Redundant Controller Rebuilding for Stable Process Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems face challenges in maintaining reliability due to memory leaks and software errors, leading to operation instability and instability in process control systems, particularly in plant facilities, where real-time performance is critical.
Innovation Solution
A control device and method that includes a selecting unit to output a reliable arithmetic processing result from multiple applications and an application managing unit to proactively rebuild target applications before instability occurs, ensuring continued system reliability by managing resource allocation and rebuilding operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If applications are continuously run without rebuilding, then productivity is maintained, but reliability deteriorates due to memory leaks and software errors causing operation instability
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting memory leak tendencies and rebuilding applications before actual operation instability occurs. The application managing unit monitors memory usage patterns and triggers rebuilding proactively, preventing memory leaks from causing system failure while maintaining continuous operation through seamless hot-swapping of application instances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies discarding and recovering by terminating application instances that show memory leak tendencies and restarting them with fresh memory allocation. The application managing unit discards problematic instances and recovers functionality by launching new instances, ensuring reliability without prolonged downtime through continuous operation of redundant instances.
2Reliability
If multiple applications are rebuilt simultaneously to prevent memory leaks, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases and coordination becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by enabling flexible, dynamic control over application rebuilding timing and sequence. The application managing unit dynamically adjusts rebuilding schedules based on real-time system state, memory usage patterns, and operational requirements, allowing coordinated rebuilding of multiple applications while adapting to changing conditions to manage complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The application managing unit serves as an intermediary that coordinates rebuilding operations between the selecting unit and application instances. It manages the complexity of simultaneous rebuilding by orchestrating the sequence, monitoring resource availability, and ensuring proper coordination, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If applications are rebuilt proactively before instability occurs, then reliability improves, but loss of time occurs during rebuilding operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuity of useful action through hot-swapping capability, where new application instances are launched and started before old instances are terminated. This overlapping execution ensures continuous service provision during the rebuilding transition, minimizing operational downtime while still achieving proactive rebuilding for reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by starting new application instances before terminating old ones during the rebuilding process. This preliminary establishment of replacement instances ensures that functionality is already in place before the transition occurs, reducing the actual downtime experienced during rebuilding operations.
4Reliability
If resource allocation is varied to prevent simultaneous memory leaks, then reliability improves, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to difficulty in predicting memory leak occurrence
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies feedback by continuously monitoring memory usage patterns of running applications and using this information to dynamically adjust resource allocation and trigger rebuilding decisions. The application managing unit receives feedback on memory consumption trends and responds by allocating resources appropriately or initiating rebuilding, achieving reliable prevention of simultaneous instability with adaptive precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameter changes by dynamically adjusting resource allocation parameters based on observed memory leak patterns and application behavior. Rather than using fixed allocation, the system modifies memory and CPU resource assignments in response to changing conditions, achieving both reliability in preventing simultaneous failures and adaptive precision in resource management.
Data Source
AI summary
In a control device, a selecting unit selects and outputs the arithmetic processing result based on the arithmetic processing results output from a plurality of controllers performing predetermined arithmetic processing. An application managing unit selects one or more of the controllers as target controllers for rebuilding; determines whether or not the reliability of the output of the selecting unit can be secured according to the arithmetic processing performed by the controllers other than the target controllers for rebuilding; and, when the reliability can be secured, carries out rebuilding of the target controllers for rebuilding.