Duplex Runtime Component for Synchronized Controller Failover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing industrial control systems face challenges in achieving seamless application state synchronicity between primary and secondary controllers in a duplex configuration, particularly in event-driven systems like IEC 61499, which are often tightly coupled to hardware and lack flexibility in deployment.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for synchronizing the execution of external events between primary and secondary controllers in a duplex configuration, ensuring identical control application states through queuing and synchronized execution of events, even across diverse hardware and operating systems, using a runtime component that supports event-driven control loops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hardware-tied control systems are used, then system reliability is improved, but adaptability and deployment flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of control functionality through containerization, allowing the same control application to run on different hardware platforms. The runtime environment and function blocks are packaged as portable containers that can be deployed across diverse hardware without modification, achieving both reliability through consistent execution and adaptability through platform independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed with universal interfaces and standardized communication protocols that enable the same control application to operate on multiple hardware platforms. The IEC 61499-compliant runtime environment provides multi-functionality by supporting various deployment scenarios including cloud, edge, and on-premise configurations through a single unified architecture.
2Reliability
If active-standby redundancy is implemented, then system availability is improved, but resource consumption and system complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the primary and standby controller functionalities into a single unified runtime environment that supports hot-swappable container instances. Instead of maintaining separate physical hardware systems for active and standby modes, the system combines both roles in one platform, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining availability through seamless instance replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic failover capabilities where the standby controller can be rapidly activated through container instance replacement. The runtime environment dynamically manages the transition between primary and standby states, allowing flexible resource allocation and reducing the need for dedicated static redundancy hardware, thereby lowering overall system complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If event synchronization between controllers is implemented, then application state consistency is improved, but CPU and network resource usage worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the synchronization overhead from the main control loop by implementing event-driven architecture where only relevant state changes are synchronized between controllers. Instead of continuously syncing all data, the system extracts and transmits only the necessary event notifications and state deltas, reducing CPU and network resource consumption while maintaining application state consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic health-check mechanisms and asynchronous event synchronization instead of continuous real-time communication. Controllers exchange state information at optimized intervals and only when actual changes occur, reducing unnecessary network traffic and CPU processing while ensuring application state consistency through targeted synchronization events.
Data Source
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AI summary
A duplex configuration for application state synchronicity. A primary controller actively monitors and controls a plant/process and a secondary controller takes over in case of a failure of the primary controller. Input data is received at respective inputs of the primary controller and the secondary controller. Determining which of the received input data is associated with or should be treated as External Events permits achieving application state synchronicity between the primary controller and the secondary controller by synchronizing the execution of events associated with the same input data.