Industrial Control Communication Monitoring With Preconfigured Backup Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
The reliability of distributed control systems (DCS) is compromised by network communication failures, especially when the network infrastructure is not fully controlled by the operator, such as in contracted service provider scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for monitoring and managing communication resources by identifying critical signals, assessing their importance, and dynamically reallocating them to available resources to maintain reliability, including proactive remedial actions and virtual alarm objects within the DCS.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If network infrastructure is contracted from service providers, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to factors outside operator control
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of alternative communication resources and establishes backup transmission paths before failures occur. When a signal transmission failure is detected, the system can immediately switch to pre-identified alternative resources, reducing downtime and maintaining reliability without requiring complex real-time decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary monitoring and management layer that sits between the DCS and the external network infrastructure. This intermediary layer actively monitors transmission quality, identifies failures, and manages alternative communication resources, thereby protecting the DCS from external network unreliableness while maintaining ease of operation.
2Reliability
If multiple alternative communication resources are maintained, then reliability is improved through redundancy, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service mechanisms where the monitoring unit automatically detects transmission failures and the identifying unit autonomously selects alternative communication resources without human intervention. This automation reduces the operational complexity of managing multiple redundant resources while maintaining high reliability through continuous availability of backup paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual copies or representations of communication paths and resources. Instead of managing physically complex redundant infrastructure, the system uses software-based virtualization to model alternative transmission paths, thereby reducing physical device complexity while maintaining reliability through virtual redundancy.
3Reliability
If signal transmission failures are detected and alternative resources identified, then reliability is restored, but loss of time occurs during the switching process
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-identifies and pre-configures alternative communication resources before failures occur. When a transmission failure is detected, the switch to alternative resources can be executed immediately without time-consuming search or configuration processes, thereby minimizing time loss while restoring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring unit continuously provides feedback on transmission quality and failure states. This real-time feedback enables the system to detect failures immediately and trigger the switching process without delay, reducing the time loss between failure occurrence and restoration of reliable communication.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method (100) for monitoring a communication system (1) that is used for the control and/or the surveillance of at least one industrial process (2), comprising the steps of: • identifying (110) a set of signals (31-33) that need to be transmitted over the communication system (1) for proper functioning of the control and/or surveillance; • for each signal (31-33) from the identified set of signals, identifying (120) one or more resources (11a-11c) of the communication system (1) that are needed for transmission of this signal (31-33); • obtaining (130) information (12a-12c) that is indicative of the operational state of the identified resources (11a-11c); and • evaluating (140), from the obtained information (12a-12c), at least one remedial activity (4) which, when performed on at least one resource (11a-11c), and/or on the control and/or surveillance, is likely to improve, and/or to restore, the reliability of the control and/or surveillance.