US 12,596,660 B2 · I/O server services configured to facilitate control in a process control environment by containerized controller services

Abstract

An I/O server service interacts with multiple containerized controller services each implementing the same control routine to control the same portion of the same plant. The I/O server service may provide the same controller inputs to each of the containerized controller services (e.g., representing measurements obtained by field devices and transmitted by the field devices to the I/O server service). Each containerized controller service executes the same control routine to generate a set of controller outputs. The I/O server service receives each set of controller outputs and forwards an “active” set to the appropriate field devices. The I/O server service and other services, such as an orchestrator service, may continuously evaluate performance and resource utilization in the control system, and may dynamically activate and deactivate controller services as appropriate.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of facilitating messaging from a controller service to a field device in a process control environment, in a process plant, the method comprising:

receiving, at one or more I/O server services, a plurality of messages from a plurality of controller services including an active controller service and one or more inactive controller services, each controller service implemented in a respective container and each executing a same control routine to generate a message including a set of commands to control a same portion of an industrial process via the same one or more field devices;
performing, at the one or more I/O server services, an analysis of the message from the active controller service;
based on the analysis, detecting (i) an address for a field device and (ii) a command to manipulate the field device;
and
responding to detecting the command and the a8ress for the field device by transmitting, at the one or more I/O server services, the command to the address for the field device to manipulate the field device in a manner that drives a process output of the industrial process.

2 more elements

A process control system configured to facilitate messaging from a controller service to a field device in a process control environment, the process control system comprising:

one or more field devices configured for implementation in a process control system to facilitate controlling a particular portion of an industrial process at a process plant;
and
one or more hosts that are communicatively coupled to the one or more field devices and that are configured to execute one or more I/O server services configured to:
(i) receive a plurality of messages from a plurality of controller services including an active controller service and one or more inactive controller services, each controller service implemented in a respective container and each executing a same control routine to generate a message including a set of commands to control a same portion of an industrial process via the one or more field devices;
(ii) perform an analysis of the message from the active controller service;
(iv) based on the analysis, detect (a) an address for a given field device from the one or more field devices and (b) a command to manipulate the given field device;
and
(v) respond to detecting the command and the a8ress for the given field device by transmitting the command to the address for the given field device to manipulate the given field device in a manner that drives a process output of the industrial process.

5 more elements

A server for implementing an I/O server service configured to facilitate messaging from a controller service to a field device in a process control environment, the server comprising:

one or more processors;
and
one or more memories, communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
(i) receive a plurality of messages from a plurality of controller services including an active controller service and one or more clone controller services, each implemented in a respective container and each executing a same control routine to generate a message including set of commands to control a same portion of an industrial process via one or more field devices;
(ii) perform an analysis of the message from the active controller service;
(iii) based on the analysis, detect (a) an address for a given field device and (b) a command to manipulate the given field device;
and
(v) respond to detecting the command and the a8ress for the given field device by transmitting the command to the address for the field device to manipulate the field device in a manner that drives a process output of the industrial process.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

I/O server services configured to facilitate control in a process control environment by containerized controller services

Life of this patent

I/O server services configured to facilitate control in a process control environment by containerized controller services

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15