I/O Server Architecture for Containerized Process Control Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial process control systems are inflexible and hardware-centric, leading to increased costs and complexity in engineering and change management, as well as susceptibility to cost overruns and supply-chain delays due to dependence on purpose-built hardware.
Innovation Solution
A software-defined process control system (SDCS) that decouples software and hardware, implementing business logic as logical abstractions on top of computer resources and dynamically managing resources through a hyper-converged infrastructure, including a software-defined networking layer, application layer, and storage layer, to support dynamic demands and ensure fault tolerance and load balancing.
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 functions and I/O devices. Virtual I/O devices and virtual controllers are implemented as software abstractions that replicate the functionality of physical hardware, allowing multiple virtual instances to run on shared physical infrastructure. This reduces hardware complexity while maintaining system reliability through virtualization-based fault isolation and redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal virtualization layer that allows a single physical infrastructure to serve multiple control functions and support different control protocols simultaneously. The virtual I/O server and virtual controller architecture enables one physical system to perform the roles of multiple dedicated hardware devices, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability through software-based function separation.
2Reliability
If purpose-built hardware is used for process control systems, then system reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate hardware functions into a single virtualized infrastructure. The virtual I/O server combines I/O device management, protocol conversion, and controller communication functions into one integrated software platform running on shared physical hardware. This consolidation reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for multiple dedicated hardware devices while maintaining reliability through software-based function isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses virtualization to create software-based copies of control functions that can be deployed on commodity hardware. Virtual controllers and virtual I/O devices are instantiated as software images that can be replicated and deployed across standardized hardware platforms, significantly reducing manufacturing costs compared to custom-built hardware while maintaining system reliability through virtualization-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 implements dynamic adaptability through virtualization, allowing the control system architecture to be reconfigured at runtime. Virtual I/O devices and controllers can be dynamically created, moved, or deleted without physical hardware changes. The virtual I/O server dynamically allocates and manages I/O resources based on changing process requirements, providing both stability through virtualization encapsulation and adaptability through software-based reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments control functions into virtualized components that can be independently managed and configured. The virtual I/O server separates I/O device management from controller logic, allowing each to be adapted independently. This functional segmentation enables the system to maintain stable core functions while adapting specific I/O interfaces or control modules to new requirements through software updates rather than hardware changes.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple I/O devices are used for different field devices, then device compatibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual I/O server as an intermediary layer between field devices and controllers. This virtual I/O server acts as a universal mediator that handles protocol conversion and communication for multiple different field device types through a standardized virtual interface. Instead of requiring separate physical I/O devices for each field device type, the virtual I/O server provides compatibility through software-based protocol adaptation, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining broad device compatibility.
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.