Multi-Channel Serial Interface for Process Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional daisy chain Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) control systems face limitations in data transfer rate, complexity, cost, and availability due to serial communication constraints, which restrict real-time control and increase the mean time between failures.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multi-channel serial communication interface with independent SPI channels between the CPU and IO modules, allowing simultaneous communication and reducing the loading on media, thereby enhancing data transfer efficiency and system robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a daisy chain SPI configuration is used to connect multiple IO modules to the process controller, then the system structure is simplified and cost is reduced, but the data transfer rate decreases and communication delays increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single shared SPI communication bus into multiple independent SPI communication channels, with each channel dedicated to communicating with a specific IO module. This segmentation eliminates the sequential access constraint of the daisy chain configuration, allowing parallel data transfers while maintaining the simplicity of SPI protocol for each individual channel.
2Loss of energy
If a single SPI bus is shared among multiple IO modules, then the media loading is reduced, but the system availability decreases due to single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The communication interface is segmented into multiple independent SPI channels, where each channel operates autonomously to communicate with its designated IO module. This independence ensures that a failure in one channel does not propagate to other channels, eliminating the single point of failure issue while keeping each individual channel's media loading manageable.
3Device complexity
If sequential communication with IO modules is used, then the communication protocol is simplified, but the real-time control capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multiple independent SPI communication channels that operate in parallel, with each channel maintaining the simplicity of the SPI protocol for communication with its assigned IO module. This parallel architecture enables simultaneous data transfers to multiple IO modules, achieving real-time control capability without complicating the underlying communication protocol, as each channel independently follows standard SPI procedures.
Data Source
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AI summary
A process controller (210) includes a central processing unit (CPU) (211) and a multi-channel serial communication interface (220) including a plurality of serial communication engines (2211, 2212, 2213) in parallel to one another coupled to the CPU. The multi-channel serial communication interface provides a plurality of independent serial communication channels between the CPU and a plurality of IO modules. The plurality of independent communication channels enable the CPU to simultaneously receive signals at any time from any combination of the plurality of IO modules.