Switching expansion cable and distributed control system
By assigning color codes and end markings to the switch extension cables and communication cables, the problem of incorrect plugging and connection of switch cables was solved, reducing the risk of paralysis of the distributed control system and improving the stability and security of the system.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TIANJIN GUOHUA PANSHAN POWER
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-09
AI Technical Summary
In distributed control systems, the lack of clear distinction between switch connection cables can lead to mis-plugging and misconnection, forming network loops, triggering network storms, and posing risks of system paralysis and loss of control of the process system.
By assigning different color codes, such as red and transparent, to the switch expansion cables and communication cables, and setting different colors and markings at the ends, the switch expansion cables and communication cables can be distinguished, avoiding misconnection.
It effectively prevents the mis-plugging of switch expansion cables, reduces the risk of distributed control system failure and process system loss of control, and improves system stability and security.
Smart Images
Figure CN224343229U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The embodiments of this utility model relate to the field of distributed control systems. More specifically, this utility model relates to a switch expansion connection cable and a distributed control system. Background Technology
[0002] Distributed control systems (DCS) are widely used for monitoring and controlling industrial production processes. Communication technology is the key technology for realizing network communication and serves as a bridge for data exchange between monitoring equipment and devices.
[0003] In the implementation of a DCS control system, the system can be divided into several independently operating units, known as control domains or logical domains, to prevent unrelated access from causing system malfunctions. However, control domains are not completely isolated; adjacent logical domains need to be connected for communication. This requires cascading the switches in each logical domain. However, the network cables used for cascading are not significantly different from the data transmission cables in the switches, which can easily lead to misconnection or incorrect insertion of the cascading network cables (i.e., the switch connection cables used to extend logical domains, corresponding to switch extension connection cables). This can cause network switch loops, resulting in network storms, data congestion, and in severe cases, paralyzing the DCS system, causing the monitored process system to go out of control, and ultimately leading to a safety accident. Utility Model Content
[0004] In order to solve one or more of the technical problems mentioned above, in order to resolve the aforementioned issues.
[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a switch extension connection cable, which is applied to a distributed control system. The distributed control system architecture is divided into multiple logical domains, and each logical domain includes at least one set of switches, operator stations, and control stations.
[0006] Switch expansion cable: used to connect two switch expansion ports located in two switches in the same logical domain;
[0007] or
[0008] The two switch expansion ports are located in two switches that are in the same group of adjacent logical domains;
[0009] The switch expansion cable and the switch communication cable are different colors to distinguish them. The switch communication cable is used to connect the control station to the switch or the switch to the operator station.
[0010] In the embodiments provided in this application, the switch expansion cable and the switch communication cable are distinguished by color. In this way, the switch expansion cable and the switch communication cable can be distinguished, which prevents the network switch from looping due to misinsertion of the switch expansion cable, reduces the risk of DCS system paralysis, and thus reduces the risk of process system loss of control.
[0011] One possible approach is that each logical domain has multiple sets of switches, with each set of switches corresponding to one network segment;
[0012] Each logical domain is equipped with a network cabinet, which has multiple layers. Each layer of the network cabinet is used to house a set of switches for the corresponding network segment.
[0013] One possible approach is that the number of layers in the network cabinet is the same as the number of groups of switches.
[0014] One possible approach is to seal off the unused ports of the switch.
[0015] One possible approach is that the outer sheath of the switch extension cable is a different color than the outer sheath of the switch communication cable.
[0016] One possible approach is that the outer sheath of the switch extension cable is red, and the outer sheath of the switch communication cable is white.
[0017] One possible approach is to use a different color for the end of the switch extension cable compared to the end of the switch communication cable.
[0018] One possible approach is to have the ends of the switch extension cable be red and the ends of the switch communication cable be transparent.
[0019] One possible approach is that the switch extension cable is marked.
[0020] Secondly, this application provides a distributed control system, including the switch extension connection line as described in the first aspect. Attached Figure Description
[0021] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily understood by reading the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, several embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of example and not limitation, and like or corresponding reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts, wherein:
[0022] Figure 1An exemplary diagram of an incorrect connection of a switch extension cable is provided for this utility model;
[0023] Figure 2 Another exemplary diagram of an incorrect connection of a switch expansion cable provided by this utility model;
[0024] Figure 3 This is an exemplary schematic diagram of a switch expansion cable connection provided for this utility model.
