Redundant automation controller with deductive power-up

US5966300A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Allen-Bradley Company, LLC · US

Inventors

• Mark A. Flood · St. Petersburg, US
• William B. Cook · Northfield, US
• Mark Taylor · Houston, US
• Steven P. Richter · South Euclid, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 18, 1997
• Grant date: Oct 12, 1999
• Expiry date: Jun 18, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B9/03
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A redundant industrial controller system has a primary controller backed up by a secondary controller and recovers from a power loss by analyzing the state memories of the controllers to reach a determination of which controller would best be suited to assume primary control status without resorting to arbitrary tie-breaking procedures or race conditions. The rules and their inputs are applied by both controllers which independently make the determination as to which controller should be the primary controller.