METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING REDUNDANT NETWORK INTERFACE MODULES IN A DISTRIBUTED I/O SYSTEM
First Claim
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1. A distributed I/O system for an industrial automation environment, comprising:
- at least one I/O module;
a first network interface module (NIM) coupled to the I/O module via a single bus network and adapted to convert the information provided from the I/O module to another format to be provided to an upstream controller, the first NIM adapted to serve as a primary master NIM on the bus;
a second NIM coupled to the I/O module and the first NIM via the single bus network and adapted to convert the information provided from the I/O module to another format to be provided to an upstream controller, the second NIM adapted to serve as a secondary master NIM on the bus, and further adapted to assume mastership of the bus without resetting the system upon failure of the primary master NIM.
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Abstract
A method and system is disclosed for implementing redundant master NIMs (202, 204) on a single bus (106) in an industrial distributed I/O system (200) for controlling selected I/O modules (110, 112, 114). According to aspects of the invention, two master NIMs (202, 204) interoperate on a single bus (106), with one being the primary, active, master (202), and the second master (204) in a secondary, standby, mode, ready to assume mastership of the system if the primary master (202) is no longer active.
11 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A distributed I/O system for an industrial automation environment, comprising:
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at least one I/O module; a first network interface module (NIM) coupled to the I/O module via a single bus network and adapted to convert the information provided from the I/O module to another format to be provided to an upstream controller, the first NIM adapted to serve as a primary master NIM on the bus; a second NIM coupled to the I/O module and the first NIM via the single bus network and adapted to convert the information provided from the I/O module to another format to be provided to an upstream controller, the second NIM adapted to serve as a secondary master NIM on the bus, and further adapted to assume mastership of the bus without resetting the system upon failure of the primary master NIM. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A network interface module (NIM) for a distributed I/O system in an industrial automation environment and adapted for use with another NIM as redundant NIMs, wherein the distributed I/O system is implemented on a single bus with both NIMs adapted as master NIMs coupled to at least one I/O module via the bus, the NIM comprising:
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a processor; a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory contains computer-executable instructions to perform the acts of; (a) initializing the NIM as a secondary NIM on the bus; (b) transmitting a message to the primary NIM regarding its presence on the bus; (c) maintaining a synchronized device configuration with the primary NIM in real time; (d) determining that the primary NIM is no longer active; and (e) based upon such determination, initializing as a new primary master NIM on the bus without resetting the system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of implementing redundant network interface modules (NIMs) on a single bus in a distributed I/O system in an industrial automation environment, the system having a first and second NIM and an I/O module connected to the bus, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining at the first NIM that the first NIM is a primary master NIM on the bus; (b) determining at the second NIM that the second NIM is a secondary master NIM on the bus; (c) maintaining synchronized device configurations between the first and second NIMs in real time; (d) determining at the second NIM that the primary master NIM is no longer active; and (e) assuming mastership of the bus by the second NIM without resetting the system bus. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification