Apparatus and method for synchronizing dynamic process data across redundant input/output modules

• US 9,110,838 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Charles, Shakarjian, Daniel R., Chebruch, Igor
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamo, Elias
• Application Number:
  US13/955,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/122 where hardware performs an I/O function other than control of data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/423 with synchronous protocol

Abstract

A method includes receiving first data at a first I/O module from a second I/O module, where the first data defines a programmable device configuration. The method also includes configuring a programmable device in the first I/O module based on the first data, where the programmable device is associated with a first I/O channel of the first I/O module. The method further includes receiving second data at the first I/O module from the second I/O module, where the second data is associated with a second I/O channel of the second I/O module. In addition, the method includes synchronizing the first I/O channel with the second I/O channel based on the second data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving first data at a first input/output (I/O) module from a second I/O module, the first data defining a programmable device configuration;

configuring a programmable device in the first I/O module based on the first data, the programmable device associated with a first I/O channel of the first I/O module, wherein the programmable device implements a counter configured to count pulses in an input signal and output a first counter value;

receiving second data at the first I/O module from the second I/O module, the second data associated with a second I/O channel of the second I/O module, the second data comprising a second counter value associated with the second I/O channel; and

synchronizing the first I/O channel with the second I/O channel based on the second data, wherein the synchronizing comprises updating the counter based on the second counter value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sampling the first counter value at the first I/O module at substantially a same time that the second counter value is sampled at the second I/O module.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a fault associated with the second I/O module.

3. A method comprising:

receiving first data at a first input/output (I/O) module from a second I/O module, the first data defining a programmable device configuration;

configuring a programmable device in the first I/O module based on the first data, the programmable device associated with a first I/O channel of the first I/O module;

receiving second data at the first I/O module from the second I/O module, the second data associated with a second I/O channel of the second I/O module; and

synchronizing the first I/O channel with the second I/O channel based on the second data;

wherein the first I/O module comprises multiple programmable devices supporting multiple first I/O channels; and

wherein different ones of the programmable devices are configured based on different information contained in the first data.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving at the first I/O module multiple sets of second data, each set of second data associated with one of multiple second I/O channels of the second I/O module; and

synchronizing each first I/O channel with one of the second I/O channels based on one of the sets of second data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first data is received and the programmable devices are configured before the sets of second data are received.

7. A method comprising:

receiving first data at a first input/output (I/O) module from a second I/O module, the first data defining a programmable device configuration;

configuring a programmable device in the first I/O module based on the first data, the programmable device associated with a first I/O channel of the first I/O module;

receiving second data at the first I/O module from the second I/O module, the second data associated with a second I/O channel of the second I/O module;

synchronizing the first I/O channel with the second I/O channel based on the second data; and

detecting a fault associated with the second I/O module;

wherein the second I/O module operates as a primary I/O module and the first I/O module operates as a backup I/O module prior to the fault; and

wherein the first I/O module operates as the primary I/O module after the receipt of the first and second data, the configuration of the programmable device, and the synchronization of the first and second I/O channels.

8. An apparatus comprising a first input/output (I/O) module, the first I/O module comprising:

a programmable device associated with a first I/O channel, the programmable device configured to implement a counter, the counter configured to count pulses in an input signal and output a first counter value; and

a control unit configured to;

receive first data from a second I/O module, the first data defining a programmable device configuration;

configure the programmable device based on the first data;

receive second data from the second I/O module, the second data associated with a second I/O channel of the second I/O module, the second data comprising a second counter value associated with the second I/O channel; and

synchronize the first I/O channel with the second I/O channel based on the second data, wherein the control unit is configured to update the counter based on the second counter value.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control unit is further configured to sample the first counter value at the first I/O module at substantially a same time that the second counter value is sampled at the second I/O module.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the first I/O module comprises multiple programmable devices configured to support multiple first I/O channels; and

the control unit is configured to configure different ones of the programmable devices based on different information contained in the first data.

19. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the first I/O module is configured to operate as a backup I/O module prior to a fault with the second I/O module; and

the first I/O module is configured to operate as a primary I/O module after the fault with the second I/O module.

10. An apparatus comprising a first input/output (I/O) module, the first I/O module comprising:

a programmable device associated with a first I/O channel; and

a control unit configured to;

receive first data from a second I/O module, the first data defining a programmable device configuration;

configure the programmable device based on the first data;

receive second data from the second I/O module, the second data associated with a second I/O channel of the second I/O module; and

synchronize the first I/O channel with the second I/O channel based on the second data;

wherein the first I/O module comprises multiple programmable devices configured to support multiple first I/O channels; and

wherein the control unit is configured to configure different ones of the programmable devices based on different information contained in the first data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to:

receive multiple sets of second data, each set of second data associated with one of multiple second I/O channels of the second I/O module; and

synchronize each first I/O channel with one of the second I/O channels based on one of the sets of second data.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to receive the first data and configure the programmable devices before receiving the sets of second data.

13. An apparatus comprising a first input/output (I/O) module, the first I/O module comprising:

a programmable device associated with a first I/O channel; and

a control unit configured to;

receive first data from a second I/O module, the first data defining a programmable device configuration;

configure the programmable device based on the first data;

receive second data from the second I/O module, the second data associated with a second I/O channel of the second I/O module; and

synchronize the first I/O channel with the second I/O channel based on the second data;

wherein the first I/O module is configured to operate as a backup I/O module prior to a fault with the second I/O module; and

wherein the first I/O module is configured to operate as a primary I/O module after the fault with the second I/O module.

14. A method comprising:

storing first data defining a configuration of a programmable device in a first input/output (I/O) module, the programmable device associated with a first I/O channel, wherein the programmable device implements a first counter configured to count pulses in an input signal and output a first counter value;

sampling the first counter value at the first I/O module at substantially a same time that a second counter value is sampled at a second I/O module;

storing second data associated with the first I/O channel, wherein the second data comprises the first counter value; and

during a synchronization process, transmitting the first and second data to the second I/O module.

15. A method comprising:

storing first data defining a configuration of a programmable device in a first input/output (I/O) module, the programmable device associated with a first I/O channel;

storing second data associated with the first I/O channel; and

during a synchronization process, transmitting the first and second data to a second I/O module;

wherein the first I/O module comprises multiple programmable devices supporting multiple first I/O channels; and

wherein the first data comprises different records associated with different ones of the programmable devices.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting to the second I/O module multiple sets of second data, each set of second data associated with one of the first I/O channels.

17. A method comprising:

storing first data defining a configuration of a programmable device in a first input/output (I/O) module, the programmable device associated with a first I/O channel;

storing second data associated with the first I/O channel; and

during a synchronization process, transmitting the first and second data to a second I/O module;

wherein the first I/O module operates as a primary I/O module prior to a fault with the first I/O module; and

wherein the first I/O module transmits the first and second data to the second I/O module to enable the second I/O module to operate as the primary I/O module after the fault with the first I/O module.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the programmable device implements a counter configured to count pulses in an input signal and output a first counter value;

the second data comprises the first counter value; and

the method further comprises sampling the first counter value at the first I/O module at substantially a same time that a second counter value is sampled at the second I/O module.