High-availability cloud-based automation solution with optimized transmission times
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsThomas Grosch, ALBERT RENSCHLER, JÜRGEN LAFORSCH
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The real time capability is to be improved in a Cloud-based control system for an automation plant. To this end, a redundantly embodied, Cloud-based control system with a plurality of computing resources distributed over a network with control applications running thereon is proposed, which, embodied as a primary and backups, execute a control program almost simultaneously and send corresponding program instructions to the automation plant. Long transmission times of individual computing resources therefore do not have a negative effect on the control of the automation plant.
Claims19
A method for operating an automation system, the automation system comprising an automation plant which is installed at a plant location, and a plurality of control applications configured to control the automation plant and forming a part of a Cloud computing structure having computing resources which are disposed at different locations and which are connected to each other and to the automation plant for communication via a network having a plurality of communication node points and communication paths connecting the communication node points to one another, the method comprising:
- designating a first control application of the plurality of control applications as a primary control application and at least one second control application of the plurality of control applications as a backup control application,
- with the primary control application, receiving via the network a first data packet originating from the automation plant and having an input value of the automation plant,
- processing, with the primary control application, the input value in accordance with program instructions of a control program which are encompassed by the plurality of control applications and which are present in substantially identical form in the primary control application and in the backup control application, and generating therefrom an output value for an actuator that is part of the automation plant,
- transmitting a second data packet comprising the input value via the network to the backup control application,
- transmitting an enabling signal from the primary control application to the backup control application,
- in response to the enabling signal, processing with the backup control application the program instructions that correspond to the program instructions that were already processed by the primary control application, and generating therefrom with the backup control application the output value for the actuator,
- transmitting to the automation plant third data packets comprising the output values both from the primary control application and also from the backup control application, and
- using for controlling the actuator the third data packet that arrives first at the automation plant.
An automation system, comprising an automation plant and a redundant Cloud-based control system which comprises a plurality of control applications that form part of a Cloud computing structure having computing resources disposed at different locations and connected to each other and to the automation plant to be controlled by the control applications for communication via a network that has a plurality of communication node points and communication paths connecting the node points to one another, the automation system configured to
- designate a first control application of the plurality of control applications as a primary control application and at least one second control application of the plurality of control applications as a backup control application,
- with the primary control application, receive via the network a first data packet originating from the automation plant and having an input value of the automation plant,
- process, with the primary control application, the input value in accordance with program instructions of a control program which are encompassed by the plurality of control applications and which are present in substantially identical form in the primary control application and in the backup control application, and generate therefrom an output value for an actuator that is part of the automation plant,
- transmit a second data packet comprising the input value via the network to the backup control application,
- transmit an enabling signal from the primary control application to the backup control application,
- in response to the enabling signal, process with the backup control application the program instructions that correspond to the program instructions that were already processed by the primary control application, and generate therefrom with the backup control application the output value for the actuator,
- transmit to the automation plant third data packets comprising the output values both from the primary control application and also from the backup control application, and
- use for controlling the actuator the third data packet that arrives first at the automation plant.
A redundant, Cloud-based control system for an automation system comprising an automation plant, wherein the redundant, Cloud-based control system comprises a plurality of control applications that form part of a Cloud computing structure having computing resources disposed at different locations and connected to each other and to the automation plant to be controlled by the control applications for communication via a network that has a plurality of communication node points and communication paths connecting the node points to one another, the redundant, Cloud-based control system configured to
- designate a first control application of the plurality of control applications as a primary control application and at least one second control application of the plurality of control applications as a backup control application,
- with the primary control application, receive via the network a first data packet originating from the automation plant and having an input value of the automation plant,
- process, with the primary control application, the input value in accordance with program instructions of a control program which are encompassed by the plurality of control applications and which are present in substantially identical form in the primary control application and in the backup control application, and generate therefrom an output value for an actuator that is part of the automation plant,
- transmit a second data packet comprising the input value via the network to the backup control application,
- transmit an enabling signal from the primary control application to the backup control application,
- in response to the enabling signal, process with the backup control application the program instructions that correspond to the program instructions that were already processed by the primary control application, and generate therefrom with the backup control application the output value for the actuator,
- transmit to the automation plant third data packets comprising the output values both from the primary control application and also from the backup control application, and
- use for controlling the actuator the third data packet that arrives first at the automation plant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.