[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0026] 10. Operator station; 20. Switch; 301. Switch communication cable; 302. Switch expansion cable; 40. Control station. Detailed Implementation
[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.
[0028] Distributed control systems (DCS) are widely used for monitoring and controlling industrial production processes. Communication technology is the key technology for realizing network communication and serves as a bridge for data exchange between monitoring equipment and devices.
[0029] In the implementation of a DCS control system, the system can be divided into several independently operating units, known as control domains or logical domains, to prevent unrelated access from causing system malfunctions. However, control domains are not completely isolated; adjacent logical domains need to be connected for communication. This requires cascading the switches in each logical domain. However, the network cables used for cascading are not significantly different from the data transmission cables in the switches, easily leading to misconnections and loops in the cascaded cables. This can cause network switch loops, network storms, data congestion, and in severe cases, paralyze the DCS system, resulting in the monitored process system going out of control and ultimately, a safety accident.
[0030] Here, we first define the two types of connecting lines:
[0031] Switch expansion cable: used to connect two switch expansion ports. It should be noted that in the DCS control system, the two switch expansion ports are located in two switches in the same logical domain. In other words, the two switch expansion ports cannot be in the same switch, or the two switch expansion ports are located in two switches in the same group of adjacent logical domains.
[0032] Switch communication connection cable: used to connect the control station to the switch for communication, or to connect the switch to the operator station, mainly for data exchange between the control station and the operator station.
[0033] Secondly, the process monitoring process of the distributed control system provided in this application is described:
[0034] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The control station 40 synchronously packages the collected data, and the switch 20 uploads the collected data to the database of the operation station 10. The database classifies and stores the data, performs data analysis, and displays the analysis results on the interface of the operation station 10. The engineers monitor the real-time status of the process system through the operation station 10. When deviation occurs, they can manually intervene in time or take emergency measures in time when there is an operational situation that endangers the safety of the system or personal safety.
[0035] Reference Figure 3 Each logical domain is equipped with two redundant networks, generally referred to as network A and network B. For example, in domain 1, network A switch 20 is A01:1 and A01:2, and network B switch 20 is B01:1 and B01:2.
[0036] If we consider switches 20 in network A as A01:1 and A01:2 as a group of switches 20, and switches 20 in network B as B01:1 and B01:2 as a group of switches 20, then each logical domain includes at least one group of switches 20, and one group of switches 20 corresponds to one network segment.
[0037] As discussed above, a distributed control system defines each independently operating control unit as a logical domain, and the distributed control system architecture is divided into multiple logical domains.
[0038] A large control system typically contains three or more logical domains. For example... Figure 2 or Figure 3 That is, it contains 3 logical fields.
[0039] Reference Figure 1 If the expansion cable of switch 20 is not distinguished from the communication cable of switch 20, the expansion cable of switch 20 will connect two ports of the same switch 20.
[0040] Reference Figure 2 The distributed control system has three logical domains, as shown in the reference. Figure 2 The expansion cable of switch 20 connects the ports of two logical domain switches 20 that are separated by a distance. This connection method can easily cause system failure.
[0041] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a switch 20 expansion cable, which, as described above, is used in distributed control systems.
[0042] In the embodiments provided in this application, the expansion connection cable of switch 20 and the communication connection cable of switch 20 are distinguished by color. That is, the expansion connection cable of switch 20 and the communication connection cable of switch 20 are different colors. In this way, the expansion connection cable of switch 20 and the communication connection cable of switch 20 can be distinguished, which prevents the network switch 20 from looping due to misinsertion of the expansion connection cable of switch 20, reduces the risk of DCS system paralysis, and thus reduces the risk of process system loss of control.
[0043] Specifically, the outer sheath color of the expansion cable of switch 20 is different from the outer sheath color of the communication cable of switch 20. For example, the outer sheath color of the expansion cable of switch 20 is red, and the outer sheath color of the communication cable of switch 20 is white.
[0044] Meanwhile, the end color of the expansion cable of switch 20 is different from the end color of the communication cable of switch 20. More specifically, the end color of the expansion cable of switch 20 is red, while the end color of the communication cable of switch 20 is transparent.
[0045] As a preferred embodiment, in addition to using colors to distinguish between the extension connection cable and the communication connection cable of the switch 20, the switch 20 can be arranged in network segments.
