

15. The control method according to claim 12, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include two control ports and one detection port, The first gateway and the second gateway are respectively adapted to be coupled to the controller through the two control ports, and The first gateway and the second gateway are connected to each other through the respective detection ports to exchange operation status data.

16. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway have first gateway addresses and second gateway addresses that are independent of each other, respectively, and the information exchange performed by the first gateway comprises: The information exchange is performed by the first gateway according to a correspondence between the first gateway address and a virtual address suitable for access by the controller.

17. The control method according to claim 16, further comprising: In the case where a fault associated with the first gateway is monitored, the second gateway invalidates the correspondence between the first gateway address and the virtual address, and validates the correspondence between the second gateway address and the virtual address.

18. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the first gateway and the second gateway respectively include a first switch and a second switch for setting a main gateway and a backup gateway, and the method further comprises: The first gateway performs the information exchange as a master gateway based on a first control signal from the first switch; as well as A fault associated with the first gateway is monitored by the second gateway as a backup gateway based on a second control signal from the second switch.

19. The control device according to claim 11, further comprising: The first gateway outputs a first connection signal through a first pin to control a first resistor associated with the first gateway to be connected to a circuit of the bus; as well as The second gateway outputs a first shutdown signal through a second pin to control a second resistor associated with the second gateway to be disconnected from a circuit of the bus.

20. The control device according to claim 19, further comprising: In response to detecting the fault, the second gateway generates a second connection signal and outputs the second connection signal through the second pin to control the second resistor to be connected to the circuit of the bus; as well as When the second gateway replaces the first gateway, the first gateway outputs a second shutdown signal through the first pin to control the first resistor to be disconnected from the circuit of the bus.

21. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program can be executed by a processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 11 to 20.

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