System and method for controller redundancy and controller network redundancy with ethernet/IP I/O
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first controller configured to generate control signals for control of multiple Ethernet/Industrial Protocol (EtherNet/IP)-compatible controlled field devices, the first controller comprising;
first and second interfaces configured to communicate with a controlled network comprising multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible input/output (I/O) modules and the multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible controlled field devices, the first interface configured to communicate over a first controller network and the second interface configured to communicate over a second controller network, each of the first and second interfaces configured to communicably connect to at least one switch that routes communications between the first controller and the controlled network;
a third interface configured to communicate with a second controller; and
at least one processing device configured to;
detect a fault associated with the second controller while the second controller is in communication with at least one of the I/O modules and at least one of the controlled field devices;
upon detection of the fault associated with the second controller, resume the communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device without the at least one I/O module updating the at least one controlled field device to a failsafe condition;
detect a fault associated with the first controller network while the first controller is in communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device over the first controller network; and
upon detection of the fault associated with the first controller network, switch the communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device to the second controller network without the at least one I/O module updating the at least one controlled field device to the failsafe condition.
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a first controller having at least one interface and at least one processing device. The at least one interface is configured to communicate with a second controller and with a controlled network having multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible input/output (I/O) modules and multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible controlled devices. The at least one processing device is configured to detect a fault associated with the second controller while the second controller is in communication with at least one of the I/O modules and at least one of the controlled devices. The at least one processing device is also configured, upon detection of the fault associated with the second controller, to resume the communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled device without the at least one I/O module updating the at least one controlled device to a failsafe condition.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
a first controller configured to generate control signals for control of multiple Ethernet/Industrial Protocol (EtherNet/IP)-compatible controlled field devices, the first controller comprising; first and second interfaces configured to communicate with a controlled network comprising multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible input/output (I/O) modules and the multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible controlled field devices, the first interface configured to communicate over a first controller network and the second interface configured to communicate over a second controller network, each of the first and second interfaces configured to communicably connect to at least one switch that routes communications between the first controller and the controlled network; a third interface configured to communicate with a second controller; and at least one processing device configured to; detect a fault associated with the second controller while the second controller is in communication with at least one of the I/O modules and at least one of the controlled field devices; upon detection of the fault associated with the second controller, resume the communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device without the at least one I/O module updating the at least one controlled field device to a failsafe condition; detect a fault associated with the first controller network while the first controller is in communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device over the first controller network; and upon detection of the fault associated with the first controller network, switch the communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device to the second controller network without the at least one I/O module updating the at least one controlled field device to the failsafe condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method comprising:
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detecting, at a first controller configured to communicate with a second controller, a fault associated with the second controller while the second controller is in communication with at least one of multiple Ethernet/Industrial Protocol (EtherNet/IP)-compatible input/output (I/O) modules and at least one of multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible controlled field devices in a controlled network, the first controller configured to generate control signals for control of the multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible controlled field devices, the first controller also configured to communicate over a first controller network via a first interface and to communicate over a second controller network via a second interface, each of the first and second interfaces communicably connected to at least one switch that routes communications between the first controller and the controlled network; upon detection of the fault associated with the second controller, resuming the communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device at the first controller without the at least one I/O module updating the at least one controlled field device to a failsafe condition; detecting, at the first controller, a fault associated with the first controller network while the first controller is in communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device over the first controller network; and upon detection of the fault associated with the first controller network, switching the communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device to the second controller network without the at least one I/O module updating the at least one controlled field device to the failsafe condition. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that when executed cause at least one processing device to:
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detect, at a first controller configured to communicate with a second controller, a fault associated with the second controller while the second controller is in communication with at least one of multiple Ethernet/Industrial Protocol (EtherNet/IP)-compatible input/output (I/O) modules and at least one of multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible controlled field devices in a controlled network, the first controller configured to generate control signals for control of the multiple EtherNet/IP-compatible controlled field devices, the first controller also configured to communicate over a first controller network via a first interface and to communicate over a second controller network via a second interface, each of the first and second interfaces communicably connected to at least one switch that routes communications between the first controller and the controlled network; upon detection of the fault associated with the second controller, resume the communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device at the first controller without the at least one I/O module updating the at least one controlled field device to a failsafe condition; detect, at the first controller, a fault associated with the first controller network while the first controller is in communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device over the first controller network; and upon detection of the fault associated with the first controller network, switch the communication with the at least one I/O module and the at least one controlled field device to the second controller network without the at least one I/O module updating the at least one controlled field device to the failsafe condition. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification