Industrial Automation Control System Error Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In industrial automation environments, errors in automated equipment can go undetected, leading to defective products, accidents, or dangerous situations due to the complexity and quantity of equipment, and the potential danger of equipment malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A control system that compares primary and secondary data verification values, generated by primary and secondary control processes respectively, to quickly identify and correct errors, allowing for smooth transfer of control between processes and potentially initiating emergency shutdowns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single primary control process is used to control industrial automation equipment, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because errors may not be detected and corrected in time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a secondary control process that replicates the primary control process's data verification functions. This copy serves as a monitoring mechanism that independently verifies the primary process's outputs without requiring complete system duplication, thus improving reliability while maintaining manageable complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary comparison mechanism that mediates between the primary and secondary control processes. This intermediary layer compares data verification values from both processes and triggers error detection without requiring direct complex interaction between multiple control processes, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity
2Reliability
If multiple control processes are implemented to improve reliability through error detection, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential data verification functions from the complete control process to create a secondary monitoring process. By taking out only the critical verification elements rather than duplicating entire control processes, the system achieves improved error detection capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by having the secondary control process focus only on verifying specific critical data points rather than monitoring all control functions. This selective verification approach provides sufficient error detection capability without the complexity burden of comprehensive multi-process monitoring
Data Source
AI summary
One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having program instructions stored thereon for enhancing an automation environment is provided. When executed by a processor, the program instructions direct the processor to at least identify at least a primary data verification value generated by a primary control process that provides control in an industrial automation environment, and to identify at least a secondary data verification value generated by a secondary control process associated with the primary control process. The program instructions also direct the processor to compare the primary data verification value with at least the secondary data verification value to determine if an error has occurred with respect to the primary control process.