Automation Device Ring Reconfiguration Dead Time Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automation devices experience prolonged 'dead time' during ring reconfiguration due to physical interruptions or peripheral unit failures, disrupting control of technical processes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a high-availability automation system with two automation units, where one acts as a leader and the other as a reserve, allowing seamless switching of peripheral access operations from one ring to another in case of failures, and enabling read/write access during reconfiguration by designating 'time-critical' peripherals for immediate switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the redundancy manager initiates ring reconfiguration upon detecting a physical ring interruption, then the system restores communication path availability, but the CPU module experiences dead time during which it cannot effect read or write access to peripheral units
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by switching peripheral access to the other ring before the current ring is fully reconfigured. The redundancy manager detects ring interruptions and initiates switching to the backup ring, allowing the CPU to continue accessing peripherals without interruption. This preliminary switching action eliminates the dead time that would otherwise occur during ring reconfiguration.
2Device complexity
If the system uses a single ring for peripheral access, then the device complexity is reduced, but the system experiences prolonged interruptions when physical ring interruptions or unit failures occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by providing different access paths for different peripheral units. When a ring interruption is detected, the system locally switches affected peripherals to use the other ring for access, while unaffected peripherals continue using their original ring. This localized approach maintains overall system simplicity while improving reliability for specific affected components.
3Reliability
If the redundancy manager logically interrupts the ring in normal mode to prevent information looping, then information transmission reliability is improved, but the system cannot adapt quickly when physical ring interruptions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamics by making the ring access configuration changeable in response to conditions. In normal mode, the redundancy manager logically interrupts the ring to prevent looping. When a physical interruption is detected, the system dynamically adapts by switching to the other ring, allowing the configuration to change from logically interrupted to physically reconfigured based on real-time conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating an automation device having a CPU module that is configured to effect read or write access to local peripherals that are each provided with two interface modules that are each wired up in ring form to an input/output controller, wherein peripheral access operations are executed via one of the rings or via both rings, and wherein a redundancy manager that is provided for each ring is used to logically interrupt the respective ring in a normal mode and to initiate ring reconfiguration for this ring in the event of a physical ring interruption so as to provide a basis for allowing peripheral access operations during the actual period of this ring reconfiguration.