Systems, methods, and computer medium to provide adaptive priority scheduling of communications over a network and dynamic resources allocation among devices within the network

• US 9,722,951 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Almadi, Soloman M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Qin, Zhiren
• Application Number:
  US14/703,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20160330134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32328 Dynamic scheduling, resource allocation, multi agent negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 using machine learning or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/788 Autonomous allocation of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Systems, computer-implemented methods, and non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program stored therein can provide adaptive priority scheduling of communications over a communication network and dynamic resources allocation among a plurality of devices positioned in the communication network. A system according to an embodiment can include an automation application provisioning module (AAPM) to configure and provision relationships among automation application (AA) devices and non-AA devices; an automation application control module (AACM) to control network resources allocation responsive to the AAPM; a network infrastructure interface module (NIIM) to interface with and measure performance of the devices; a network performance analysis module (NPAM) to analyze performance of the devices and identify optimal network topologies responsive to the NIIM; and a network resources allocation platform module (NPM) to control network resources allocation responsive to the AAPM, the AACM, and the NPAM thereby to enhance coexistence of the AA and non-AA devices within the network.

Claims

1. A system to provide adaptive priority scheduling of communications over a communication network and dynamic resources allocation among a plurality of devices positioned in the communication network, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

a communication network;

a plurality of devices positioned in the communication network, each of the plurality of devices being configured to be in communication with the one or more processors and another one or more of the plurality of devices through the communication network, each of the plurality of devices also configured to send and receive messages through a respective input and output unit, the plurality of devices configured to include a first subset of plurality of devices equipped with embedded intelligence thereby to define automation application (AA) devices, the plurality of devices also configured to include a second subset of plurality of devices that are not equipped with embedded intelligence thereby to define non-AA devices; and

non-transitory computer-readable medium positioned in communication with the one or more processors and configured to include a plurality of modules, each of the plurality of modules including computer-readable instructions stored in the computer-readable medium that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the plurality of modules including;

an automation application provisioning module (AAPM) to configure and provision relationships among input and output units of the AA devices and the non-AA devices,

an automation application control module (AACM) to control network resources allocation responsive to the AAPM,

a network infrastructure interface module (NIIM) to interface with each of the plurality of devices and measure performance of the plurality of devices,

a network performance analysis module (NPAM) to analyze performance of the plurality of devices and identify optimal network topologies associated with the plurality of devices responsive to the NIIM, and

a network resources allocation platform module (NPM) to control network resources allocation responsive to the AAPM, the AACM, and the NPAM thereby to enhance coexistence of the AA devices and the non-AA devices within the communication network,

wherein the AAPM, the AACM, the NPM, the NIIM, and the NPAM collectively form an integrated Internet protocol (IIPo)-based wireless network platform thereby to define a multi-automation application on integrated IP over Ethernet network (AAIIPoEN) platform, wherein communication through the communication network includes communication among a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of layers include a network logic control layer, an application logic control layer, and an input/output layer for each of the plurality of devices, and wherein the AAIIPoEN platform includes the application logic control layer and the network logic control layer and is configured to link the application logic control layer and the network logic control layer thereby to provide dynamic priority allocation, scheduling, and behavior identification of request messages at the application logic control layer and further to map the request messages to the network logic control layer and to the respective input/output layer for each of the plurality of devices.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the operations of the AAPM include converting relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices into an electronic map of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices and establishing a priority order for execution of a plurality of application tasks associated with the plurality of devices, each of the plurality of application tasks associated with a request message;

wherein the operations of the AACM include mapping the priority order to the application logic control layer responsive to receipt of the priority order from the AAPM thereby to define an application layer priority order and updating, at each of a plurality of cycles, the application layer priority order responsive to one or more application task function runs and further responsive to determination of per message uniqueness as a function of time;

wherein the operations of the NIIM include measuring performance data related to the plurality of devices;

wherein the operations of the NPAM include estimating predicted performance data related to the plurality of devices responsive to receipt of the performance data from the NIIM and identifying the optimal network topologies associated with the plurality of devices responsive to analysis of the performance data and the predicted performance data; and

wherein the operations of the NPM include mapping the application layer priority order to the network logic control layer responsive to receipt of the application layer priority order from the AACM and receipt of attributes of the AA devices and the electronic map of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices from the AAPM thereby to define a network layer priority order and updating the network layer priority order responsive to receipt of the optimal network topologies from the NPAM thereby to improve the functioning of the system.

3. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein establishing the priority order includes:

assigning a priority rank to each request message responsive to determination of one or more attributes of the respective request message and receipt of the performance data from the NIIM, the one or more attributes of the respective request message configured to include command type, command type configured to include one or more of the following;

open loop, closed loop, cascaded loop, and protection and safety system loop;

assigning a higher priority rank to a first set of one or more request messages than to a second set of one or more request messages when each of the first set of request messages is associated with the AA devices and each of the second set of request messages is associated with the non-AA devices;

assigning a relatively high priority rank to a third set of one or more request messages when each of the third set of request messages has unique stringent time delay requirements; and

assigning a fixed priority rank to a fourth set of one or more request messages when each of the fourth set of request messages is associated with a set of one or more of the AA devices.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein each request message is associated with an objective, and wherein the operations of the AACM further include:

sending the application layer priority order to the NPM responsive to update of the application layer priority order;

updating the application layer priority order responsive to receipt of the network layer priority order from the NPM;

invoking one or more alternative request messages to achieve the respective objectives of one or more of the request messages responsive to receipt of information related to critical network areas that cannot be reached from the NPM and further responsive to receipt of the optimal network topologies from the NPAM;

sending an override priority to the NPM responsive to receipt of the override priority from a second set of one or more of the plurality of devices;

determining whether each request message is validated; and

updating an application run schedule responsive to update of the application layer priority order.

5. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein the operations of the NPM further include:

sending the network layer priority order to the AACM responsive to update of the network layer priority order thereby to enable further update of the application layer priority order to improve the functioning of the system;

sending information related to critical network areas that cannot be reached to the AACM responsive to receipt of the attributes of the AA devices and the electronic map of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices from the AAPM thereby to enable invocation of the one or more alternative messages; and

restricting transition and dynamic changes of the set of one or more of the AA devices.

6. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the operations of the AACM further include:

synchronizing one or more message timeslots associated with one or more of the request messages between two or more of the plurality of devices; and

updating the application layer priority order responsive to synchronization of the one or more message timeslots.

7. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the AA devices are configured to include one or more automation application controllers and one or more logic solvers, and wherein the operations of the AAPM further include:

providing a front-end user logic execution interface;

setting one or more thresholds and one or more ranges for operations of the one or more logic solvers;

configuring the AACM; and

sending attributes of the AA devices and the electronic map of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices to the NPM.

8. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the operations of the NPAM further include:

recording the performance data related to the plurality of devices responsive to receipt of the performance data from the NIIM; and

sending the optimal network topologies to the NPM thereby to provide recommendations to the NPM.

9. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the AA devices include one or more of sensors, actuators, controllers, and logic solvers, and wherein the AA devices are related to one or more of hydrocarbon processes, power, utilities, factory operations, work cells, and intelligent controllers.

10. A computer-implemented method to provide adaptive priority scheduling of communications over a communication network and dynamic resources allocation among a plurality of devices positioned in the communication network, the method comprising:

configuring and provisioning relationships among input and output units of a plurality of devices positioned in a communication network, each of the plurality of devices configured to be in communication with another one or more of the plurality of devices through the communication network, each of the plurality of devices also configured to send and receive messages through a respective input and output unit, the plurality of devices configured to include a first subset of plurality of devices equipped with embedded intelligence thereby to define automation application (AA) devices, the plurality of devices also configured to include a second subset of plurality of devices that are not equipped with embedded intelligence thereby to define non-AA devices;

controlling network resources allocation responsive to the configuration and provision of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices;

interfacing with each of the plurality of devices;

measuring performance of the plurality of devices responsive to interface with each of the plurality of devices;

analyzing performance of the plurality of devices responsive to measurement of performance of the plurality of devices;

identifying optimal network topologies associated with the plurality of devices responsive to the analysis of performance of the plurality of devices; and

controlling network resources allocation responsive to the configuration and provision of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices, the control of network resources allocation, and the analysis of performance of the plurality of devices thereby to enhance coexistence of the AA devices and the non-AA devices within the communication network,

wherein communication through the communication network includes communication among a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of layers include a network logic control layer, an application logic control layer, and an input/output layer for each of the plurality of devices, and wherein the method further includes linking the application logic control layer and the network logic control layer thereby to provide dynamic priority allocation, scheduling, and behavior identification of request messages at the application logic control layer and further to map the request messages to the network logic control layer and to the respective input/output layer for each of the plurality of devices.

11. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 10, wherein the method further includes:

converting relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices into an electronic map of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices;

establishing a priority order for execution of a plurality of application tasks associated with the plurality of devices, each of the plurality of application tasks associated with a request message;

mapping the priority order to the application logic control layer responsive to establishment of the priority order thereby to define an application layer priority order;

updating, at each of a plurality of cycles, the application layer priority order responsive to one or more application task function runs and further responsive to determination of per message uniqueness as a function of time;

estimating predicted performance data related to the plurality of devices responsive to measurement of performance of the plurality of devices;

identifying the optimal network topologies associated with the plurality of devices responsive to analysis of the measured performance of the plurality of devices and the predicted performance data;

mapping the application layer priority order to the network logic control layer responsive to analysis of the application layer priority order, attributes of the AA devices, and the electronic map of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices thereby to define a network layer priority order; and

updating the network layer priority order responsive to analysis of the optimal network topologies thereby to improve the functioning of a computer associated with the plurality of devices.

12. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 11, wherein establishing the priority order includes:

assigning a priority rank to each request message responsive to determination of one or more attributes of the respective request message and measurement of performance of the plurality of devices, the one or more attributes of the respective request message configured to include command type, command type configured to include one or more of the following;

open loop, closed loop, cascaded loop, and protection and safety system loop;

assigning a higher priority rank to a first set of one or more request messages than to a second set of one or more request messages when each of the first set of request messages is associated with the AA devices and each of the second set of request messages is associated with the non-AA devices;

assigning a relatively high priority rank to a third set of one or more request messages when each of the third set of request messages has unique stringent time delay requirements; and

assigning a fixed priority rank to a fourth set of one or more request messages when each of the fourth set of request messages is associated with a set of one or more of the AA devices.

13. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 12, wherein each request message is associated with an objective, and wherein the method further includes:

updating the application layer priority order responsive to change in the network layer priority order;

invoking one or more alternative request messages to achieve the respective objectives of one or more of the request messages responsive to analysis of information related to critical network areas that cannot be reached and the optimal network topologies;

updating the network layer priority order responsive to receipt of an override priority from a second set of one or more of the plurality of devices;

determining whether each request message is validated; and

updating an application run schedule responsive to update of the application layer priority order.

14. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 13, wherein the method further includes restricting transition and dynamic changes of the set of one or more of the AA devices.

15. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 11, wherein the method further includes:

synchronizing one or more message timeslots associated with one or more of the request messages between two or more of the plurality of devices; and

updating the application layer priority order responsive to synchronization of the one or more message timeslots.

16. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 11, wherein the AA devices are configured to include one or more automation application controllers and one or more logic solvers, and wherein the method further includes:

providing a front-end user logic execution interface; and

setting one or more thresholds and one or more ranges for operations of the one or more logic solvers.

17. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 11, wherein the method further includes recording the measured performance of the plurality of devices.

18. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 10, wherein the AA devices include one or more of sensors, actuators, controllers, and logic solvers, and wherein the AA devices are related to one or more of hydrocarbon processes, power, utilities, factory operations, work cells, and intelligent controllers.

19. Non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein operated by one or more processors to provide adaptive priority scheduling of communications over a communication network and dynamic resources allocation among a plurality of devices positioned in the communication network, the one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the operations of:

configuring and provisioning relationships among input and output units of a plurality of devices positioned in a communication network, each of the plurality of devices configured to be in communication with another one or more of the plurality of devices through the communication network, each of the plurality of devices also configured to send and receive messages through a respective input and output unit, the plurality of devices configured to include a first subset of plurality of devices equipped with embedded intelligence thereby to define automation application (AA) devices, the plurality of devices also configured to include a second subset of plurality of devices that are not equipped with embedded intelligence thereby to define non-AA devices;

