METHODS AND APPARATUS TO UPGRADE AND PROVIDE CONTROL REDUNDANCY IN PROCESS PLANTS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method to upgrade software for a control device of a process control system, the method comprising:
- instantiating a replacement component of the software;
copying state data from an existing component to the replacement component; and
changing the replacement component to an active mode when a first state of the replacement component matches a second state of the existing component.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus to upgrade and provide control redundancy in process plants are disclosed. An example disclosed method to upgrade software for a control device of a process control system comprises instantiating a replacement component of the software, copying state data from an existing component to the replacement component, and changing the replacement component to an active mode when a first state of the replacement component matches a second state of the existing component.
72 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method to upgrade software for a control device of a process control system, the method comprising:
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instantiating a replacement component of the software; copying state data from an existing component to the replacement component; and changing the replacement component to an active mode when a first state of the replacement component matches a second state of the existing component. - View Dependent Claims (4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15)
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16. An article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to upgrade software for a control device of a process control system by:
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instantiating a replacement component of the software; copying state data from an existing component to the replacement component; and changing the replacement component to an active mode when a first state of the replacement component matches a second state of the existing component. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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28. A method to provide control redundancy for a process plant control system, the method comprising:
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providing a control input to a first instance of control software sub-system and to a second instance of the control software sub-system, the first and second instances to process the control input substantially in parallel; and providing either an output of the first instance or an output of the second instance to a process plant field device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to provide control redundancy for a process plant control system by:
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providing a control input to a first instance of control software sub-system and to a second instance of the control software sub-system, the first and second instances to process the control input substantially in parallel; and providing either an output of the first instance or an output of the second instance to a process plant field device. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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Specification