Phantom Unit Virtual Control for Industrial Equipment Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional industrial control configurations limit multiple processes from simultaneously using a piece of equipment due to ownership constraints, leading to inefficiencies and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a phantom unit that shares functionality with an actual unit, allowing multiple processes to own and utilize the equipment represented by both the actual and phantom units, with the phantom unit handling supplemental processes until the actual unit is available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single ownership model is used for equipment in industrial control configurations, then device simplicity and clear resource management are maintained, but resource utilization efficiency deteriorates due to inability of multiple processes to use the same equipment simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy (phantom unit) of the physical equipment (actual unit). The phantom unit is a software representation that mirrors the functionality and interface of the actual unit, allowing multiple processes to interact with it simultaneously. When a process uses the phantom unit, the system mediates access to the actual unit, enabling time-multiplexed sharing without requiring multiple physical copies of the equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer (the phantom unit and associated software) between multiple processes and the single actual unit. This intermediary manages resource allocation, handles process scheduling, and coordinates access to the actual unit, allowing multiple processes to share the equipment without direct conflicts while maintaining the illusion of dedicated access for each process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If redundant equipment is deployed to allow simultaneous process operation, then resource sharing capability improves, but equipment cost and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The actual unit is designed with universal interface capabilities that allow it to serve multiple processes through the phantom unit abstraction. The phantom unit provides a standardized interface layer that enables the single actual unit to be shared across multiple processes, eliminating the need for dedicated equipment for each process while maintaining full functionality for all users.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of deploying multiple physical copies of equipment, the system creates virtual copies (phantom units) that represent the actual unit. These virtual copies allow multiple processes to access and operate on the equipment simultaneously through time-multiplexed scheduling, reducing the total quantity of physical equipment needed while maintaining adaptability and sharing capabilities.
3Productivity
If multiple processes access the same actual unit simultaneously, then resource sharing efficiency improves, but system stability deteriorates due to potential conflicts and resource contention
Solution Approach 1:
The phantom unit serves as an intermediary that manages concurrent access requests from multiple processes. It implements scheduling algorithms and access control mechanisms to coordinate process execution, ensuring that only one process accesses the actual unit at a time while maintaining the appearance of simultaneous access. This mediation prevents resource conflicts and maintains system stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the access control and resource management functions from the actual unit operation. The phantom unit handles process scheduling, access arbitration, and state management separately from the core equipment operations, isolating potential conflicts to the management layer while protecting the actual unit from direct concurrent access conflicts.
Data Source
AI summary
Problems can occur when a controller is limited in ownership to one process. To minimize these problems, phantom Units can be used that are direct replicas of actual Units. Thus, multiple processes can own a single controller—one process can own the actual Unit while another process owns the virtual controller. At an appropriate time, such as when the actual Unit is no longer owned, bindings with the phantom Unit can transfer to the actual Unit.