Control Application Synchronization via Time-Delay-Aware Datagrams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in synchronizing control applications across communication networks due to limited support for multiple synchronization domains, leading to inefficiencies in data transfer and potential production downtime.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for synchronizing control applications in industrial automation systems by ascertaining time delays in datagram transmission and using this information to adjust transmission cycles, allowing for synchronization without separate synchronization protocols or domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate synchronization protocols or domains are used for each control application, then synchronization precision is improved, but device complexity and network resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple synchronization domains into a single unified synchronization domain, allowing all control applications to share common synchronization resources and infrastructure. This eliminates the need for separate synchronization protocols for each application, reducing device complexity while maintaining synchronization precision through a centralized time reference (PTP master clock) that all applications can access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal synchronization infrastructure that serves multiple control applications simultaneously. The PTP (Precision Time Protocol) synchronization mechanism provides a common time reference that can be used by different control applications with varying synchronization requirements, making the synchronization system multi-functional and adaptable to different application needs without requiring separate dedicated systems.
2Speed
If message traffic with many short messages is intensified, then data transfer speed is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates due to interruptions and incomplete transfers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic transmission cycles for control data with fixed intervals and deterministic timing. Each control application operates on a predetermined cycle basis, ensuring that short control messages are transmitted at regular, predictable intervals. This periodic structure prevents message collisions and interruptions while maintaining high data transfer speeds, as the network can efficiently allocate resources for each periodic transmission window.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables control applications to self-synchronize their transmission cycles based on locally stored timing information from the PTP master clock. Each application autonomously determines its transmission schedule without requiring continuous network synchronization messages, allowing high-speed periodic message transmission while maintaining communication reliability through self-regulated timing that prevents network overload and message loss.
3Reliability
If bandwidth is reserved for high-priority data frames, then quality of service is improved, but network resource utilization deteriorates due to enforced transmission pauses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic bandwidth allocation where the reserved bandwidth for time-critical control data is activated only during actual control transmission cycles. Since control applications transmit data periodically rather than continuously, the network bandwidth is dynamically released between transmission cycles for other data traffic. This dynamic usage pattern maintains high quality of service for control data while maximizing overall network resource utilization, eliminating the need for continuous bandwidth reservation that would otherwise idle network resources.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for synchronizing control applications via a communication network for transferring time-critical data, wherein network infrastructure devices determine, for the forwarding of datagrams associated with selected data streams, respective time delays between a planned transmission time of the datagram and an actual transmission time of the datagram in question, where the selected data streams are assigned to control applications running on communication terminals, and where a beginning of a next end-node-side transfer cycle is determined by a starting-node-side control application based on the time delay determined by a preceding network infrastructure device in question, an accumulated maximum time delay and a transmission time of the datagrams to achieve synchronization between transfer cycles of starting-node-side control applications and transfer cycles of end-node-side control applications.