Redundant Controller Database Sync for Secondary Path Diagnostics
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Solution Overview
Problem
In industrial process control and automation systems, secondary devices in redundant controller pairs lack comprehensive diagnostic capabilities, relying on primary device database knowledge for full operational assessment, which limits their ability to take over seamlessly in case of primary device failure and hinders early fault detection.
Innovation Solution
The method involves synchronizing the primary device's control database with the secondary device, using a tracking device driver to update the secondary device's database with changes, and performing diagnostic testing on communication connections and paths to ensure the secondary device can assume primary functions and report potential faults.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the secondary device performs comprehensive diagnostic testing of communication connections and paths, then diagnostic coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary device is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as a backup controller while simultaneously conducting comprehensive diagnostic testing of communication connections and paths. By making the secondary device multi-functional, the system achieves enhanced diagnostic coverage without adding separate dedicated diagnostic hardware, thus improving measurement precision while controlling device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary device performs diagnostic testing in advance before it needs to take over primary functions. By conducting comprehensive diagnostic assessments of communication connections and paths while in secondary mode, the system identifies potential failures beforehand, improving diagnostic coverage without requiring additional complexity during critical failover operations
2Measurement precision
If the secondary device synchronizes with the primary device to access database knowledge, then operational functionality assessment is improved, but loss of time occurs during data transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary device synchronizes with the primary device's database in advance while operating in backup mode. By performing this data synchronization before a failover event occurs, the system ensures the secondary device has complete operational functionality assessment capabilities ready, eliminating time losses during critical failover scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The database synchronization between primary and secondary devices is performed continuously or periodically during normal operation. This continuous useful action ensures the secondary device maintains up-to-date operational functionality assessment without requiring time-consuming synchronization when failover is actually needed
3Reliability
If the secondary device performs full diagnostic assessment of operational functionality, then reliability is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary device performs diagnostic assessment at a level that is sufficient for reliability purposes but not excessively comprehensive. By focusing diagnostic efforts on critical communication connections and paths rather than every possible parameter, the system achieves improved reliability while controlling energy consumption through targeted rather than exhaustive testing
Data Source
AI summary
A method for use by a primary device associated with a secondary device of a redundant pair, the primary device issuing a synchronization request to its control database causing the primary device to send a tracked memory file storage of the primary device to the secondary device to update the secondary device control database and to periodically send on request of the primary device the cached changes made in the primary device to the secondary device to update the secondary device control database. The secondary device using the updated control database to identify communications connections and paths to I/O modules and peer devices assigned to the secondary device and to perform diagnostic testing of the communications connections and paths identified by the interrogation and send diagnostic messages upon detection of faults in the communication connections and paths identified.