Method of controlling an automation system having control redundancy, and automation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12455540-B2
Application number	US-202318295571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2023
Priority date	Oct 14, 2020
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

A method for controlling an automation system having control redundancy is provided. The automation system has at least a first controller, a second controller and a plurality of field devices connected to the first and second controller via a data bus, with the first and second controller configured to cyclically control an automation process of the automation system. The method comprises cyclically controlling the automation process via the first controller, determining a malfunction of the first controller during an (n+x)-th control cycle, where the (n+x)-th control cycle is carried out x control cycles later in time than the n-th control cycle, and sending out an n-th set of output data via a second input-output unit of the second controller to the plurality of field devices in the (n+x)-th control cycle, for controlling the automation process. An automation system is configured to carry out the method.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling an automation system having control redundancy, wherein the automation system comprises at least a first controller, a second controller, and a plurality of field devices connected to the first controller and the second controller via a data bus, wherein the first controller and the second controller are configured to cyclically control an automation process of the automation system,
wherein the first controller comprises:
a first input-output unit for receiving input data from the field devices and sending out output data to the field devices,
a first processing unit for executing at least one control task and for analyzing the received input data and for generating output data according to the control task, and
a first output memory unit for storing the generated output data;

wherein the second controller comprises:
a second input-output unit for receiving input data from the field devices and sending out output data to the field devices,
a second processing unit for executing the at least one control task and for analyzing the received input data and for generating output data according to the control task, and
a second output memory unit for storing the generated output data; and

wherein the method comprises:
cyclically controlling the automation process of the automation system via the first controller in a first controlling step, wherein the first controlling step is executed in an n-th control cycle, wherein the n-th control cycle is executed temporally after executing n−1 control cycles, wherein n is a natural number≥2, and wherein the first controlling step comprises:
receiving an n-th set of input data via the first input-output unit of the first controller in a first input receiving step; and
sending out an (n−x)-th set of output data via the first input-output unit of the first controller to the field devices in a first output transmitting step, wherein x is a natural number≥1, wherein the transmitted (n−x)-th set of output data is generated based on an (n−x)-th set of input data received in an (n−x)-th control cycle according to the control task, and wherein the (n−x)-th control cycle is executed ahead in time of the n-th control cycle by x control cycles;

transmitting the n-th set of input data from the first controller to the second controller in a first data transmitting step;
processing the n-th set of input data and generating an n-th set of output data via the second processing unit of the second controller in a first processing step;
storing the n-th set of output data in the second output memory unit of the second controller in a first output storing step;
determining a malfunction of the first controller during an (n+x)-th control cycle in a malfunction determining step, wherein the (n+x)-th control cycle is executed later in time by x control cycles than the n-th control cycle; and
sending out the n-th set of output data via the second input-output unit of the second controller to the plurality of field devices in the (n+x)-th control cycle for controlling the automation process in a further output transmitting step.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
cyclically controlling the automation process of the automation system via the second controller in a second controlling step;
wherein the second controlling step is executed in an (n+m+x)-th control cycle, wherein m is a natural number≥1, wherein the (n+m+x)-th control cycle is executed m control cycles later in time than the (n+x)-th control cycle, and
wherein the second controlling step comprises:
receiving an (n+m+x)-th set of input data via the second input-output unit of the second controller in a second input receiving step; and
sending out an (n+m)-th set of output data via the second input-output unit of the second controller to the field devices in a second output transmitting step, wherein the transmitted (n+m)-th set of output data is generated based on an (n+m)-th set of input data received in an (n+m)-th control cycle according to the control task, and wherein the (n+m)-th control cycle is performed x control cycles ahead in time of the (n+m+x)-th control cycle.

3. The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein a plurality of sets of output data are stored in the second output memory unit of the second controller during the (n+m+x)-th control cycle,
wherein the stored sets of output data are in each case generated according to the control task on the basis of a set of input data received in a control cycle, and wherein the respective control cycles are executed in time between the (n+m)-th control cycle and the (n+m+x)-th control cycle, and
wherein the respective sets of output data are sent out to the field devices from the second input-output unit of the second controller in respective control cycles executed in time between the (n+m+x)-th control cycle and an (n+m+2x)-th control cycle.

4. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first controller further comprises a first output memory unit for storing output data,
wherein in the n-th control cycle the (n−x)-th set of output data is stored in the first output memory unit, and
wherein the (n−x)-th set of output data is generated in the (n−x)-th control cycle or in any control cycle temporally interposed between the (n−x)-th control cycle and the n-th control cycle.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
processing the n-th set of input data and generating an n-th set of output data via the first processing unit of the first controller in a second processing step;
storing the n-th set of output data in the first output memory unit of the first controller in a second output storing step, wherein generating the n-th set of output data via the first processing unit of the first controller, storing the n-th set of output data in the second output memory unit via the second controller, and transmitting the n-th set of input data from the first controller to the second controller is carried out in the n-th control cycle or in arbitrary control cycles arranged in time between the n-th control cycle and the (n+x)-th control cycle;
processing the (n+m)-th set of input data and generating an (n+m)-th set of output data via the second processing unit of the second controller in a third processing step;
storing the (n+m)-th set of output data in the second output memory unit of the second controller in a third output storing step, wherein generating the (n+m)-th set of output data via the second processing unit of the second controller and storing the (n+m)-th set of output data in the second output memory unit of the second controller is carried out in the (n+m)-th control cycle or in any control cycle temporally arranged between the (n+m)-th control cycle and the (n+m+x)-th control cycle;
processing the (n+m+x)-th set of input data and generating an (n+m+x)-th set of output data via the second processing unit of the second controller in a fourth processing step; and
storing the (n+m+x)-th set of output data in the second output memory unit of the second controller in a fourth output storing step, wherein generating the (n+m+x)-th set of output data via the second processing unit of the second controller and storing the (n+m+x)-th set of output data in the second output memory unit of the second controller is carried out in the (n+m+x)-th control cycle or in any control cycle which is temporally arranged between the (n+m+x)-th control cycle and an (n+m+2x)-th control cycle.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a further n-th set of input data via the second input-output unit of the second controller in the n-th control cycle in a third input receiving step;
comparing the n-th set of input data of the first co

Assignees

• Beckhoff Automation Gmbh

Inventors

• Janssen Dirk
• Beckhoff Hans

Classifications

• G05B2219/24188

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• G05B19/0421

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• Y02P90/02

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• G05B19/0428

  Safety, monitoring (G05B19/0423 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05B2219/14132

  Dual plc, each monitors other · CPC title