[0046] As can be seen from the foregoing, in some embodiments, the DCS is configured with a redundant network, that is, the number of switches 20 in the logical domain is multiple groups, and as mentioned above, one group of switches 20 corresponds to one network segment.
[0047] In this embodiment, each logical domain is equipped with a network cabinet, the network cabinet has multiple layers, and each layer of the network cabinet houses a set of switches 20 corresponding to the network segment.
[0048] In this embodiment, the switches 20 are arranged in the network cabinet according to the network segments, avoiding the centralized arrangement of the switches 20. When the operator installs the expansion connection cable of the switches 20, it can avoid connecting the ports of two switches 20 in the same cabinet, and also avoid connecting the ports of adjacent logical domains from two different network segments, thus preventing the misplugging and misconnection of the expansion connection cable of the switches 20.
[0049] It should be noted that, in order to save space in the network cabinet, in a preferred embodiment, the number of layers in the network cabinet is the same as the number of groups of switches 20.
[0050] To further prevent mis-plugging and misconnection of the expansion cables of switch 20, in some embodiments, the unused ports of switch 20 are physically sealed. More specifically, during DCS network construction, the unused ports of switch 20 are sealed using a sealing method. By sealing the unused ports of switch 20 in this way, the mis-insertion of the expansion cables of switch 20 can be prevented, further preventing mis-plugging and misconnection of the expansion cables of switch 20.
[0051] To further distinguish the expansion cable of switch 20 from the communication cable of switch 20, the expansion cable of switch 20 is marked.
[0052] For example, the expansion cable of the switch 20 may have symbol markings, raised markings, fluorescent markings, etc., which are not limited here.
[0053] Based on the foregoing embodiments, this application provides a distributed control system, including the switch 20 extension connection line provided in the foregoing embodiments.
[0054] In the foregoing description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "fixed," "installed," "connected," or "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, the term "linked" can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or it can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Therefore, unless otherwise expressly limited in this application, those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.
[0055] Based on the above description of this application, those skilled in the art will also understand that the following terms used, such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "length," "width," "thickness," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," "center," "longitudinal," "transverse," "clockwise," or "counterclockwise," are terms indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings of this application. They are only for the purpose of facilitating the explanation of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not explicitly or implicitly suggest that the device or element involved must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above-mentioned orientation or positional relationship terms cannot be understood or interpreted as a limitation on the present invention.
[0056] Furthermore, the terms "first" or "second," etc., used in this application to refer to numbers or ordinal numbers are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as explicitly or implicitly indicating relative importance or specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0057] While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Many modifications, alterations, and alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intent of the present invention. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the present invention described herein may be employed in the practice of the present invention. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of protection of the present invention and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.
Claims
1. A switch expansion cable, characterized in that, The switch connection line is used in a distributed control system. The architecture of the distributed control system is divided into multiple logical domains. Each logical domain includes at least one set of switches, operator stations, and control stations. Switch expansion cable: used to connect two switch expansion ports located in two switches in the same logical domain; or The two switch expansion ports are located in two switches that are in the same group of adjacent logical domains; The switch expansion cable and the switch communication cable are different colors to distinguish them. The switch communication cable is used to connect the control station to the switch or the switch to the operator station.
2. The connecting wire according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of switches in each logical domain is multiple groups, and each group of switches corresponds to one network segment; Each logical domain is equipped with a network cabinet, which has multiple layers. Each layer of the network cabinet is used to house a set of switches for the corresponding network segment.
3. The connecting wire according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of layers in the network cabinet is the same as the number of groups of switches.
4. The connecting wire according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unused ports of the switch are sealed off.
5. The connecting wire according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer sheath color of the switch expansion cable is different from the outer sheath color of the switch communication cable.
6. The connecting wire according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer sheath of the switch expansion cable is red, and the outer sheath of the switch communication cable is white.
7. The connecting wire according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end color of the switch expansion cable is different from the end color of the switch communication cable.
8. The connecting wire according to claim 7, characterized in that, The connector of the switch extension cable is red, and the connector of the switch communication cable is transparent.
9. The connecting wire according to claim 7, characterized in that, The switch expansion cable is marked.
10. A distributed control system, characterized in that, Includes the switch extension cable as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.