Decoupled Process Controllers Using OPC UA for Resilient Automation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional industrial process control and automation systems have closed and vendor-specific controllers, limiting interoperability and flexibility, as they require dedicated servers for supervisory control and engineering databases, which can lead to communication disruptions and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Decoupling process controllers from supervisory layers by integrating control applications and engineering databases into the controller's memory, allowing them to operate using an open platform data communication protocol, such as OPC UA, enabling independent execution of control strategies and data communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If process controllers are integrated with supervisory servers and engineering databases, then system integration and centralized control are achieved, but system complexity increases and dependency on specific servers creates vulnerability to communication disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system by separating process controllers from supervisory servers and engineering databases. Each process controller becomes an independent unit with embedded control logic and local data storage, eliminating the centralized architecture that created communication vulnerabilities and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the control application and engineering database from the supervisory server environment and embeds them directly into the process controller. This extraction removes the dependency on centralized servers, allowing controllers to operate autonomously and reducing communication-related failures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If closed proprietary controllers are used, then vendor-specific control functionality is achieved, but interoperability and flexibility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universal interoperability by enabling process controllers to execute control applications from multiple vendors through a standardized platform. The controller can load and run control logic from different sources (local memory, remote servers, cloud) using common communication protocols, making the system vendor-agnostic while maintaining full control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer in the form of a standardized communication interface and control application execution environment. This intermediary enables seamless interaction between diverse control applications and the process controller hardware, facilitating multi-vendor compatibility without requiring proprietary integrations.
3Reliability
If dedicated servers are used for supervisory control, then centralized monitoring and control are achieved, but communication disruptions and single points of failure are created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables process controllers to serve themselves by embedding the control application and engineering database locally. Each controller independently executes its control logic and manages its own operations without requiring continuous communication with centralized servers, making the system resilient to communication disruptions while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is disclosed that is used in an industrial process control and automation system that operates using an open platform data communication protocol. The apparatus includes a processor and a memory, and a communications interface connected to at least one process instrument and arranged to transmit instructions to and receive data from the at least one process instrument and to a data network of the industrial process control and automation system that communicates using the open platform data communication protocol. The apparatus memory contains a system repository file containing process data information sent to the apparatus from the at least one process instrument, a stored function block definition file containing function blocks that define a control strategy for controlling the at least one process instrument and an engineering repository containing the characteristics and parameters for the function blocks associated with the at least one process instrument. The processor operates to communicate the process data from the system repository file to the industrial process control and automation system using the open platform data communication protocol and to receive instructions from the industrial process control and automation system to execute the control strategy.