I/O Server Coordination for Containerized Process Controllers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial process control systems are inflexible and hardware-centric, leading to increased costs and complexity in installation and change management, with a reliance on purpose-built hardware causing cost overruns and supply-chain delays and inefficiencies in process expansions.
Innovation Solution
A software-defined process control system (SDCS) that decouples software and hardware, utilizing a hyper-converged infrastructure to dynamically manage resources and implement business logic in encapsulated execution environments. The SDCS includes a software-defined networking layer, a software-defined application layer, and a software-defined storage layer, supported by a physical layer, with containerized services for process control, including I/O server services, controller services, and historians, and a method for load balancing and fault tolerance.
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 cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtualization to create virtual copies of control systems that run on standardized hardware. Virtual machine instances replicate control functionality without requiring dedicated physical hardware for each control function, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability through virtualized redundancy and failover capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements a universal hardware platform that can host multiple control system functions simultaneously. A single physical server can run multiple virtual control systems, I/O servers, and database services, eliminating the need for purpose-built hardware for each function and reducing overall device complexity.
2Reliability
If purpose-built hardware is used for process control systems, then system reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Virtual machine instances provide replicated control functionality on standardized hardware, eliminating the need to manufacture specialized hardware for each control application. This approach uses off-the-shelf servers that can be deployed anywhere, significantly reducing manufacturing and acquisition costs while maintaining reliability through virtualized redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the fundamental parameter from specialized hardware specifications to standardized commercial off-the-shelf hardware. By transitioning from purpose-built control hardware to universal servers running virtualized control software, the patent reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining or improving reliability through software-based fault tolerance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If hardware-centric architecture is used, then system stability is improved, but adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability through virtualization, where control system configurations can be modified, migrated, or scaled without changing the underlying hardware. Virtual machine instances can be dynamically created, moved, or updated, providing adaptability while the standardized hardware platform maintains stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts control software from hardware dependencies, allowing the control logic to be independently modified and updated. By separating the control functionality into virtualized software layers, the system gains adaptability while the hardware layer remains stable and standardized.
4Reliability
If traditional I/O devices are used for each field device, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple I/O device functions into a single virtualized I/O server that runs on standardized hardware. Instead of requiring dedicated I/O devices for each field device, the virtual I/O server consolidates communication functions, reducing device complexity while maintaining communication reliability through software-based error handling and redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual I/O server provides universal communication capabilities that can interface with multiple types of field devices through a single platform. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for specialized I/O hardware for each device type, reducing complexity while maintaining reliable communication through standardized protocols and software adaptation layers.
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.