Distributed TSN Scheduling for Multi-Controller DCS Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Configuring time-sensitive networks (TSN) for distributed control systems (DCS) is complex and time-consuming, especially in large industrial plants with multiple controllers and subordinate devices, leading to potential delays in critical communication that can escalate industrial processes.
Innovation Solution
A method where each controller in a DCS computes its own TSN communication schedule independently or coordinates with other controllers to optimize communication timing, shifting responsibility from a centralized control application to individual controllers, allowing for decentralized scheduling and improved flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized control application configures TSN communication schedules for all controllers, then configuration consistency is maintained, but configuration complexity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized TSN configuration task into separate autonomous configuration processes for each controller. Each controller independently computes its own communication schedules and coordinates with neighboring controllers, transforming a single complex centralized configuration into multiple simpler distributed configurations that maintain consistency through coordination protocols.
2Reliability
If a centralized control application configures TSN communication schedules for all controllers, then global schedule coordination is achieved, but configuration time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each controller pre-computes its own communication schedules independently based on its local requirements and TSN capabilities, before coordinating with neighboring controllers. This preliminary autonomous configuration reduces the overall configuration time by avoiding sequential centralized processing, while subsequent coordination ensures global schedule consistency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If each controller computes its own TSN communication schedule independently, then configuration flexibility increases, but communication timing coordination becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
Controllers that independently compute their TSN communication schedules exchange scheduling information with neighboring controllers and adjust their schedules based on feedback from the coordination process. This feedback mechanism ensures that independent configurations maintain proper timing coordination and avoid conflicts in the shared TSN environment.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method (100) for operating a distributed control system, DCS (1), of an industrial plant, wherein the DCS comprises a plurality of controllers (11-13), and each such controller (11-13) is configured to communicate with a plurality of subordinate devices (2, 3) over a time sensitive network, TSN, the method (100) comprising the steps of: • providing (110) a control application (14) that comprises, for each controller (11-13), instructions (14a) to contact particular to-be-used subordinate devices (2, 3) and perform control logic using these subordinate devices (2, 3); • obtaining (120), by each controller (11-13), information about TSN capabilities (2a, 3a) of the to-be-used subordinate devices (2, 3); • computing (130), by each controller (11-13), a TSN communication schedule (11a-13a) for communication between this controller (11-13) and the to-be-used subordinate devices (2, 3); and • performing (170), by each controller (11-13), according to the communication schedule (11a-13a), the control logic with the to-be-used subordinate devices (2, 3).