Containerized Control Execution for Legacy-Compatible Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial process control and automation systems face challenges in upgrading components while maintaining compatibility with legacy technology, particularly in distributed control systems where new controllers need to work harmoniously with legacy controllers for redundancy and continuous system availability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a container-based architecture in industrial automation control devices, where control execution, communication, and redundancy management applications are packaged as containers, supported by a platform that provides communication, scheduler, and runtime services, allowing for seamless integration and upgrade without rewriting existing control logic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control devices are upgraded to new technology, then system performance and capabilities are improved, but compatibility with legacy controllers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A legacy adaptation layer is introduced as an intermediary component between the modern control device and legacy controllers. This adaptation layer translates communication protocols and data formats, enabling seamless interaction between upgraded control devices and legacy controllers without requiring changes to either side. The adaptation layer handles protocol conversion, data mapping, and compatibility management, allowing the system to benefit from modern technology while maintaining legacy support.
2Adaptability or versatility
If control logic is rewritten for new architecture, then system modernization is achieved, but development time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The legacy control logic is copied and emulated within the modern control device through virtualization or simulation techniques. Instead of rewriting control logic, the system creates a virtual copy of the legacy controller environment that runs alongside or instead of the original legacy hardware. This approach preserves the exact behavior of legacy control logic while running it on modern hardware, eliminating the need for time-consuming rewriting and testing of control algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is segmented into distinct functional modules: legacy control logic module, adaptation layer module, and modern interface module. This segmentation allows the legacy control logic to be isolated and preserved as a separate component, while the adaptation layer handles the translation and integration tasks. Such modularization enables independent development, testing, and deployment of each component, significantly reducing overall development time and complexity.
3Reliability
If redundancy pairing is implemented between upgraded and legacy controllers, then system availability is improved, but integration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is designed with universal communication capabilities that can interface with both legacy and modern controllers through a unified adaptation layer. This multi-functional interface handles multiple communication protocols, data formats, and redundancy management schemes through a single standardized component. The universal design eliminates the need for separate integration paths for different controller types, reducing integration complexity while maintaining the ability to pair upgraded and legacy controllers for redundancy.
Data Source
AI summary
In an industrial automation system, a control device adapted to a container-based architecture has been developed. The control device may comprise one or more containers instantiated with control execution application, communication application, and or redundancy management application.