Machines, computer program products, and computer-implemented methods providing an integrated node for data acquisition and control

• US 8,667,091 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Al-Walaie, Soliman A., Al-Dhubaib, Tofig A., Almadi, Soloman M
• Primary Examiner(s): Louie, Oscar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Naji, Younes
• Application Number:
  US13/188,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34413 Add time stamp to command message
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Embodiments of an integrated node, such as a programmable logic controller, are provided for process automation and seamless, flexible subsystem communications, allowing a remote host to interface with a plurality of remote and in-plant subsystems and services using a wired or wireless network interface and having a database server and a protocol translator or translation server to convert and manipulate various industrial interfaces and protocols. Embodiments of the integrated node time-synchronize the plurality of remote subsystems, acquire and archive time-stamped process data, report exceptions therein to the remote host, and extract and transmit time-stamped process data to the remote host. Embodiments of computer program products and computer implemented methods also are provided to detect a time of communication failure and a time of a corresponding recovery between a node and either a remote subsystem or a remote host.

Claims

1. A programmable logic controller (PLC) positioned to allow a remote host to interface with a plurality of remote subsystems to thereby define an integrated node, the integrated node comprising:

a central processing unit;

a network interface to route network connections with the remote host and the plurality of remote subsystems;

a protocol translator to translate communications with each of the plurality of remote subsystems according to one of a plurality of process automation communication protocols;

an input/output unit positioned to transfer communications between the integrated node, the plurality of remote subsystems, and the remote host;

a database server module positioned to archive data acquired from the plurality of subsystems in a plurality of time-stamped archive files; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon;

first executable computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform the following operations;

synchronizing an internal clock in the remote host and in each of the plurality of remote subsystems to thereby define a plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems,

acquiring time-stamped process data from each of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems responsive to a first pre-defined rate,

archiving the acquired time-stamped process data responsive to the acquiring operation in a time-stamped archive file,

extracting the archived time-stamped process data from at least one time-stamped archive file responsive to receiving a command from the remote host, and

transmitting the time-stamped process data extracted from the at least one time-stamped archive file, to the remote host responsive to receiving the command from the remote host;

second executable computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform the following operations;

detecting a time of a communication failure and a time of a corresponding communication recovery in a communication link between the integrated node and any of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems,

retrieving at least one data file from one of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems responsive to the detected time of the communication failure and the detected time of the corresponding communication recovery,

extracting time-stamped process data from the retrieved at least one data file, the time-stamped process data being extracted starting from the time of the communication failure and ending at the time of the corresponding communication recovery, and

transmitting the time-stamped process data extracted from the retrieved at least one data file to the remote host responsive to the extracting operation; and

third executable computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform the following operations;

detecting a time of a communication failure and a time of a corresponding communication recovery in a communication link between the integrated node and the remote host,

extracting portions of the archived time-stamped process data from the at least one time-stamped archive file, the time-stamped process data being extracted starting from the time of the communication failure and ending at the time of the corresponding communication recovery,

transmitting the time-stamped process data extracted from the at least one archived time-stamped archive file, to the remote host responsive to the extracting operation, and

buffering data transmissions in the communication link between the integrated node and the remote host responsive to detecting bandwidth starvation therein.

2. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 1,

wherein one of the first computer program, second computer program, and third computer program comprises one or more instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform an operation of:

reporting an exception alarm to the remote host so that the remote host receives the alarm and issues commands in response to being processed by the integrated node, the exception alarm being responsive to determining that the acquired time-stamped process data satisfies pre-defined exception criteria;

wherein the acquiring operation is to be performed at a rate of once per second; and

wherein the integrated node operably receives the command from the remote host to extract and operably transmits, at an interval of once every sixty (60) seconds, portions of the acquired time-stamped process data acquired by the acquiring operation during the sixty (60) second time intervals between receiving commands from the remote host.

3. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 1,

wherein the remote host is a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) host configured to host process automation functions;

wherein the plurality of remote subsystems includes one or more intelligent field systems selected from the following;

permanent down hole monitoring (PDHM) systems, electrical submersible pump (ESP) systems, smart well completion (SWC) systems, and flow meter systems; and

wherein each of the remote host and the plurality of remote subsystems is synchronized responsive to a uniform time according to one or more of the following;

the integrated node utilizing telecontrol protocols, and a global positioning system (GPS) time server utilizing simple network time protocol (SNTP).

4. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 1,

wherein the input/output unit is positioned to support each of analog inputs, analog outputs, digital inputs, digital outputs, and pulse inputs;

wherein the protocol translator is adapted to support one or more of the following communication protocols;

serial Modbus, Modbus over Internet protocol (IP), highway addressable remote transducer protocol (HART), distributed network protocol (DNP), IEC61850 (International Electrotechnical Commission Standard), the International Society of Automation (ISA) SP100 protocol, and Ethernet/IP (Industrial Protocol); and

wherein the integrated node is configurable to support a plurality of connection types, protocol types, and communication speed rates.

5. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 1,

wherein the archiving operation includes archiving the time-stamped process data in a plurality of comma-separated values (CSV) files, each of the files corresponding to a particular day and being named responsive to a date, month, and year of the day and being stored in a directory, the directory being named responsive to a month and year;

wherein the archiving operation includes performing the archiving operation continuously responsive to continuous performance of the acquiring operation; and

wherein the transmitting operation includes transmitting data using file transfer protocol (FTP) from an FTP server, the FTP server being one of the integrated node and the remote host.

6. A programmable logic controller having a central processing unit and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to allow a remote host to interface with a plurality of remote subsystems to thereby define an integrated node, the integrated node comprising:

an input/output unit configured to transfer communications between the node the plurality of remote subsystems and the remote host;

a database server module configured to archive data acquired from the plurality of subsystems in a plurality of time-stamped archive files;

a time-synchronizer configured to synchronize an internal clock in each of the plurality of remote subsystems to thereby define a plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems;

a data acquirer configured to periodically acquire time-stamped process data from each of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems and archive the acquired time-stamped process data using the database server module;

an exception reporter configured to determine exceptions in the acquired time-stamped process data acquired from the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems and report the exceptions to the remote host;

a data uploader configured to periodically upload the archived time-stamped process data to the remote host;

a subsystems restorer configured to retrieve time-stamped data from any of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems responsive to communications failure between the integrated node and any of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems, the subsystems restorer comprising a computer program being stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and operable on the central processing unit, the computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform the following operations;

detecting a time of a communication failure and a time of a corresponding communication recovery in a communication link between the integrated node and any of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems,

retrieving at least one data file from one of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems responsive to the detected time of the communication failure and the detected time of the corresponding communication recovery,

extracting time-stamped process data from and contained within the retrieved at least one data file, the time-stamped process data being extracted starting from the time of the communication failure and ending at the time of the corresponding communication recovery, and

transmitting the time-stamped process data extracted from the retrieved at least one data file, to the remote host responsive to the extracting operation; and

a host restorer being a computer program being stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and operable on the central processing unit, the computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform the following operations;

detecting a time of a communication failure and a time of a corresponding communication recovery in a communication link between the integrated node and the remote host,

extracting portions of the archived time-stamped process data from and contained within one or more of the at least one time-stamped archive files, the time-stamped process data being extracted starting from the time of the communication failure and ending at the time of the corresponding communication recovery, and

transmitting the extracted portions of the archived time-stamped process data extracted from the one or more of the at least one time-stamped archive files, to the remote host responsive to the extracting operation.

7. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 6, wherein the time synchronizer comprises a computer program being stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and operable on the central processing unit, the computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform the following operation:

synchronizing an internal clock in the remote host and in each of the plurality of remote subsystems to thereby define a plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems.

8. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 7, wherein the data acquirer comprises a computer program being stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and operable on the central processing unit, the computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform the following operations:

acquiring the time-stamped process data from the each of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems at a first pre-defined rate; and

archiving the acquired time-stamped process data in a time-stamped archive file, responsive to the operation of acquiring the time-stamped process data from the each of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems at the first pre-defined rate.

9. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 8, wherein the exception reporter comprises a computer program being stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and operable on the central processing unit, the computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform the following operations:

comparing the acquired time-stamped process data to pre-defined exception criteria responsive to the acquiring operation to determine whether the time-stamped process data satisfies the pre-defined exception criteria; and

reporting an exception alarm to the remote host so that the remote host receives the alarm and issues commands in response to be processed by the integrated node, the exception alarm being responsive to determining that the acquired time-stamped process data satisfies pre-defined exception criteria.

10. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 9, wherein the data uploader comprises a computer program being stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and operable on the central processing unit, the computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit, causes the integrated node to perform the following operations:

extracting archived time-stamped process data from and contained within the at least one time-stamped archive file responsive to receiving a command from the remote host; and

transmitting the time stamped process data extracted from the at least one time-stamped archive file to the remote host responsive to receiving the command from the remote host.

11. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 10,

wherein the operation of acquiring the time-stamped process data from the each of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems at the first pre-defined rate occurs at a rate of one time per second;

and

wherein the integrated node receives the command from the remote host to extract and transmit, at an interval of once every sixty (60) seconds, portions of the acquired time-stamped process data acquired by the node from one or more of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems during the sixty (60) second time period between commands.

12. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 11,

wherein the time synchronizer further synchronizes an internal clock in the remote host;

and

wherein the host restorer is adapted to further cause the integrated node to perform the following operation;

buffering data transmissions in the communication link between the integrated node and the remote host responsive to detecting bandwidth starvation therein.

13. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 6,

wherein the remote host is a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) host;

wherein the plurality of remote subsystems includes one or more intelligent field systems selected from the following;

permanent down hole monitoring (PDHM) systems, electrical submersible pump (ESP) systems, smart well completion (SWC) systems, and flow meter systems; and

wherein each of the remote host and the plurality of remote subsystems is synchronized responsive to a uniform time according to one of the following;

the integrated node utilizing telecontrol protocols, and a global positioning system (GPS) time server utilizing simple network time protocol (SNTP).

14. A programmable logic controller as defined in claim 6,

wherein the archiving operation includes archiving the time-stamped process data in a plurality of comma-separated values (CSV) files, each of the files corresponding to a particular day and being named responsive to the date, month, and year of the day and being stored in a directory, the directory being named responsive to the month and year;

wherein the archiving step includes being performed continuously in response to the acquiring operation; and

wherein the transmitting step includes transmitting data using file transfer protocol (FTP), the FTP server being either of the integrated node or the remote host.

15. A computer-implemented method for providing a uniform restoration of interrupted data transmissions between a plurality of remote subsystems and a programmable logic controller positioned to allow a remote host computer to interface with the plurality of remote subsystems, the programmable logic controller thereby defining an integrated node, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a time of a communication failure and a time of a corresponding communication recovery in a communications link between the integrated node and any of the plurality of remote subsystems, each of the integrated node and the plurality of remote subsystems being time-synchronized according to a uniform time source;

retrieving at least one data file from one of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems responsive to the detected time of the communication failure and the detected time of the corresponding communication recovery;

extracting time-stamped process data from the at least one data file responsive to the retrieving step, the time-stamped process data being data starting from the time of communication failure and ending at the time of the communication recovery;

restoring the time-stamped process data to the remote host computer responsive to the steps of retrieving the at least one data file and extracting the time-stamped process data from the at least one data file;

detecting a time of a communication failure and a time of a corresponding communication recovery in a communication link between the integrated node and the remote host computer;

extracting time-stamped process data from at least one time-stamped archive file, the time-stamped process data being data starting from the time of the communication failure and ending at the time of the corresponding communication recovery; and

transmitting the time-stamped process data, extracted from the at least one time-stamped archive file, to the remote host computer responsive to the step of extracting of the time-stamped process data from the at least one time-stamped archive file.

16. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 15, wherein the step of restoring includes the step of:

transmitting the extracted process data, extracted from the at least one data file, to the remote host computer responsive to the extracting of the respective time-stamped process data from the at least one data file.

17. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 16, wherein the steps of extracting of the time-stamped process data from the at least one data file and transmitting are performed responsive to receiving a command from the remote host computer, the computer-implemented method further comprising the steps of:

reporting the time of the communication failure and the time of the communication recovery to the remote host computer so that the remote host computer issues a command to extract from and transmit portions of the time-stamped process data contained within the at least one data file; and

monitoring to detect for bandwidth starvation in the communication link between the node and the remote host computer responsive to the transmission of the recovery data and buffering data transmissions responsive thereto.

18. A computer-implemented method for providing a uniform restoration of interrupted data transmissions between a remote host and a programmable logic controller acquiring process data from a plurality of remote subsystems, the programmable logic controller thereby defining an integrated node, the computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

detecting a time of a communication failure and a time of a corresponding communication recovery in a communication link between the integrated node and any of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems;

extracting time-stamped process data from and contained within at least one data file retrieved from one of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems, the time-stamped process data being for a time block starting from the time of the communication failure in the communication link between the integrated node and any of the plurality of remote time-synchronized subsystems and ending at the time of the corresponding communication recovery;

transmitting the time-stamped process data extracted from the retrieved at least one data file, to the remote host responsive to the extracting of the time-stamped process data from at least one data file;

detecting a time of a communication failure and a time of a corresponding communication recovery in a communications link between the integrated node and the remote host, each of the integrated node and the remote host being time-synchronized according to a uniform time source;

extracting time-stamped process data from at least one stored data file, the time-stamped process data being for a time block starting from the time of the communication failure in the communication link between the integrated node in the remote host and ending at the time of the corresponding communication recovery; and

restoring the time-stamped process data extracted from the at least one stored data file to the remote host responsive to the time of the communication failure and the time of the corresponding communication recovery in the communications link between the integrated node and the remote host.

19. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 18, wherein the step of restoring includes the step of:

transmitting the extracted process data extracted from at least one stored data file, to the remote host responsive to the extracting of time-stamped process data from the at least one time-stamped archive file.

20. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 19, wherein the restoring step is performed responsive to receiving a command from the remote host, and the computer-implemented method further comprises the steps of:

reporting the time of the communication failure and the time of the communication recovery to the remote host so that the remote host issues a command to initiate a restoration of process data not received in the time period between the communication failure and corresponding communication recovery;

monitoring to detect for bandwidth starvation in the communication link between the node and the remote host responsive to transmission of recovery data; and

buffering data transmissions responsive to the transmission of recovery data.