Methods, Computing Nodes and System for Controlling a Physical Entity

A computer implemented method for controlling a physical entity, wherein the method is performed by a controller node running at least two instances of a logical control function, the method comprising:

• receiving, over an input mechanism, node input data relating to the physical entity;
• providing, to each of the at least two instances of the control function, instance input data generated from the node input data;
• causing at least one of the instances to process the received instance input data and generate instance output data;
• providing, over an output mechanism, instance output data from at least one of the instances of the control function, wherein the output mechanism is operably connected to the physical entity;
• and
• synchronizing an internal state of each of the at least two instances of the control function.

A computer implemented method for controlling a physical entity in accordance with a control application, wherein the method is performed by a system comprising a plurality of controller nodes, each controller node implementing a logical control function comprised within the control application, the method comprising:

• receiving, over an input mechanism and at an input controller node of the system, system input data relating to the physical entity;
• causing the system input data to be sequentially processed by the logical control functions of individual controller nodes in the system to generate system output data;
• and
• providing the system output data over an output mechanism, wherein the output mechanism is operably connected to the physical entity.

A controller node for controlling a physical entity, wherein the controller node is operable to run at least two instances of a logical control function, the controller node comprising processing circuitry configured to cause the controller node to:

• receive, over an input mechanism, node input data relating to the physical entity;
• provide, to each of the at least two instances of the control function, instance input data generated from the node input data;
• cause at least one of the instances to process the received instance input data and generate instance output data;
• and
• provide, over an output mechanism, instance output data from at least one of the instances of the control function, wherein the output mechanism is operably connected to the physical entity;
• the processing circuitry being further configured to cause the controller node to synchronize an internal state of each of the at least two instances of the control function.

A system for controlling a physical entity in accordance with a control application, the system comprising a plurality of controller nodes, each controller node implementing a logical control function comprised within the control application, the system configured to:

• receive, over an input mechanism and at an input controller node of the system, system input data relating to the physical entity;
• cause the system input data to be sequentially processed by the logical control functions of individual controller nodes in the system to generate system output data;
• and
• provide the system output data over an output mechanism, wherein the output mechanism is operably connected to the physical entity.