Web SCADA HMI Alarm Buffering for Lower Server Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HMI server apparatuses in large-scale SCADA systems require high-performance processors and large-capacity memories to process a large number of signals in real time, leading to high costs, and there is a need to reduce the processing load for alarm signals without compromising real-time responsiveness.
Innovation Solution
A browser-based SCADA HMI system that includes a PLC, HMI client apparatus, and HMI server apparatus connected through a computer network, utilizing buffering and alarm filtering processes to optimize data update periods and reduce processing load by temporarily storing and filtering alarm signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the HMI server apparatus processes all alarm signals in real time like input/output signals, then real-time responsiveness is improved, but the processing load increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts alarm signals from the real-time processing stream and handles them separately with lower priority. The HMI server apparatus processes input/output signals in real time while alarm signals are buffered and processed periodically, removing the burden of real-time alarm processing from the critical real-time processing path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary buffering of alarm signals before processing. Alarm signals are temporarily stored in a buffer memory and processed in subsequent cycles, allowing the system to prepare and organize alarm data before committing processing resources to it, rather than immediately processing every alarm signal as it arrives.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the HMI server apparatus processes a large number of signals, then system functionality is improved, but high-performance processors and large-capacity memories are required increasing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the signal processing into distinct categories with different processing priorities and methods. Input/output signals requiring real-time response are processed separately from alarm signals that can be handled periodically. This segmentation allows the use of simpler, lower-cost hardware by matching processing complexity to actual operational requirements rather than designing for the worst-case scenario of all signals requiring real-time processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing parameters for different signal types. Real-time processing parameters (immediate processing, high priority) are applied to input/output signals, while alarm signals use different parameters (buffered processing, lower priority, periodic updates). This parameter differentiation enables cost-effective hardware design by optimizing processing resources for each signal type's actual needs.
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a SCADA web HMI system that can reduce a load for processing an alarm signal in a large-scale system. An HMI server apparatus performs buffering processing and alarm filtering processing. In the buffering processing, in a case where a received block data includes a set of alarm signals, at least the set of alarm signals included in the block data is temporarily stored in an alarm buffer memory. In the alarm filtering processing, the set of alarm signals stored in the alarm buffer memory is taken out for every second period that is longer than a first period, and the alarm signal having a value varied from a previous value is extracted from the taken-out set of alarm signals.