Backplane Synchronization via Unidirectional Pulse and Passive Base Plates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing industrial control systems face challenges in efficiently synchronizing I/O modules with a cluster manager while maintaining reliability and adhering to real-time constraints, especially in environments where measurement errors can occur.
Innovation Solution
The proposed industrial system employs a unidirectional communication line through passive base plates, allowing the cluster manager to synchronize I/O modules without involving a switch or hub. This system generates a pulse to create timestamps from primary and secondary clocks, enabling synchronization while eliminating path delay considerations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard switch stack is used for communication between cluster manager and I/O modules, then communication flexibility is improved, but synchronization reliability deteriorates due to path delay variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the switching function from the communication path by using a unidirectional communication line with passive base plates instead of active switches. This removes the source of path delay variations while maintaining communication capability through a dedicated point-to-point link between cluster manager and I/O modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication architecture is segmented into dedicated unidirectional links between cluster manager and each I/O module, eliminating the shared medium of traditional switch stacks. Each link operates independently, ensuring deterministic timing and eliminating path delay variations that occur in shared switch environments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If external switches are used in the backplane, then communication capability is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes external switches from the backplane architecture entirely, replacing them with passive base plates that provide electrical connections without active switching functionality. This simplifies the system by eliminating complex switching hardware while maintaining communication capability through dedicated unidirectional links.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, complex active switches with inexpensive passive base plates. The passive base plates serve their connection purpose and can be easily replaced or reconfigured, providing a cost-effective solution that reduces both hardware cost and system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If active switches are used in passive base plates, then communication flexibility is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to increased failure risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts all active electronic components from the passive base plates, leaving only passive electrical connections. This eliminates the possibility of failures in the base plates themselves, as passive components have no moving parts, no power requirements, and no electronic failure modes.
Solution Approach 2:
By using passive base plates without active components, the system preemptively eliminates a source of potential failures before they can occur. The passive architecture provides inherent reliability by removing components that could fail, rather than attempting to protect against failures after they occur.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to an industrial system for controlling backplane communication, comprising: a cluster manager (CM) comprising a primary switch (PS) linked to a primary control module (PCM), at least one Input/Output, I/O, module (IOM) comprising a secondary switch (SS) linked to a secondary control module (SCM), a unidirectional communication line (UCL) linking the cluster manager (CM) to the at least one IO module (IOM) through passive base plates (BP), wherein the cluster manager (CM) comprises a transmission port (TPC) and a reception port (RPC) on the unidirectional communication line and the at least one Input/Output module (IOM) comprises a reception port (RPM) on the unidirectional communication line, wherein the primary control module is configured to generate a pulse via the transmission port (TPC) on the unidirectional communication line, wherein, upon reception of the pulse, the primary control module (PCM) is configured to create a primary timestamp from a primary clock of the primary switch and the secondary control module (SCM) is configured to create a secondary timestamp from a secondary clock of the secondary switch, wherein the primary control module (PCM) is configured to send a message via the transmission port on the unidirectional communication line to the secondary control module, the message comprising the primary timestamp, wherein, upon reception of the message, the secondary control module (SCM) is configured to synchronize the secondary clock with the primary clock based on the received primary timestamp and secondary timestamp.