Edge controller

Abstract

The utility model discloses an edge controller, which relates to the technical field of edge controllers and comprises a host, a first circuit board and a second circuit board are arranged in the host, a heat insulation aluminum plate is arranged between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, a CPU (central processing unit) module is arranged on one side of the second circuit board, and a GPU (graphics processing unit) module is arranged on the other side of the second circuit board. The CPU module and the GPU module are arranged by adopting a core-based subsystem method, and the host is connected with the extension module; pLC, edge calculation and IO control are integrated into the same device, data processing and logic control are achieved, and the two tasks can be carried out at the same time and do not interfere with each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of edge controllers, and in particular to an edge controller. Background Art

[0002] As an important supplement to cloud computing, edge computing is gaining more and more attention in building interconnected factories. Edge computing enables data analysis, processing and storage at the edge of the network, which not only reduces dependence on the cloud but also improves data security. Whether it is because of cloud computing itself, limited network transmission, or concerns about data security, edge computing is a necessary technology in the current process of building intelligent and digital scenarios. Edge computing places high demands on the local processing capabilities of data, and traditional PLC controllers are no longer capable of such work. Therefore, the demand for controllers with computing power and PLC functions is increasing.

[0003] For example, Chinese patent CN113179190B, published on January 7, 2022, provides an edge controller, an edge computing system and a configuration method thereof. The edge controller includes a first interface for connecting at least one smart terminal according to an IP address and a device identifier, and the edge controller performs real-time and closed-loop edge control on the smart terminal through the first interface; a second interface for connecting at least one non-intelligent terminal according to an IP address and a device identifier, and the edge controller controls the non-intelligent terminal to collect or receive analog data through the second interface; a third interface for connecting at least one edge computing server with the IP address, and the edge controller sends edge data to the edge computing server for processing through the third interface; a fourth interface for connecting to the cloud according to the IP address, and the edge controller sends edge data to the cloud for processing through the fourth interface. The edge controller published in this patent has only PLC functions and does not have computing power. Utility Model Content

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the utility model is that the existing edge controller cannot have both computing power and PLC functions. An edge controller is proposed, which can have both computing power and PLC functions.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the utility model is: an edge controller, including a host, wherein a first circuit board and a second circuit board are provided in the host, an insulating aluminum plate is provided between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, a CPU module is provided on one side of the second circuit board, and a GPU module is provided on the other side of the second circuit board, the CPU module and the GPU module are arranged by a core-subsystem method, and the host is connected to an expansion module.

[0006] An edge controller is provided with a circuit board in the edge controller host. The circuit board is divided into three layers, namely, a first circuit board, a heat-insulating aluminum plate and a second circuit board from top to bottom. A CPU module is provided on the second circuit board. The CPU module is located on the front side of the circuit board, and the GPU module is located on the back side of the second circuit board. CPU processors with different architectures and different performances can be selected according to actual application scenarios, and GPUs with different computing powers can be selected according to business computing power requirements. In addition, through the CPU+GPU core and system sub-solution, it is ensured that the edge computing system and the PLC system do not affect each other, and the computing power and PLC functions in the edge controller coexist.

[0007] Preferably, the base of the host is provided with a plurality of parallel heat dissipation racks, and the outer side of the base of the host is provided with a mounting buckle, and the mounting buckle is fixed with a DIN rail mounting slot. The heat dissipation rack can speed up the heat dissipation efficiency inside the edge controller, and the DIN rail mounting slot is used for the fixed installation of the IO expansion module.

[0008] Preferably, the expansion module includes a communication expansion module and an IO expansion module, PCIE communication expansion interfaces are respectively provided on both sides of the host, and the IO expansion module is connected to the DIN rail mounting slot. The expansion module is divided into a communication expansion module and an IO expansion module, the communication expansion module is installed through the PCIE communication expansion interface, and the IO expansion module is installed through the DIN rail mounting slot.

[0009] Preferably, the top and bottom of the host are provided with a plurality of evenly distributed heat dissipation holes, which are conducive to heat dissipation inside the edge controller.

[0010] Preferably, the second circuit board is provided with a memory bar and an onboard storage, and the second circuit board is closely attached to the base of the host. The second circuit board is attached to the base of the host, which is conducive to heat dissipation of the second circuit board.

