Redundant Failsafe Control Links Using Synchronized Dual Paths
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face interruptions and costly production stoppages due to unreliable communication connections between computer units, particularly in high-message traffic scenarios, which can lead to failure in maintaining a safe operating state.
Innovation Solution
A method for setting up redundant communication connections between a failsafe control unit and a communication device using primary and secondary control devices with Multipath TCP functionality, where data is forwarded between control devices via synchronization connections, ensuring seamless data transmission and high availability even in case of failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single communication connection is used between automation devices, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of communication is insufficient leading to interruptions and production stoppages
Solution Approach 1:
The communication connection is segmented into multiple independent paths (primary and secondary connections) between automation devices. Each path can operate independently, allowing the system to maintain communication through alternative routes when one path fails, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity by distributing communication load across segmented channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a secondary communication connection in advance before it is needed for failover. This preliminary setup ensures that when the primary connection fails, an alternative path is already available immediately, preventing communication interruptions without requiring complex real-time rerouting logic.
2Reliability
If redundant communication connections are implemented, then communication reliability improves, but the device complexity and configuration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automation devices automatically manage the establishment and configuration of redundant communication connections without requiring manual intervention. The system self-configures primary and secondary connections, performs automatic failover when connections fail, and manages connection states autonomously, thereby maintaining high reliability while preserving ease of operation.
3Reliability
If multiple communication connections are maintained simultaneously, then failover capability is improved, but the loss of time for connection management and synchronization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous communication through active primary and secondary connections simultaneously. By keeping both connections active and synchronized, the system ensures that failover can occur instantaneously without interruption to the useful action of data transmission, eliminating downtime associated with connection establishment during failover events.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for setting up a redundant communication connection, and failsafe control unit, wherein a transport and/or networking functional unit of a communication device utilizes at least one communication network address associated with a primary control device and/or a secondary control device to set up two communication connections to a failsafe control unit that includes the primary control device and the secondary control device, where data transmitted via a first communication connection are forwarded from the primary control device to the secondary control device via a first synchronization connection such that data transmitted via a second communication connection are forwarded from the secondary control device to the primary control device via a second synchronization connection.