Virtual Control Replicating Real Controller for Data Offloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial control systems face challenges in efficiently collecting relevant data for process quality monitoring, leading to increased load on the control system and potential productivity reductions due to resource bottlenecks, while existing solutions burden the real control with additional tasks and require frequent coordination with manufacturers.
Innovation Solution
A control system with a virtual control that replicates the behavior of the real control in real-time, allowing for parallel execution of control jobs and data collection, thereby reducing the load on the real control system by transferring data from the virtual control to higher-level processor units, ensuring synchronicity and minimizing resource bottlenecks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If data acquisition and process monitoring are added to the machine control to meet quality assurance needs, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and productivity are worsened due to increased computational burden
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments data acquisition functionality into two parts: a virtual control that handles complex data collection and evaluation tasks, and a real control that maintains core control functions. This segmentation allows the real control to offload computational burdens to the virtual control, preventing productivity loss while maintaining monitoring capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
A virtual control is created as a digital copy of the real machine control. This virtual replica performs all data acquisition, process monitoring, and evaluation tasks that would otherwise burden the real control system. The virtual control mirrors the real control's behavior and data structures, enabling comprehensive monitoring without impacting actual machine operation.
2Measurement precision
If additional data acquisition functionality is configured in the machine control, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to configuration changes and coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual control serves as a complete digital replica of the real control system, including all configuration parameters, data structures, and processing logic. This copying approach eliminates the need to modify the real control's configuration, as all monitoring requirements can be implemented in the virtual environment without affecting the physical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual control acts as an intermediary between the real control system and higher-level monitoring systems. It receives data from the real control through standard interfaces, performs all necessary data acquisition and evaluation, and presents results to monitoring systems. This intermediary role simplifies the real control's interface requirements while enabling comprehensive monitoring capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the real control performs all control tasks and data collection simultaneously, then adaptability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to resource bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
Control tasks are segmented between real and virtual controls based on their nature. The real control handles time-critical real-time control functions, while the virtual control manages data collection, analysis, and non-time-critical monitoring tasks. This segmentation allows each control to optimize for its specific function, maintaining adaptability while preventing resource bottlenecks.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual control creates a parallel computational environment that copies the real control's data processing capabilities. This allows the system to maintain full adaptability and versatility in both the real and virtual domains, with the virtual control handling analytical tasks that would otherwise compete for resources with real-time control operations.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
When carrying out an industrial process or during the operation of an industrial system or machine, relevant data is to be detected without additionally loading the control of the industrial process or the system or machine in question. For this purpose, the invention provides a control system (1, 4, 5; 1', 4', 5'; 1'', 4'', 5'') with a real control (1; 1'; 1'') for controlling an industrial process, a system or a machine; a virtual control (4; 4'; 4'') for simulating the control of the industrial process, the system, or the machine; synchronization means for synchronizing the real control (1; 1'; 1'') and the virtual control (4; 4'; 4''); and a higher-level processor unit (5; 5'; 5'') for detecting and/or generating operating data and/or state data with respect to the process, the system, or the machine, wherein the operating data and/or state data is based on data originating from the virtual control (4; 4'; 4''). By requesting the data from the virtual control (4; 4'; 4''), the real control (1; 1'; 1'') is not additionally loaded.