Layered Supervisory Control Architecture Decoupling Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing supervisory process control and manufacturing information systems are inflexible and struggle to adapt to changes in process control system architectures, requiring significant redesign and disrupting ongoing industrial processes.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layered hierarchical architecture where application objects are hosted by engine objects, which are in turn hosted by platform objects, allowing for decoupling of application logic from physical computing hardware and network topology, enabling flexible reconfiguration and migration of applications without disrupting existing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional monolithic process control system architecture is used, then system stability is maintained, but adaptability to changing hardware and system requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The process control system is divided into multiple independent layers: presentation layer, application layer, process control layer, and process layer. Each layer can be modified, added, or removed without affecting other layers, enabling adaptability to changing requirements while maintaining system stability through clear separation of concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a traditional flat architecture to a multi-dimensional layered architecture with vertical separation of functions. This dimensional change allows independent evolution of each layer, improving adaptability while managing complexity through hierarchical organization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system architecture is reconfigured to adapt to new requirements, then adaptability improves, but disruption to ongoing industrial processes occurs
Solution Approach 1:
System reconfigurations are planned and prepared in advance during system downtime or maintenance windows. Configuration changes are staged and tested before being deployed to production systems, allowing adaptability improvements while minimizing disruption to ongoing industrial processes.
Solution Approach 2:
A configuration management system acts as an intermediary between system administrators and the process control system. This intermediary enables safe, controlled reconfiguration through validation, version control, and staged deployment, improving adaptability while protecting continuous operation through automated checks and rollback capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If application logic is tightly coupled with physical computing hardware, then system reliability is improved, but ease of migration and reconfiguration deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Application logic is extracted from physical computing hardware and placed in a portable application layer. This extraction enables easy migration between different hardware platforms while maintaining the same control logic, improving ease of operation despite the added architectural complexity of layer separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The application layer is designed to be universal and platform-independent, capable of running on various hardware configurations and operating systems. This universality achieves ease of migration and reconfiguration, while the standardized interface layer manages the complexity of supporting multiple platforms.
Data Source
AI summary
A supervisory process control and manufacturing information system application is disclosed. The components of the application are distributable to a plurality of networked computer devices in a multi-layered hierarchical manner wherein lower layers host higher installed layers of application components. Application objects reside at a relatively high level of the distributed application architecture and model entities within a process control system. Engine objects host execution of the application objects in a run-time environment. Thus, application objects are not deployed until a host engine object with which they are associated have been deployed. Engine objects are hosted by platform objects. The platform objects correspond to a physical computer system component for executing the engine objects and associated application objects. A configuration facility presents a variety of views including deployment and model views of the application. The views incorporate the relationships of the objects that make up the distributed application.