Control and data transmission system, process device, and method for redundant process control with decentralized redundancy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9934111-B2
Application number	US-201414782114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2014
Priority date	Apr 4, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

There is provided a control and data transmission system, comprising at least one control device which, in normal operation, is connected by means of a communication network to at least one process device designed as an input and/or output device, wherein the process device comprises an evaluation unit designed to detect a failure in the control system, an emergency control program which can be parameterized and which is stored in a memory of the process device, and a runtime system designed to execute the emergency control program, and wherein the process device is designed to switch to emergency operation in response to a failure in the control system detected by the evaluation unit, in which emergency operation the process device executes the emergency control program. The invention further provides a process device for use in such a control and data transmission system and a method for redundant process control.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control and data transmission system for redundant process control, comprising at least one control device and at least one process device configured as an input and/or output device, wherein the at least one control device, in normal operation, is connected via a communication network to the at least one process device, and wherein the at least one process device comprises:
an evaluation unit adapted to detect a control failure;
an emergency control program which is able to be parameterized and which is stored in a memory of the at least one process device; and
a runtime system adapted to execute the emergency control program; and
wherein the at least one process device is adapted to switch to an emergency operation in response to a control failure detected by the evaluation unit,
wherein, during the emergency operation, the at least one process device executes the emergency control program; and
wherein, during the emergency operation, the at least one process device is adapted to exchange data with at least one further process device via the communication network; and
wherein data received by the at least one process device from the at least one further process device are supplied to the emergency control program as input data, and/or
wherein output data generated by the emergency control program are transmitted from the at least one process device to the at least one further process device, and
wherein the at least one control device comprises at least a first control device and a second control device redundant to the first control device, wherein in normal operation both the first control device and the second control device are connected to the at least one process device, and wherein the at least one process device switches to the emergency operation only when the evaluation unit detects a control failure for both the first control device and the second control device.

2. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the evaluation unit of the at least one process device detects a control failure if:
no signal has been received from the at least one control device for a predetermined time period;
an erroneous signal has been received from the at least one control device; and/or
a status signal has been received from the at least one control device, which indicates a failure of the at least one control device.

3. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the emergency control program executed by the at least one process device has a different and/or reduced functionality compared to a control program executed by the at least one control device.

4. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the emergency control program executed by the at least one process device is adapted to bring the process device and/or at least one further process device into a safe operating state.

5. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising an operating and/or monitoring device connected to the communication network, which is adapted to exchange data with the at least one control device during normal operation and with the at least one process device during the emergency operation.

6. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, during the emergency operation, the at least one process device is adapted to establish a communication link to the at least one further process device.

7. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the emergency control program executed by the at least one process device has a different and/or reduced functionality compared to a control program executed by the at least one control device.

8. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the emergency control program executed by the at least one process device is adapted to bring the at least one process device and/or at least one further process device into a safe operating state.

9. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising an operating and/or monitoring device connected to the communication network, which is adapted to exchange data with the at least one control device during normal operation and with the at least one process device during the emergency operation.

10. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the emergency control program executed by the at least one process device has a different and/or reduced functionality compared to a control program executed by the at least one control device.

11. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising an operating and/or monitoring device connected to the communication network, which is adapted to exchange data with the at least one control device during normal operation and with the at least one process device during the emergency operation.

12. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the emergency control program executed by the at least one process device is adapted to bring the at least one process device and/or at least one further process device into a safe operating state.

13. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising an operating and/or monitoring device connected to the communication network, which is adapted to exchange data with the at least one control device during normal operation and with the at least one process device during the emergency operation.

14. The control and data transmission system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an operating and/or monitoring device connected to the communication network, which is adapted to exchange data with the at least one control device during normal operation and with the at least one process device during the emergency operation.

15. A process device configured as an input and/or output device, in particular as a field device, being connectable via a communication network to at least one control device and adapted to be controlled by the at least one control device during normal operation, wherein the process device comprises:
an evaluation unit adapted to detect a control failure;
an emergency control program which is able to be parameterized and which is stored in a memory of the process device; and
a runtime system adapted to execute the emergency control program;
wherein the process device is further adapted to switch to an emergency operation in response to a control failure detected by the evaluation unit,
wherein, during the emergency operation, the process device executes the emergency control program; and
wherein, during the emergency operation, the process device is adapted to exchange data with at least one further process device via the communication network; and
wherein data received by the process device from the at least one further process device are supplied to the emergency control program as input data, and/or
wherein output data generated by the emergency control program are transmitted from the process device to the at least one further process device, and
wherein the at least one control device comprises at least a first control device and a second control device redundant to the first control device, wherein in normal operation both the first control device and the second control device are connected to the process device, and wherein the process device switches to the emergency operation only when the evaluation unit detects a control failure for both the first control device and the secon

Assignees

• Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Bibelhausen Volker
• Brand Andre
• Heutger Henning

Classifications

• G05B19/0428 Primary

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

• G06F11/2033 Primary

  switching over of hardware resources · CPC title