Industrial control system having multi-layered control logic execution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11726440-B2
Application number	US-202117352779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2021
Priority date	Jul 1, 2020
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

A process control system includes a process controller level including at least one process controller, and an input/output (I/O) module level including at least one I/O module. The process controller level and the I/O module level are communicatively coupled. and each include control logic comprising control hardware or algorithm blocks. The control logic in the process controller level and the I/O module level are configured to execute and exchange data to perform process control for a process run by the process control system in a distributed fashion across the process controller level and the I/O module level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process control system, comprising:
a process controller level including at least one process controller and
an input/output (I/O) module level including at least one I/O module coupled to the process controller;
wherein the process controller level and the I/O module level are communicatively coupled and both include control logic comprising control hardware or algorithm blocks; and
wherein the control logic in the process controller level and in the I/O module level are configured to execute and exchange data to perform process control for a process run by the process control system in a distributed fashion across the process controller level and the I/O module level, wherein the process controller level, a scanner level, and the (I/O) module level, are configured to execute operations simultaneously and exchange data.

2. The process control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one I/O module comprises a plurality of the I/O modules each comprising a universal I/O module that supports analog inputs, analog outputs, digital inputs, and digital outputs.

3. The process control system of claim 2 , wherein the universal I/O modules support a pulse input and a frequency input.

4. The process control system of claim 1 , wherein the control logic in the process controller level and in the I/O module level both comprise the control hardware.

5. The process control system of claim 1 , further comprising the scanner level between the process controller level and the I/O module level including at least one I/O scanner, wherein the I/O scanner includes control logic comprising the control hardware or the algorithm blocks.

6. The process control system of claim 1 , wherein the control logic in the process controller level and in the I/O module level both comprise the algorithm blocks.

7. The process control system of claim 1 , wherein the control logic in the process controller level and in the I/O module level both comprise the algorithm blocks and the control hardware.

8. The process control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one process controller comprises a redundant controller arrangement comprising independent first and second process controllers.

9. A method of operating a process control system including a process controller level including at least one process controller, and an I/O module level including at least one an I/O module coupled to the process controller comprising:
providing the process controller level and the I/O module level communicatively connected and both including control logic including control hardware or algorithm blocks; and
using the control logic to execute and exchange data to perform process control for a process run by the process control system in a distributed fashion across the process controller level and the I/O module level, wherein the process controller level, a scanner level, and the (I/O) module level, are configured to execute operations simultaneously and exchange data.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one I/O module comprises a plurality of the I/O modules comprising at least one universal discrete I/O module that supports the digital input, and the digital output, but not the analog input or the analog output.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the universal I/O modules supports a pulse input and a frequency input.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the control logic in the process controller level and in the I/O module level both comprise the control hardware.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the control logic comprises the algorithm blocks.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the process control system further comprises the scanner level between the process controller level and the I/O module level including at least one I/O scanner, wherein the I/O scanner includes control logic comprising the control hardware or the algorithm blocks.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the control logic both comprise the algorithm blocks.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one process controller comprises a redundant controller arrangement comprising independent first and second process controllers.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Mclaughlin Paul Francis
• Sundaresh Nagaraja
• Felix Joseph Pradeep
• Steinman Jethro Francis
• Anugu Ram Mohan
• Urso Jason Thomas
• Pane Joseph J

Classifications

• G05B19/042 Primary

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F9/22

  Microcontrol or microprogram arrangements · CPC title

• G06F9/30

  Arrangements for executing machine instructions, e.g. instruction decode (for executing microinstructions G06F9/22) · CPC title

• G06F9/3012

  Organisation of register space, e.g. banked or distributed register file · CPC title

• G06F13/14

  Handling requests for interconnection or transfer · CPC title