I/O Server Active Output Selection for Containerized Controllers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial process control systems are inflexible and hardware-centric, leading to increased costs and complexity in engineering and change management, with a reliance on purpose-built hardware causing installation delays and cost overruns.
Innovation Solution
A software-defined process control system (SDCS) decouples software and hardware, utilizing a hyper-converged infrastructure with software-defined networking, storage, and application layers to dynamically manage resources and support dynamic process control demands, employing containers for service execution and load balancing, and incorporating security and discovery services for fault tolerance and optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If purpose-built hardware is used for process control systems, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtualization to create virtual copies of control systems that run on standard hardware. Virtual machine instances replicate the functionality of purpose-built hardware controllers, allowing multiple virtual controllers to operate on a single physical platform. This copying approach maintains system reliability through virtualization while eliminating the need for complex purpose-built hardware for each controller.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal hardware platform that can host multiple different control system functions simultaneously. A single server can run multiple virtual machine instances, each performing different control tasks, making the hardware versatile and adaptable to various control requirements without needing dedicated purpose-built hardware for each function.
2Reliability
If purpose-built hardware is used for process control systems, then system reliability is improved, but installation time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Virtual machine images can be rapidly deployed and replicated across hardware platforms. Instead of installing and configuring purpose-built hardware controllers one by one, the system copies virtual machine images to multiple hosts, significantly reducing installation time while maintaining reliability through the virtualization layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system software is pre-configured and tested in virtual machine images before deployment. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid deployment since the software is already configured and ready to run, eliminating time-consuming on-site configuration and installation activities associated with purpose-built hardware.
3Stability of the object's composition
If hardware-centric architecture is used, then system stability is improved, but adaptability to changing requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where virtual machine instances can be created, moved, scaled, or terminated based on changing control requirements. The virtualization layer allows the system to dynamically adapt to new processes or changing demands without physical hardware changes, while the underlying infrastructure remains stable.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is segmented into independent virtual machine instances that can be individually managed, configured, and deployed. This segmentation allows specific control functions to be adapted or modified without affecting the entire system, providing adaptability while maintaining overall system stability through modular architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
An I/O server service interacts with multiple containerized controller services each implementing the same control routine to control the same portion of the same plant. The I/O server service may provide the same controller inputs to each of the containerized controller services (e.g., representing measurements obtained by field devices and transmitted by the field devices to the I/O server service). Each containerized controller service executes the same control routine to generate a set of controller outputs. The I/O server service receives each set of controller outputs and forwards an “active” set to the appropriate field devices. The I/O server service and other services, such as an orchestrator service, may continuously evaluate performance and resource utilization in the control system, and may dynamically activate and deactivate controller services as appropriate.