[0011] Preferably, the first circuit board is provided with an interface circuit and an expansion interface, the interface circuit is connected to the interface of the host, and the first circuit board is provided with an input and output control chip. The host is provided with a series of interfaces such as a serial port, HDMI, VGA, USB, and Ethernet interface.

[0012] Preferably, the first circuit board is provided with an M.2 interface and an mSATA interface. In order to meet the requirements of edge computing for data storage to the maximum extent, an M.2 interface is reserved on the board to facilitate the installation of a solid-state drive that supports M.2, and an mSATA interface is reserved.

[0013] Preferably, a status indicator light and a switch button are provided on the surface of the host, and the operating status is intuitively displayed through the status indicator light.

[0014] The substantial effect of the utility model is as follows: the utility model integrates PLC, edge computing and IO control into the same device, combining data processing and logic control, and the two tasks can be performed simultaneously without interfering with each other; by setting heat dissipation holes, setting heat dissipation racks, and attaching the second circuit board to the host base, etc., a good heat dissipation effect is achieved without a fan, saving internal space. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a front view of an embodiment;

[0016] Figure 2 is a rear view of the embodiment;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a connection diagram between the first circuit board and the second circuit board of the embodiment.

[0018] Among them: 1. switch button, 2. PCIE communication expansion interface, 3. status indicator light, 4. heat dissipation rack, 5. mounting buckle, 6. DIN rail mounting slot, 7. first circuit board, 8. second circuit board, 9. SSD storage slot, 10. M.2 interface, 11. indicator light circuit, 12. first connector, 13. RS232, 14. RS48, 15. HDMI interface, 16. CAN interface, 17. USB interface, 18. RJ45 network port, 19. power circuit, 20. high-speed bus, 21. second connector, 22. auxiliary circuit, 23. memory unit, 24. CPU module, 25. storage unit, 26. GPU module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The specific implementation of the utility model is further described below through specific embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0020] An edge controller, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the edge controller as a whole is composed of a host and an expansion module, and the host of the edge controller is composed of a shell, a circuit board and a mounting base. The front of the shell is provided with an indicator light, a switch button 1 and common interfaces, and the common interfaces mainly include a serial port interface, an HDMI interface 15, a VGA interface, a USB interface 17 and an Ethernet interface. These different types of functional interfaces are set to realize multi-field functions such as gateway, control, I / O data acquisition, fieldbus protocol, network communication, etc. The power interface set on the front of the edge controller can simultaneously connect to two external 24V power supplies to achieve redundant design, so as to avoid failure of one of the power interfaces, which causes the entire edge controller to need to be replaced.

[0021] In order to save internal space, the edge controller adopts a fanless design as a whole. The internal heat is dissipated through structural design, so that the edge controller can have a good heat dissipation effect without fan heat dissipation. A number of evenly distributed heat dissipation holes are arranged on the top and bottom of the edge controller shell, so that the heat inside the edge controller can be dissipated from bottom to top. In addition, there are a number of heat dissipation racks 4 on the mounting base arranged on the back of the edge controller shell. The number of heat dissipation racks is large and distributed in almost all areas of the edge controller mounting base, thereby strengthening the air circulation between the inside and outside of the edge controller and improving the heat dissipation effect inside the edge controller.

[0022] The heat dissipation racks on the edge controller mounting base are vertically and parallelly distributed. A mounting clip 5 is also provided on the same surface of the mounting base, and the mounting clips are provided at the left and right ends of the side. The DIN rail mounting slot 6 is fixed by these two mounting clips. The DIN rail mounting slot is fixed by the mounting clip, and no screws are required, which is convenient for installation and removal. A PCIE communication expansion interface 2 is also provided on both sides of the edge controller housing.

[0023] Extension modules generally include communication extension modules and IO extension modules. Users can select extension modules according to their needs. The PCIE communication expansion interfaces set on both sides of the host are used to connect the communication extension modules. The communication extension modules are generally installed on the left side of the host. Communication extension modules include USB extension modules, Ethernet modules, RS-232 / 422 / 485 serial port modules, wireless transmission, etc., which are used to expand machine peripherals, serial port buses, hard disks and wireless networks respectively. Among them, the wireless transmission module supports wireless communication methods such as 4G / Wifi / ZigBee. IO extension modules are used for data acquisition and field control needs. The IO extension module is installed on the standard DIN rail in a plug-in style, which is not only easy to install but also saves space. The extension module adopts a solution similar to building blocks. Due to the use of a unified interface standard between modules, it can be disassembled and combined according to the differentiated needs of edge control scenarios to achieve product requirements for different edge control scenarios. It can make each module product highly versatile, which is conducive to product iteration and adaptation to different scenarios.

