# US 11,079,744 B2 · Centralized management of a software defined automation system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,744 B2 - Document ID: US11079744B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/767,850 - Filed: 2016-10-12 - Published: 2018-11-01 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-13 - Assignees: Schneider Electric Industries SAS - Applicants: Schneider Electric Industries SAS - Inventors: Antonio Chauvet; Philippe Wilhelm; Merrill Harriman; Eric Alfano; Alen Mehmedagic; Andrew Lee David Kling; David Doggett; Vijay Vallala - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079744B2 ## CPC - G05B 19/4185: {characterised by the network communication} - G06F 9/5027: {the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals} - G05B 19/418: Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM] - G06F 9/455: Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines - G06F 9/45558: {Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects} - H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)} - H04L 41/08: Configuration management of networks or network elements (address allocation H04L61/50) - H04L 41/0806: for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play - H04L 63/20: {for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227)} - G06F 2009/45595: {Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances} - G06F 2209/509: Offload - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - Y02P 90/80: Management or planning - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Embodiments of system and methods for providing centralized management of a software defined automation (“SDA”) system are disclosed. The SDA system comprises of a collection of controller nodes and logically centralized and yet physically distributed collection of compute nodes by monitoring activities of the compute nodes. In accordance with some embodiments, one or more components of the system monitor execution, network and security environments of the system to detect an event in a first environment. In response to the detected event, at least one component in the first environment is remediated, the remediation of the first environment creating a trigger to cause remediation of at least one component in each of a second and third environments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of managing an automation system comprising: monitoring physical and virtual components of an automation system, the physical components including one or more input/output devices and field devices, the virtual components including a first compute node, and a guest and associated virtual network running on the first compute node, the guest configured to control operation of the one or more input/output devices and field devices, the associated virtual network connecting the guest to other guests on the first compute node, the first compute node connected to and managed by a fog controller, the fog controller interconnected to other compute nodes in the automation system; receiving an indication of an automation system related event associated with the first compute node, the automation system related event negatively impacting an ability of the guest to control operation of the one or more input/output devices and field devices; responding to the automation system related event by: selecting a second compute node from multiple compute nodes to take over execution of the guest running on the first compute node; configuring the second compute node to execute the guest on the second compute node; configuring a security of the guest in the second compute node in accordance with a security policy associated with the guest; and configuring a network of the automation system to complete control transfer from the first compute node to the second compute node; wherein the guest is one of an application, an application function, or a software implementation of a physical device, component, or functional unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the event is triggered in response to a signal from a system external to the automation system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the guest runs on a first host on the first compute node and the guest runs on the same host or a new host on the second compute node. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second compute node is one of a machine running a virtual machine, container or bare metal as a host or an industrial controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein taking over of execution of the guest is via a bumpless transfer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the bumpless transfer is facilitated by the second compute node being a clone of the first compute node. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the second compute node to execute the guest includes retrieving logic and state data relating to the guest from a storage node and utilizing the logic and state data to configure the second compute node to execute the guest without a restart. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein prior to detecting the event associated with the second compute node, the network is configured to propagate inputs from both the first and second compute nodes and output from only the first compute node. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the network of the automation system to complete control transfer from the first compute node to the second compute node includes configuring at least one physical or virtual network switch to allow inbound and outbound traffic associated with a control of a process or machine from the second compute node. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein configuring the network of the automation system to complete control transfer from the first compute node to the second compute node further includes configuring at least one physical or virtual network switch to block outbound traffic associated with the control of the process or machine from the first compute node. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the event associated with the first compute node being monitored includes a compute node fault event, a maintenance event, a process event, or an upgrade event. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the security for the guest of the automation system includes distributing at least one security policy to the second compute node for enforcement. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein responding to the event is by user approval. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein responding to the event is without user intervention. ### Claim 15 A system of managing an automation system comprising: at least one subsystem operable to monitor physical and virtual components of an automation system, the physical components including one or more input/output devices and field devices, the virtual components including a first compute node, and a guest and associated virtual network running on the first compute node, the guest configured to control operation of the one or more input/output devices and field devices, the associated virtual network connecting the guest to other guests on the first compute node, the first compute node connected to and managed by a fog controller, the fog controller interconnected to other compute nodes in the automation system; at least one subsystem operable to receive an indication of an automation system related event associated with the first compute node, the automation system related event negatively impacting an ability of the guest to control operation of the one or more input/output devices and field devices; in response to the automation system related event : at least one subsystem operable to select a second compute node from multiple compute nodes to take over execution of the guest running on the first compute node; at least one subsystem operable to configure the second compute node to execute the guest on the second compute node; at least one subsystem operable to configure a security of the guest in the second compute node in accordance with a security policy associated with the guest; and at least one subsystem operable to configure a network of the automation system to complete control transfer from the first compute node to the second compute node; wherein the guest is one of an application, an application function, or a software implementation of a physical device, component, or functional unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the event is triggered in response to a signal from a system external to the automation system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the guest runs on a first host on the first compute node and the guest runs on the same host or a new host on the second compute node. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the second compute node is one of a machine running a virtual machine, container or bare metal as a host or an industrial controller. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein taking over of execution of the guest is via a bumpless transfer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the bumpless transfer is facilitated by the second compute node being a clone of the first compute node. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein configuring the second compute node to execute the guest includes retrieving logic and state data relating to the guest from a storage node and utilizing the logic and state data to configure the second compute node to execute the guest without a restart. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein prior to detecting the event associated with the second compute node, the network is configured to propagate inputs from both the first and second compute nodes and output from only the first compute node. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein configuring the network of the automation system to complete control transfer from the first compute node to the second compute node includes configuring at least one physical or virtual network switch to allow inbound and outbound traffic associated with a control of a process or machine from the second compute node. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein configuring the network of the automation system to complete control transfer from the first compute node to the second compute node further includes configuring at least one physical or virtual network switch to block outbound traffic associated with the control of the process or machine from the first compute node. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the event associated with the first compute node being monitored includes a compute node fault event, a maintenance event, a process event, or an upgrade event. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising configuring the security for the guest of the automation system includes distributing at least one security policy to the second compute node for enforcement. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein responding to the event is by user approval. ### Claim 28 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein responding to the event is without user intervention.