Controller Farm Virtualization for Dynamic Resource Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial process control systems with 1:1 redundancy are costly, inflexible, and inefficient, as they require additional controllers for redundancy, leading to increased costs and potential performance degradation during controller failures or upgrades, with limited load balancing and peer-to-peer communication capabilities.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a controller farm with a high-speed bus and multi-function modules that utilize an N+X redundancy model, where N represents active controllers and X represents standby controllers, allowing for dynamic resource management and seamless failover through machine learning algorithms that manage resource allocation and load balancing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If 1:1 redundancy is implemented with separate physical controllers, then system availability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple controller functions into a single physical controller by implementing virtualization. Virtual controllers are created as software entities within the physical controller, allowing multiple virtual controllers to coexist and provide redundancy without requiring separate physical hardware for each controller. This reduces device complexity while maintaining the reliability benefits of redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical controller is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously by hosting multiple virtual controllers. Each virtual controller can independently manage different process areas or functions, making the single physical controller universal enough to replace multiple dedicated controllers. This multi-functionality maintains system availability while reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple redundant controllers are procured, then system reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple virtual controllers into a single physical controller platform. Instead of procuring separate physical controllers for each virtual instance, the system consolidates them sharing common hardware resources such as CPU, memory, and I/O interfaces. This significantly reduces the quantity of physical controller hardware required while maintaining full redundancy capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
A single physical controller is designed with universal capabilities to host multiple virtual controllers that can each perform different control functions. This multi-functional design allows one physical controller to replace what would traditionally require multiple specialized controllers, reducing hardware procurement costs while maintaining system reliability through virtual redundancy.
3Stability of the object's composition
If controllers are hardwired to field I/Os, then system stability is improved, but adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of controllers that can be dynamically configured and assigned to different field I/Os without physical re-wiring. These virtual controller instances maintain stable logical connections to their assigned I/Os while allowing flexible reconfiguration by simply changing software assignments. This copying approach preserves connection stability while enabling adaptability through virtualization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic reconfiguration capabilities where virtual controllers can be dynamically created, moved, and assigned to different field I/Os without physical changes. The virtualization layer provides dynamic flexibility that allows controllers to adapt to changing process requirements while maintaining stable logical connections through software-managed interfaces rather than fixed physical hardwiring.
4Stability of the object's composition
If resources are bound to physical controllers, then system stability is improved, but resource utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments physical controller resources into virtual resource pools that can be dynamically allocated to multiple virtual controllers. CPU cycles, memory, and I/O bandwidth are divided into manageable virtual resource units that can be assigned and reassigned based on demand. This segmentation allows stable resource allocation boundaries while enabling efficient multi-tenant resource utilization across multiple virtual controllers sharing the same physical platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic resource allocation where virtual controller resource assignments can be adjusted in real-time based on system conditions and demand. Resources are not permanently bound to specific virtual controllers but can be dynamically provisioned, scaled, and reallocated. This dynamic approach maintains stable resource management through virtualization layers while maximizing resource utilization efficiency by eliminating idle capacity and enabling load balancing across the controller farm.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a high speed bus and a plurality of multi-function modules coupled to the high speed bus. The plurality of multi-function modules includes at least one controller configured to execute control logic for the system. The plurality of multi-function modules also includes at least one arbitrator configured to manage the at least one controller. The plurality of multi-function modules further includes at least one input/output (IO) manager configured to interface between the at least one controller and at least one field device.