[0024] The circuit board structure inside the edge controller is mainly divided into three layers, among which the first and third layers from top to bottom are the first circuit board 7 and the second circuit board 8 respectively, and the heat-insulating aluminum plate is between the first circuit board and the third circuit board. Among them, the second circuit board is mainly provided with a CPU and a GPU, and other circuit components are mostly provided on the first circuit board. Since heat is easily transmitted from bottom to top through the air, the second circuit board is provided below the first circuit board to better avoid the influence of the heat generated by the first circuit board on the second circuit board. Secondly, the heat-insulating aluminum plate between the first circuit board and the second circuit board can increase the heat dissipation area and improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the second circuit board. In addition, the heat-insulating aluminum plate can first store the heat of the first circuit board and the second circuit board in itself, effectively preventing the heat of the second circuit board from being directly radiated to the first circuit board, playing a buffering role for the heat dissipation of the first circuit board, and avoiding the first circuit board from being damaged by the excessive heat transmitted from the second circuit board, thereby failing to dissipate heat in time. At the same time, the heat-insulating aluminum plate can also play the role of electromagnetic shielding, effectively preventing the circuits on the first circuit board and the second circuit board from interfering with each other during operation, resulting in a reduction in the final operation accuracy.

[0025] There are four fixing columns at the four corners of the mounting base. The three circuit boards are fixed to the mounting base by four screws. After the internal circuit is connected, the outer shell is covered. The outer shell and the mounting base are connected by buckles to achieve installation, which is convenient for disassembly and installation.

[0026] like Figure 3 As shown, two first connectors 12 are provided on the first circuit board, and two second connectors 21 are provided on the second circuit board. The first circuit board connects the first connector on the first circuit board with the second connector on the second circuit board through a high-speed bus 20. The connector mainly includes signals such as USB2.0, USB3.0, network port, HDMI, power supply, LED, PCIe, SPI, UART, GPIO, and debug serial port.

[0027] The first circuit board is mainly designed with a power supply circuit 19, data storage, expansion interface, input and output control chip, indicator light circuit 11 and interface circuit. The indicator light circuit provides POWER, RUN, and ALARM signal indication functions, and is respectively connected to the corresponding indicator lights on the host shell. Among them, the power supply circuit uses a dual-channel inductor to reduce the occupied area, and the power supply circuit is connected to the power interface on the edge controller host shell. After the external 24V power supply is connected, the power supply circuit is used to power other operating circuits in the edge controller. In order to maximize the requirements of edge computing for data storage, an SSD storage slot 9 is provided on the board, and an SSD with an M.2 interface 10 is selected to expand the system storage space. Support 256G / 512G / 1T SSD, convenient for carrying M.2-supported solid-state hard drives, and reserve an mSATA interface. All interfaces of the upper shell are connected to the expansion interface and interface circuit on this circuit board. An RS23213 and an RS48514 are provided on the first circuit board. The expansion interface thereon includes an HDMI interface, a CAN interface 16, two USB interfaces and two RJ45 network ports 18. The RJ45 network port supports 10 / 100 / 1000M adaptive network port.

[0028] The second circuit board mainly includes circuit modules such as CPU module 23, GPU module, memory unit 22, storage unit 24 and auxiliary circuit 22. CPU module 25, memory unit, storage unit and auxiliary circuit are located on the front of the circuit board, while GPU module is located on the back of the circuit board. CPU processors with different architectures and different performances can be selected according to the actual application scenario. GPUs with different computing power are selected according to the business computing power requirements. Through the CPU+GPU core and system solution, it is ensured that the edge computing system and the PLC system do not affect each other.

