# US 12,224,679 B2 · Methods and means for failure handling in process control systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,679 B2 - Document ID: US12224679B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/047,935 - Filed: 2022-10-19 - Published: 2024-04-25 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-22 - Assignees: ABB Schweiz AG - Applicants: ABB Schweiz AG - Inventors: Bjarne Johansson; Mats Rågberger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224679B2 ## CPC - G06F 11/2028: {eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare} - H02M 7/48: using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode - G06F 11/2025: {using centralised failover control functionality} - G06F 11/2041: {with more than one idle spare processing component} - H02M 1/0074: {Plural converter units whose inputs are connected in series} - G06F 11/1484: {involving virtual machines} - G06F 2201/815: Virtual - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract A method in a system is provided for handling failures in a process control system including a plurality of compute nodes. The process control system includes at least two instances of virtualized distributed control nodes, VDCNs, deployed in a respective compute node of a cluster of at least two compute nodes, wherein a first VDCN is a primary VDCN controlling an automated process and at least a second VDCN is a backup VDCN. The method includes detecting that the number of instances of the VDCNs is less than a set number and assigning the role of primary VDCN to the second VDCN. A device, computer program, computer program product and system are also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method in a process control system for handling failures in an industrial automation environment, the process control system comprising a plurality of compute nodes and at least two instances of virtualized distributed control nodes, VDCNs, deployed in a respective compute node of a cluster of at least two compute nodes, wherein a first VDCN is a primary VDCN controlling an automated process via a field bus and at least a second VDCN is a backup VDCN running in redundant mode, the method comprising: assigning the role of primary VDCN to the backup VDCN, and detecting that the number of instances of the VDCNs is less than a set number, and deploying a new instance of a VDCN in one of the compute nodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assigning is performed in the backup VDCN and wherein the detecting is performed in a device of the process control system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising detecting a failure in at least one of: a first compute node on which the primary VDCN is deployed and the primary VDCN. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising cyclically synchronizing at least the backup VDCN with the latest primary states. ### Claim 5 A computer program for a process control system in an industrial automation environment, the process control system having a plurality of compute nodes and at least two instances of virtualized distributed control nodes, VDCNs, deployed in a respective compute node of a cluster of at least two compute nodes, wherein a first VDCN is a primary VDCN controlling an automated process via a field bus and at least a second VDCN is a backup VDCN running in redundant mode, wherein the computer program comprises computer program code, which, when run on processing circuitry in the process control system, causes the process control system to perform a method, which includes: assigning the role of primary VDCN to the backup VDCN, and detecting that the number of instances of the VDCNs is less than a set number, and deploying a new instance of a VDCN in one of the compute nodes. ### Claim 6 A computer program product comprising a computer program for a process control system in an industrial automation environment, the process control system having a plurality of compute nodes and at least two instances of virtualized distributed control nodes, VDCNs, deployed in a respective compute node of a cluster of at least two compute nodes, wherein a first VDCN is a primary VDCN controlling an automated process via a field bus and at least a second VDCN is a backup VDCN running in redundant mode, wherein the computer program comprises computer program code, which, when run on processing circuitry in the process control system, causes the process control system to perform a method, which includes: assigning the role of primary VDCN to the backup VDCN, and detecting that the number of instances of the VDCNs is less than a set number, and deploying a new instance of a VDCN in one of the compute nodes and a computer readable means on which the computer program is stored. ### Claim 7 A process control system in an industrial automation environment, the system comprising a plurality of compute nodes and at least two instances of virtualized distributed control nodes, VDCNs, deployed in a respective compute node of a cluster of at least two compute nodes, wherein a first VDCN is a primary VDCN controlling an automated process via a field bus and at least a second VDCN is a backup VDCN running in redundant mode, the process control system comprising means for: assigning the role of primary VDCN to the backup VDCN, detecting that the number of instances of the VDCNs is less than a set number, and deploying a new instance of a VDCN in one of the compute nodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The process control system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the backup VDCN comprises a failure detection configured to detect the new role as primary VDCN. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The process control system as claimed in claim 7, comprising a device configured to ensure existence in the process control system of at least two instances of VDCNs on a respective computer node. ### Claim 10 A device in a process control system for handling failures in an industrial automation environment, wherein the process control system comprises a plurality of compute nodes and at least two instances of virtualized distributed control nodes, VDCNs, deployed in a respective compute node of a cluster of at least two compute nodes, wherein a first VDCN is a primary VDCN controlling an automated process via a field bus and at least a second VDCN is a backup VDCN running in redundant mode, the device being configured to: detect that the number of instances of the VDCNs is less than a set number, and deploying a new instance of a VDCN in one of the compute nodes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the device is one of: a virtualized distributed control node, VDCN, a primary VDCN, a backup VDCN, a firmware, a container, an orchestrator, an orchestrator running on a dedicated machine, an orchestrator running on an edge device of the process control system, control plane, and an edge device of the process control system. ### Claim 12 A virtualized distributed control node, VDCN, in a process control system in an industrial automation environment including a plurality of compute nodes and at least two instances of virtualized distributed control nodes, VDCNs, deployed in a respective compute node of a cluster of at least two compute nodes, the virtualized distributed control node, VDCN, being configured to: detect that a primary VDCN controlling an automated process is missing, and assign the role of primary VDCN to the VDCN, and control the automated process as the primary VDCN via a field bus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The VDCN as claimed in claim 12, wherein the detecting is performed by a failure detection function of the VDCN. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising detecting a failure in at least one of: a first compute node on which the primary VDCN is deployed and the primary VDCN. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising cyclically synchronizing at least the backup VDCN with the latest primary states.