Software-Defined Process Control Redundancy With Container Load Balancing

The patent creates virtual copies of control system functions through software-defined controllers that replicate the functionality of traditional hardware controllers. These virtual controllers run on standard computing infrastructure, eliminating the need for specialized hardware while maintaining control functionality through software-based process control logic and virtualization technology.

The patent replaces physical hardware-based control systems with software-defined control architecture. Traditional hardware controllers, I/O devices, and control logic are substituted with virtualized software components running on standard servers, using virtualization layers to abstract and manage control functions without requiring dedicated hardware for each control element.

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation and load balancing through software-defined controllers that can adaptively manage control functions. The system dynamically assigns virtual controllers to available hardware resources, adjusts resource allocation based on system conditions, and enables flexible reconfiguration of control architecture without physical hardware changes, maintaining stability through software-based control while providing adaptability.

The patent creates a universal software-defined control platform that can perform multiple control functions across different process control applications. The virtualized architecture allows a single hardware infrastructure to support various control scenarios, protocols, and configurations through software, enabling one system to fulfill multiple roles that traditionally required separate specialized hardware for each function.

The patent uses virtualization to create software-based copies of control system components, replacing physical hardware manufacturing with software deployment. Virtual controllers, I/O devices, and control logic are instantiated as software images or containers that can be rapidly deployed and replicated across hardware platforms without traditional hardware manufacturing processes, significantly reducing deployment time and complexity.

The patent substitutes hardware assembly and configuration with software installation and virtualization orchestration. Instead of physically assembling and configuring hardware controllers and I/O devices, the system uses software-defined architecture where control functions are deployed as virtualized applications, eliminating complex hardware integration while maintaining system reliability through software-based control mechanisms.

The patent implements fault tolerance through virtual copying of control functions, where multiple virtual instances of controllers can be created and distributed across hardware resources. If one virtual controller fails, another can take over seamlessly, providing redundancy without requiring duplicate physical hardware for each control function, thus reducing overall system complexity while improving fault tolerance.

The patent introduces a virtualization layer as an intermediary between hardware resources and control functions, which manages fault tolerance and load balancing. This intermediary layer abstracts the complexity of redundancy management, handling failover, resource allocation, and fault detection centrally, thereby improving fault tolerance without proportionally increasing system complexity as the hardware infrastructure remains shared and consolidated.