Industrial Controller Synchronization Without Connection Timeouts
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Solution Overview
Problem
High availability industrial control systems face delays and synchronization issues due to the time required to open thousands of connections, particularly during updates, which can impact continuous operation in critical applications like power generation.
Innovation Solution
The system employs an industrial controller that opens connections for data communication in a synchronized state and operates in an unsynchronized state using no-operation data to prevent connection timeouts, allowing for rapid recovery and conserving network bandwidth by attaching a hop counter value to the no-operation data and selectively forwarding it through the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the system opens thousands of connections during synchronization, then data communication capability is improved, but the time required for connection establishment increases causing synchronization delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining connection states and communication pathways during unsynchronized operation. The controller continues to participate in communication using no-operation data, keeping connections open and ready for rapid resynchronization without requiring re-establishment of thousands of connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining active communication channels during unsynchronized states. Rather than closing connections during updates, the controller continues transmitting no-operation data to preserve connection states, enabling seamless transition back to synchronized operation.
2Productivity
If the controller operates in unsynchronized state during updates, then continuous operation is maintained, but connection timeouts may occur without preventive measures
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the potentially harmful effect of unsynchronized operation (which could cause connection timeouts) into a beneficial state by using no-operation data transmissions. These transmissions prevent timeout conditions while allowing the controller to undergo updates, transforming a risk into a mechanism for maintaining continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The no-operation data acts as an intermediary mechanism between the controller and the network during unsynchronized states. This intermediary transmission maintains connection integrity and prevents timeout conditions without requiring actual control data exchange, bridging the gap during update transitions.
3Reliability
If no-operation data is transmitted continuously to prevent timeouts, then connection stability is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by transmitting no-operation data selectively rather than uniformly across all connections. The hop counter value enables differentiated treatment of data transmissions, allowing the system to maintain connection stability where needed while conserving bandwidth in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by attaching hop counter values to no-operation data transmissions. This parameter modification enables intelligent routing and selective forwarding, allowing the system to maintain connection stability while optimizing network bandwidth utilization through controlled data propagation.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial controller executes a control program held in non-transitory medium to: (a) open connections for the communication of data on the industrial control network, the connection subject to a timeout; (b) operate in a synchronized state with the second industrial controller to execute a same control program to communicate same control data; (c) operate in an unsynchronized state providing no-operation data to the industrial control network, the no-operation data preventing timeout of the open connections on which it is communicated.