Redundant Automation Controllers With Partial Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
High availability industrial control systems require dedicated high-speed data links for full synchronization, leading to increased costs and complexity, which is not necessary for applications that do not demand full synchronization and high-speed performance.
Innovation Solution
An industrial automation system that allows for less than full synchronization between primary and secondary controllers, eliminating the need for a dedicated high-speed data link, enabling users to configure the system for acceptable control continuation without program or data synchronization, thereby reducing costs and allowing feature-performance trade-offs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full synchronization between primary and secondary controllers is implemented, then control reliability is improved, but system cost and complexity increase due to dedicated high-speed data links
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial synchronization by allowing users to select specific data types (program, I/O, or both) to be synchronized between controllers, rather than requiring full synchronization of all data. This reduces the data transmission burden and eliminates the need for dedicated high-speed data links, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining acceptable control reliability for less critical applications
2Measurement precision
If full synchronization is implemented, then data accuracy is improved, but data transmission time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows selective synchronization of only necessary data types (program data, I/O data, or both) rather than transmitting all data. This partial data transmission approach reduces data transmission time significantly while maintaining sufficient data accuracy for applications that do not require full synchronization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic cross-loading of selected data between primary and secondary controllers at predetermined intervals. This periodic transmission strategy reduces the frequency and volume of data transmissions compared to continuous full synchronization, thereby reducing data transmission time while maintaining acceptable data accuracy through regular updates
3Speed
If dedicated high-speed data link is used, then data transmission speed is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the dedicated high-speed data link component from the system architecture. Instead, it uses existing communication networks (such as Ethernet or Fieldbus networks) to transmit selected data between controllers. This elimination of specialized hardware reduces system cost while the selective data transmission approach maintains acceptable performance for non-critical applications
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of selected data (program or I/O data) and transmits them periodically between primary and secondary controllers over standard communication networks. This copying approach with selective data types reduces the bandwidth requirements compared to full real-time synchronization, enabling the use of lower-cost communication infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
A high availability industrial automation system in disclosed. The system has a primary industrial automation controller, a secondary industrial automation controller, and a communication network connected to the primary industrial automation controller and the secondary industrial automation controller. The primary industrial automation controller includes a processor and a memory configured to store a plurality of instructions, a plurality of automation tasks, input/output (I/O) data, and internal storage data. The processor is operative to execute the plurality of instructions to cross load information from the primary industrial automation controller to the secondary industrial automation controller. The cross loading of information can be less than the maximum amount of communicable information capable of being cross loaded. Also disclosed are methods of communicating over the high availability industrial automation system.