Controller Synchronization Manager for Hardware-Free High Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high availability schemes for controllers are platform- and application-specific, costly, and require dedicated hardware, making them unsuitable for low-cost controllers that need to integrate with Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and support both low voltage and medium voltage devices using open standard communication protocols.
Innovation Solution
An application programming interface (API) for state and data synchronization between power and process domains, allowing retrofitting of existing simplex controllers to achieve high availability without hardware modifications, using a dedicated communication channel for synchronization and enabling any controller with spare interfaces to synchronize application tasks between active and standby controllers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional high availability schemes are implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to dedicated hardware interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the hardware synchronization interface through software. The synchronization manager implements a software-based state synchronization mechanism that replicates the functionality of dedicated hardware interfaces using existing communication channels, thereby achieving high availability without adding physical hardware complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical hardware synchronization interfaces with a software-based communication system. Instead of using dedicated hardware lines for state synchronization, the system uses software protocols and existing communication infrastructure to achieve the same synchronization objectives
2Reliability
If platform-specific high availability schemes are used, then reliability is improved, but adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization manager is designed as a universal software component that can operate across multiple platforms and controller types. It provides platform-agnostic state synchronization capabilities that work with different communication protocols and hardware architectures, making the high availability solution adaptable to various systems without requiring platform-specific implementations
3Measurement precision
If application-specific synchronization is implemented, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements synchronization at selective points within the application execution flow rather than continuously throughout. The synchronization manager identifies and synchronizes only the critical state transition points and data exchange moments, achieving sufficient precision without the complexity of continuous full-application synchronization
Data Source
AI summary
A synchronization manager interface determines a first state of execution of an application task executing on a first controller at defined synchronization points and further determines a second state of execution of the application task executing on a second controller at the defined synchronization points. The synchronization manager interface, when executed, configures the first controller to transmit the first state from the first controller to the second controller via a communications channel established between the controllers for verifying a successful synchronization of the application task on the controllers based on a comparison of the first state with the second state.