[0029] The CPU+GPU sub-core sub-system on the second circuit board can choose CPUs with different computing powers or CPUs with different architectures, different memory capacities, different storage capacities, whether or not to have a GPU, etc. according to application requirements. The CPU module and GPU module are connected to the circuit board through high-speed cables, and different modules ensure consistent PIN pin definitions. Through the differentiated design of CPU modules and GPU modules, it not only meets the application requirements of different scenarios, but also achieves the overall hardware universality design. The CPU unit can use ARM architecture or X86 architecture CPU according to different application scenarios and CPU performance requirements. The storage unit selects two specifications of Flash storage solutions, 16G or 32G. The memory unit selects three specifications of DDR4 memory, 4G / 8G / 16G. The auxiliary circuits mainly include auxiliary circuits such as watchdog, Ethernet PHY, and clock crystal oscillator. The GPU can use GPU models with different computing powers according to different application scenarios and AI computing power requirements.

[0030] The specific implementation process of the CPU+GPU core-and-system solution is as follows: The CPU module is the core of the PLC and plays the role of a nerve center. Each PLC has at least one CPU that controls the entire system, reading, interpreting, and executing instructions. In general, there are various status indicator lights on the CPU module, such as power display, operation display, and fault display. In addition to the display, the CPU module also has various bus interfaces for connecting I / O modules or baseboards, such as memory interfaces for installing memory cards and communication ports for communication. There are also many setting switches on the CPU module for setting the PLC. For example, setting the PLC working mode, memory area, etc. The GPU module contains multiple cores, each of which can execute commands independently. Each core has its own memory for storing instructions and data. The GPU receives instructions from the CPU and distributes them to multiple cores for processing. The GPU transmits the processed data back to the CPU so that the CPU can use the processed data. The CPU consists of a few cores optimized for sequential serial processing, while the GPU has a massively parallel computing architecture consisting of thousands of smaller, more efficient cores designed to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. The CPU is an excellent leader with multiple functions. Its advantages lie in its strong scheduling, management, and coordination capabilities, and its computing power comes second. The GPU is equivalent to an employee "with a lot of computing power" who is scheduled by the CPU. That is, the GPU is used to realize the computing power function of the edge controller, and the CPU is used to schedule the edge controller to complete the PLC function.

[0031] Since the mounting base is provided with a heat dissipation rack, the second circuit board is closely fitted to the mounting base, which is more conducive to the heat dissipation of the second circuit board.

[0032] The utility model discloses an edge controller that integrates multiple functions such as PLC controller, edge computing, gateway, control, I / O data acquisition, field bus protocol, network communication, etc., and realizes equipment operation control, data acquisition, AI computing and equipment interconnection, as well as intelligent control in collaboration with remote cloud platform on the edge side. The edge controller proposed by the present invention is not equivalent to a separate industrial control computer. It integrates PLC, edge computing and IO control into the same device, and has both data processing and logic control. The two tasks can be performed simultaneously without interfering with each other.

[0033] The above embodiments only express several implementation methods of the utility model, and the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this field, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the utility model, which all belong to the protection scope of the utility model.

Claims

1. An edge controller, comprising a host, characterized in that: The host is provided with a first circuit board and a second circuit board, an insulating aluminum plate is provided between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, a CPU module is provided on one side of the second circuit board, and a GPU module is provided on the other side of the second circuit board, the CPU module and the GPU module are arranged in a core-subsystem manner, and the host is connected to the expansion module.

2. An edge controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base of the host is provided with a plurality of parallel heat dissipation racks, and the outer side of the base of the host is provided with a mounting buckle, and the mounting buckle is fixed with a DIN rail mounting groove.

3. An edge controller according to claim 2, characterized in that: The expansion module includes a communication expansion module and an IO expansion module. PCIE communication expansion interfaces are respectively provided on both sides of the host. The IO expansion module is connected to the DIN rail mounting slot.

4. An edge controller according to claim 3, characterized in that: The top and bottom of the mainframe are provided with a plurality of evenly distributed heat dissipation holes.

5. The edge controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first circuit board is provided with a power circuit, and the power circuit is connected to the power interface of the host. The host is provided with multiple power interfaces, and the power circuit adopts a dual-path inductor.

6. An edge controller according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The second circuit board is provided with a memory bar and an onboard storage, and the second circuit board is closely fitted with the base of the host.

7. An edge controller according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first circuit board is provided with an interface circuit and an expansion interface, the interface circuit is connected to the interface of the host, and the first circuit board is provided with an input and output control chip.

8. An edge controller according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first circuit board is provided with an M.2 interface, and the first circuit board is provided with an SSD storage slot.

9. An edge controller according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The host surface is provided with a status indicator light and a switch button.

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