Control Authority Interface for Conflicting Local Control Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
In complex system architectures like petrochemical refineries, smart factories, and aircraft, multiple independent control systems can provide conflicting control inputs to a central automation controller, leading to suboptimal or dangerous operational conditions due to overlapping functionalities and conflicting goals.
Innovation Solution
A system control architecture that includes local control systems generating condition signals for situational awareness, a central controller aggregating these signals to create a control scheme, and operational components implementing mechanical control, along with a control authority interface system to provide user feedback and allow selective disabling of local control systems to prevent conflicts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple independent control systems provide control inputs to a central automation controller, then the system can achieve comprehensive control coverage and operational flexibility, but conflicting control inputs and overlapping functionalities can lead to suboptimal or dangerous operational conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control authority management system as an intermediary between multiple independent control systems and the central automation controller. This mediator assigns and monitors control authority levels for different operational aspects, resolving conflicts by determining which local control system has priority for each specific operational parameter. The system provides visual indicators of control authority status to operators, enabling them to understand and manage the interactions between competing control systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If local control systems operate independently with contributory and conflicting control schemes, then the system can respond to different situational conditions from multiple perspectives, but the conflicting control inputs can create dangerous operational conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism through visual indicators that display the control authority status of each local control system to the operator. The system continuously monitors the control inputs from multiple local control systems and provides real-time feedback about which system has authority for each operational aspect. This feedback loop enables operators to understand the current control state and intervene when necessary to prevent harmful conflicting effects.
3Productivity
If a central automation controller integrates inputs from multiple independent control systems, then the system can achieve coordinated control, but the complexity of managing conflicting control schemes increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control authority management into discrete, manageable units by assigning specific operational aspects to different local control systems with defined authority levels. Rather than attempting to manage all control inputs uniformly, the system divides control authority into separate domains, each with clear ownership and conflict resolution rules. This segmentation reduces the overall complexity by creating modular, manageable control zones.
Data Source
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AI summary
System control architecture (10) that includes local control systems (12) to provide respective condition signals associated with situational awareness conditions of an associated system architecture. A central system controller (14) receives the condition signals (C), generates a control scheme for control of operational aspects of the associated system architecture based on the condition signals, and generates control signals (CTRL) based on the control scheme. The control scheme defines contributions of each of the local control systems to a control authority of each of the operational aspects. Operational components (20) provide mechanical control of each of the operational aspects of the associated system architecture in response to the respective control signals to implement the control scheme. A control authority interface system (22) provides an indication to a user of the respective contributions of the control authority of each of the respective local control systems to the operational aspects of the associated system architecture.