controlling network resources allocation responsive to the configuration and provision of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices;

interfacing with each of the plurality of devices;

measuring performance of the plurality of devices responsive to interface with each of the plurality of devices;

analyzing performance of the plurality of devices responsive to measurement of performance of the plurality of devices;

identifying optimal network topologies associated with the plurality of devices responsive to the analysis of performance of the plurality of devices; and

controlling network resources allocation responsive to the configuration and provision of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices, the control of network resources allocation, and the analysis of performance of the plurality of devices thereby to enhance coexistence of the AA devices and the non-AA devices within the communication network,

wherein communication through the communication network includes communication among a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of layers include a network logic control layer, an application logic control layer, and an input/output layer for each of the plurality of devices, and wherein the operations further include linking the application logic control layer and the network logic control layer thereby to provide dynamic priority allocation, scheduling, and behavior identification of request messages at the application logic control layer and further to map the request messages to the network logic control layer and to the respective input/output layer for each of the plurality of devices.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein as defined in claim 19, wherein the operations further include:

converting relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices into an electronic map of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices;

establishing a priority order for execution of a plurality of application tasks associated with the plurality of devices, each of the plurality of application tasks associated with a request message;

mapping the priority order to the application logic control layer responsive to establishment of the priority order thereby to define an application layer priority order;

updating, at each of a plurality of cycles, the application layer priority order responsive to one or more application task function runs and further responsive to determination of per message uniqueness as a function of time;

estimating predicted performance data related to the plurality of devices responsive to measurement of performance of the plurality of devices;

identifying the optimal network topologies associated with the plurality of devices responsive to analysis of the measured performance of the plurality of devices and the predicted performance data;

mapping the application layer priority order to the network logic control layer responsive to analysis of the application layer priority order, attributes of the AA devices, and the electronic map of relationships among the input and output units of the plurality of devices thereby to define a network layer priority order; and

updating the network layer priority order responsive to analysis of the optimal network topologies thereby to improve the functioning of a computer associated with the plurality of devices.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein as defined in claim 20, wherein establishing the priority order includes:

assigning a priority rank to each request message responsive to determination of one or more attributes of the respective request message and measurement of performance of the plurality of devices, the one or more attributes of the respective request message configured to include command type, command type configured to include one or more of the following;

open loop, closed loop, cascaded loop, and protection and safety system loop;

assigning a higher priority rank to a first set of one or more request messages than to a second set of one or more request messages when each of the first set of request messages is associated with the AA devices and each of the second set of request messages is associated with the non-AA devices;

assigning a relatively high priority rank to a third set of one or more request messages when each of the third set of request messages has unique stringent time delay requirements; and

assigning a fixed priority rank to a fourth set of one or more request messages when each of the fourth set of request messages is associated with a set of one or more of the AA devices.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein as defined in claim 21, wherein each request message is associated with an objective, and wherein the operations further include:

updating the application layer priority order responsive to change in the network layer priority order;

invoking one or more alternative request messages to achieve the respective objectives of one or more of the request messages responsive to analysis of information related to critical network areas that cannot be reached and the optimal network topologies;

updating the network layer priority order responsive to receipt of an override priority from a second set of one or more of the plurality of devices;

determining whether each request message is validated; and

updating an application run schedule responsive to update of the application layer priority order.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein as defined in claim 22, wherein the operations further include restricting transition and dynamic changes of the set of one or more of the AA devices.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein as defined in claim 20, wherein the operations further include:

synchronizing one or more message timeslots associated with one or more of the request messages between two or more of the plurality of devices; and

updating the application layer priority order responsive to synchronization of the one or more message timeslots.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein as defined in claim 20, wherein the AA devices are configured to include one or more automation application controllers and one or more logic solvers, and wherein the operations further include:

providing a front-end user logic execution interface; and

setting one or more thresholds and one or more ranges for operations of the one or more logic solvers.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein as defined in claim 20, wherein the operations further include recording the measured performance of the plurality of devices.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein as defined in claim 19, wherein the AA devices include one or more of sensors,

actuators, controllers, and logic solvers, and wherein the AA devices are related to one or more of hydrocarbon processes, power, utilities, factory operations, work cells, and intelligent controllers.