Communication Controller Prioritizing Time-Sensitive Data Packets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Field devices in Ethernet-based factory automation networks face performance issues due to overwhelming network traffic, which can lead to delays and failures in processing time-sensitive data, as they must handle various types of non-critical network messages and traffic surges, including ARP storms and malicious traffic, without effective isolation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A communication controller that prioritizes time-sensitive data packets and manages network traffic by providing separate data paths for high and low priority packets, using a network watchdog to restrict non-critical traffic and prevent overload conditions, ensuring timely processing of critical data without interruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If field devices process all network traffic including non-critical messages and traffic surges, then network management and diagnostic functions are maintained, but time-sensitive data processing is delayed or failed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network traffic into different priority levels, separating time-sensitive data from non-critical traffic. The communication controller classifies incoming packets into high-priority (time-sensitive) and low-priority (non-critical) queues, processing them differently to ensure reliable time-sensitive data handling while maintaining overall network functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication controller acts as an intermediary between the network and the field device processor. It filters, prioritizes, and manages traffic before presenting it to the processor, preventing overload conditions and ensuring that time-sensitive data receives appropriate processing attention while still allowing non-critical traffic to be handled.
2Loss of time
If separate data paths are provided for high and low priority packets, then time-sensitive data is processed without delay, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements segmentation by creating separate data paths and queues for high-priority and low-priority traffic within the communication controller. This internal segmentation allows time-sensitive data to be processed independently without being blocked by non-critical traffic, reducing processing delay while concentrating complexity in the traffic management layer rather than requiring complex changes throughout the entire device architecture.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus is for coupling a field device that includes a device processor to a data bus. The apparatus has a communication controller including a communication controller processor and at least one higher priority data packet queue and one lower priority data packet queue, each queue configured to store a plurality of types of data packets. An input/output controller coupled to the bus to receive the plurality of types of data packets, and to identify the priority of the packets and place them in the appropriate queue according to the identified priority. The communication controller processor is configured to forward queued high priority data packets to the device processor differently from queued low priority data packets, and change lower priority data packet traffic to the device processor in response to an indication of processing status of the device processor.