Facility Control System Preventing Duplicate Commands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Facility control systems face inefficiencies and increased costs due to the potential for split-brain syndrome when a high availability cluster is introduced, leading to duplicate task commands being issued and reduced processing efficiency, especially when an abnormal condition occurs in the second-layer computer.
Innovation Solution
A facility control system that includes a selection processing portion for manual selection of whether the first-layer computer should execute the second-layer program, and a substitute command output processing portion to issue substitute commands, allowing the first-layer computer to execute the second-layer program only after manual confirmation of an abnormal condition, thereby preventing duplicate task commands and reducing the need for additional standby computers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high availability cluster is introduced to prevent system downtime when an abnormal condition occurs in the second-layer computer, then system reliability is improved, but the risk of split-brain syndrome increases leading to duplicate task commands and reduced processing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the first-layer computer monitors the operational status of the second-layer computer and receives task execution results. When the second-layer computer is abnormal, the first-layer computer detects this through feedback signals and adjusts its behavior to execute the second-layer program while preventing duplicate command issuance through coordinated feedback loops between layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between normal operation mode (second-layer computer executing second-layer program) and backup mode (first-layer computer executing second-layer program) based on the operational status of the second-layer computer. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliability while preventing split-brain syndrome through status-dependent behavior changes.
2Reliability
If a standby computer is introduced to replace the second-layer computer during abnormal conditions, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and facility costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The first-layer computer is designed with multi-functionality, capable of both its original first-layer program execution and the second-layer program execution when needed. This universal design eliminates the need for a dedicated standby computer, reducing system complexity while maintaining reliability through the existing first-layer computer's ability to perform multiple roles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the standby functionality into the existing first-layer computer by enabling it to execute the second-layer program when the second-layer computer is abnormal. This consolidation combines the control functions into existing infrastructure rather than adding separate standby hardware, thereby reducing device complexity and facility costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A facility control system comprises a selection processing portion that selects, based on a manual operation and when an abnormal condition occurs in a second-layer computer that issues a task command to a first-layer program which issues an apparatus operating command to an apparatus controller, whether to cause a first-layer computer to execute a second-layer program that had been executed by the second-layer computer, and a substitute command output processing portion which outputs a substitute command in accordance with selection information selected by the selection processing portion. The first-layer computer executes the second-layer program that had been executed by the second-layer computer in which the abnormal condition occurred based on a substitute command outputted by the substitute command output processing portion.