SD Process Control Visualization for Dynamic Resource Allocation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial process control systems are inflexible and hardware-centric, leading to increased costs and complexity in engineering and change management, with a reliance on purpose-built hardware causing cost overruns and supply-chain delays in process plant installations and expansions.
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, dynamically managing resources through a hyper-converged infrastructure to support dynamic demands, including a software-defined networking layer, application layer, and storage layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If purpose-built hardware is used in traditional 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 hardware resources. Virtual machines and containers replicate control logic and I/O handling capabilities, allowing multiple virtual instances to run on shared physical hardware, thereby reducing hardware complexity while maintaining system reliability through redundancy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal hardware platform that can perform multiple control functions through software configuration. A single physical server can host multiple virtual controllers, I/O servers, and control applications, replacing the need for dedicated purpose-built hardware for each function and reducing overall device complexity
2Reliability
If purpose-built hardware is used in traditional process control systems, then system reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate hardware components (controllers, I/O devices, communication interfaces) into a single integrated virtualized platform. Multiple control functions and I/O handling are combined in shared physical infrastructure, reducing the number of discrete hardware units needed and lowering manufacturing and deployment costs
Solution Approach 2:
The universal hardware platform can be configured through software to perform different control functions, eliminating the need to manufacture specialized hardware for each application. This software-defined approach allows the same hardware to serve multiple purposes across different process control scenarios, reducing manufacturing costs
3Stability of the object's composition
If traditional hardware-centric architecture is used, then system stability is maintained, but adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic resource allocation through virtualization, where computing, storage, and I/O resources can be dynamically assigned and reassigned based on changing process requirements. Virtual machines and containers can be created, migrated, or scaled without physical hardware changes, providing adaptability while maintaining system stability through controlled virtualization layers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments control functions into independent virtualized services (control applications, I/O servers, communication handlers) that can be independently managed, configured, and updated. This modular segmentation allows specific functions to be adapted or modified without affecting the entire system, enhancing adaptability while maintaining overall system stability
4Productivity
If more hardware resources are allocated, then processing capacity increases, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple processing functions and hardware resources into shared physical infrastructure. Multiple virtual controllers and I/O servers share the same physical CPUs, memory, and storage, increasing processing capacity through resource consolidation rather than adding more discrete hardware units, thereby avoiding increased device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A software defined (SD) process control system (SDCS) implements controller and other process control-related business logic as logical abstractions (e.g., application layer services executing in containers, VMs, etc.) decoupled from hardware and software computing platform resources. An SD networking layer of the SDCS utilizes process control-specific operating system support services to manage the usage of the computing platform resources and the creation, deletion, modifications, and networking of application layer services with devices disposed in the field environment and with other services, responsive to the requirements and needs of the business logic and dynamically changing conditions of SDCS hardware and/or software assets during run-time of the process plant (such as performance, faults, addition/deletion of hardware and/or software assets, etc.). A visualization system of the SDCS provides a user with a view as to the state of the SDCS as currently configured/running on the computing platform to enable a user to view currently configured interrelationships between logical elements of the control system and other logical and/or physical elements of the control system. The visualization system also provides performance metrics of the system as currently configured to enable a user to understand the operational health of the control system as currently configured.