FPGA I&C Platform Architecture for Self-Diagnostics and Failure Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial control systems lack sufficient failure tolerance, diagnostic depth, and reliability, leading to high maintenance costs, complex diagnostics, and increased risks of common-cause failures, which compromises functional safety and processability.
Innovation Solution
The development of self-diagnosable modules with a unified FPGA-based architecture, utilizing finite-state automation and diverse clock domains for error detection and self-diagnostics, along with a proprietary protocol for data transfer, to create a platform that ensures functional safety and simplifies system design and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate boards are used for different functions in control systems, then functional specialization is improved, but device complexity and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal board design where a single board type can perform multiple functions through configurable FPGA modules. The board includes universal interfaces and a reconfigurable logic platform that can be programmed to execute different control functions, eliminating the need for separate dedicated boards for each function while maintaining functional specialization through software configuration.
2Reliability
If comprehensive diagnostics are implemented in control systems, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and diagnostic time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines diagnostic functions with the main control board by integrating self-diagnostics modules directly into the FPGA-based control logic. The diagnostic capabilities are merged with control functions in a unified system, allowing comprehensive monitoring of control signals, actuator responses, and system states without requiring separate diagnostic hardware. This integration reduces overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive diagnostic coverage.
3Reliability
If multiple spare boards are kept for replacement, then reliability is improved, but loss of substance and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The universal board design with reconfigurable FPGA modules allows a single spare board to replace multiple different function-specific boards. The spare board can be programmed to perform any required function through firmware configuration, eliminating the need to maintain an inventory of multiple specialized spare boards while ensuring system availability through rapid replacement capability.
4Reliability
If file verification is performed before downloading to FPGA, then reliability is improved, but productivity and operation time decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary verification of configuration files through checksum calculation and validation routines executed before the actual FPGA programming process. The system performs automated file integrity checks, syntax validation, and compatibility verification in advance, ensuring that only verified correct configuration files are downloaded to the FPGA device, thereby preventing programming errors without significantly delaying the overall configuration process.
Data Source
AI summary
A data processing method for safe Instrumentation and Control Systems (I&C Systems) based on data processing in safety I&C Systems consisting of self-diagnosable modules of the platform with the unified architecture, to use specifically developed computing facilities implemented in FPGA, to design and configure the modules with the unified architecture of the unified units, to use units operation in different clock domains and diversity technologies, to design and configure the computing facilities, to provide mutual diagnostics and self-diagnostics for hardware, computing facilities, interfaces and data transfer at both modular and system levels implemented by hardware design tools and module platform logic, to use different software for application diverse logic design, to provide I&C System functional safety, to simplify design of modules and I&C Systems, to provide unified process and diagnostics and self-diagnostics coverage, to simplify user operation, to simplify I&C System maintenance and support.