Redundant controllers or input-output gateways without dedicated hardware

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020310920-A1
Application number	US-201916502692-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 3, 2019
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	Oct 1, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of fault-tolerant process control includes providing a network process control system in an industrial processing facility (IPF) including a plant-wide network coupling a server to computing platforms each including computing hardware and memory hosting a software application for simultaneously supporting a process controller and another process controller or an I/O gateway. The computing platforms are coupled together by a private path redundancy network for providing a hardware resource pool. At least some of the computing platforms are directly coupled by an I/O mesh network to a plurality of I/O devices to field devices that are coupled to processing equipment. Upon detecting at least one failing device in the hardware resource pool, over the private path redundancy network a backup is placed into service for the failing device from the another process controller or I/O gateway that is at another of the computing platforms in the hardware resource pool.

First claim

1 . A method of fault-tolerant process control, comprising:
providing a network process control system in an industrial processing facility (IPF) comprising a plant-wide network coupling at least one server to a plurality of computing platforms each including computing hardware and memory hosting at least one software application for simultaneously supporting a process controller and another process controller or an input/output (I/O) gateway, the computing platforms coupled together by a private path redundancy network for providing a hardware resource pool; wherein at least some of the plurality of computing platforms are directly coupled by an input/output (I/O) mesh network to plurality of I/O devices to field devices that are coupled to processing equipment; detecting at least one failing device in the hardware resource pool, and utilizing the private path redundancy network, placing into service as a backup for the failing device the another process controller or the I/O gateway that is at a different one of the plurality of computing platforms.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the placing into service is performed automatically.

3 . A method of claim 1 , where the another process controller or the another I/O gateway provides another mission as a process controller or as an I/O gateway both immediately before and after the placing into service.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of computing platforms support exclusively the process controllers.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of computing platforms collectively support both the process controllers and the I/.O gateways.

6 . The method of claim 1 , where a speed of the private path redundancy network is greater than a speed of the plant-wide network.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing an initial synchronization after the placing in service, and then a slower synchronization compared to the initial synchronization to transfer a complete database in an atomic fashion while running as the backup.

8 . A computer platform arrangement for a network process control system in an industrial processing facility (IPF), comprising:
a plurality of computing platforms each comprising computing hardware and memory hosting at least one software application for simultaneously supporting a process controller and another process controller or an input/output (I/O) gateway; a private path redundancy network coupling together a plurality of computing platforms to provide a hardware resource pool; wherein upon detecting at least one a failing device in the hardware resource pool of a first of the plurality of process controllers or a first of the I/O gateway, over the private path redundancy network placing into service as a backup for the failing device the another process controller or the I/O gateway that is at different one of the plurality of computing platforms.

9 . The computer platform arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the placing into service is performed automatically.

10 . The computer platform arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of computing platforms are exclusive of any dedicated secondary hardware.

11 . The computer platform arrangement of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of computing platforms provides a backup for a different one of the plurality of computing platforms.

12 . The computer platform arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of computing platforms collectively support both the process controllers and the I/.O gateways.

13 . The computer platform arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of computing platforms support exclusively the process controllers.

14 . A fault-tolerant network process control system in an industrial processing facility (IPF), comprising:
a plant-wide network coupling at least one server to a computer platform arrangement comprising a plurality of computing platforms each including computing hardware and memory hosting at least one software application for simultaneously supporting a process controller and another process controller or an input/output (I/O) gateway, the computing platforms coupled together by a private path redundancy network for providing a hardware resource pool; wherein at least some of the plurality of computing platforms are directly coupled by an input/output (I/O) mesh network to plurality of I/O devices to field devices that are coupled to processing equipment, wherein the computer platform arrangement is configured for:
detecting at least one failing device in the hardware resource pool, and
utilizing the private path redundancy network to place into service as a backup for the failing device the another process controller or the I/O gateway that is at a different one of the plurality of computing platforms.

15 . The control system of claim 14 , wherein the placing into service is performed automatically.

16 . The control system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of computing platforms are exclusive of any dedicated secondary hardware.

17 . The control system of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of computing platforms provides a backup for another of the plurality of computing platforms.

18 . The control system of claim 14 . wherein the plurality of computing platforms collectively support both the process controllers and the I/O gateways.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Mclaughlin Paul Francis
• Urso Jason Thomas
• Schreder James Michael
• Rosa-Bian John
• Swanson Norman
• Steinman Jethro F

Classifications

• H04L12/66

  Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways · CPC title

• G05B9/03 Primary

  with multiple-channel loop, i.e. redundant control systems · CPC title

• G05B19/4185

  characterised by the network communication · CPC title

• G06F9/5011

  the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals · CPC title

• G06F11/1458

  Management of the backup or restore process · CPC title