Network control architecture and protocol for a distributed control, data acquisition and data distribution system and process
AssigneePrecision Microdynamics, Inc.
InventorsTomislav Erlic, Mile Erlic, Glen Arthur Field, David Peter Harris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and process for distributed control, data acquisition and data distribution. The system and process comprise a one or more chain of nodes configured to remove and add packets to a synchronous data stream without management or control of a master node. Additionally, the nodes are provided with offset parameters to affect synchronous activity.
Claims20
A real-time network control architecture for a distributed control, data acquisition and data distribution system of an industrial plant having a plurality of actuators and transducers for controlling and monitoring aspects of the plant comprising:
- a first chain of nodes wherein each node is coupled to a network connection and to one of an actuator and a transducer in the industrial plant, the first chain of nodes including a first terminus end node at a first end of the first chain of nodes, a second terminus end node at a second end of the first chain of nodes, and a first intermediate node between the first terminus end node and the second terminus end node, wherein the first terminus end node is configured to periodically generate a first synchronous data stream for transmission through the first chain of nodes to the second terminus end node and back to the first terminus end node, and wherein each node of the first chain of nodes is configured to automatically move data one of to and from the first synchronous data stream at a determined synchronous time interval without management of a master node as the first synchronous data stream passes through the node, wherein the data moved to and from the first synchronous data stream relates to one of monitoring and controlling the one of an actuator and a transducer coupled to the node.
A system for distributed control, data acquisition and data distribution across a plurality of networked nodes of an industrial plant having a plurality of actuators and transducers for controlling and monitoring aspects of the plant comprising:
- a first chain of nodes connected by a network, the first chain of nodes including a first terminus end node, a plurality of intermediate nodes and a second terminus end node wherein each of the nodes is coupled to one of an actuator and a transducer in the industrial plant and are configured at start-up to one of remove one or more packets of data and add one or more packets of data to a synchronous data stream at a determined synchronous time interval transmitted from the first terminus end node through the intermediate nodes to the second terminus end node and back to the first terminus end node on a periodic basis without management of a master node and to compute and update propagation delay offsets of the synchronous data stream to update the determined synchronous time interval and provide for synchronous activity of the actuators and transducers in the plant by the nodes, wherein the data moved to and from the synchronous data stream relates to one of monitoring and controlling the one of an actuator and a transducer coupled to the node.
A system for a distributed control, data acquisition and data distribution of an industrial plant having a plurality of actuators and transducers for controlling and monitoring aspects of the plant comprising:
- a first chain of networked nodes having a first terminus end node, a plurality of intermediate nodes and a second terminus end node, wherein the first terminus end node is configured to generate a first synchronous packet stream for transmission from the first terminus end node to the second terminus end node and back to the first terminus end node, and wherein each node is coupled to one of an actuator and a transducer in the industrial plant and is configured to one of remove one or more packets of data from and add one or more packets of data to the first synchronous data stream at a determined synchronous time interval, wherein the data moved to and from the first synchronous data stream relates to one of monitoring and controlling the one of an actuator and a transducer coupled to the nodes of the first chain of nodes;
- a second chain of networked nodes having the first terminus end node from the first chain of nodes, a plurality of intermediate nodes and a third terminus end node, wherein the first terminus end node is configured to generate a second synchronous packet stream for transmission from the first terminus end node to the third terminus end node and back to the first terminus end node, and wherein each node in the second chain of nodes is configured to one of remove one or more packets of data from and add one or more packets of data to the second synchronous data stream;
- a first clock for providing a base clock pulse to the first chain of nodes and a derived clock pulse to the second chain of nodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.