A control device having an integrated switch and being configured to logically enable and disable an Ethernet port of the integrated switch. Further disclosed is a device network consisting of at least two field devices, a primary control device and a primary switch, a secondary control device and a secondary switch, which are connected in a daisy chain loop topology. And wherein the secondary control device is configured to logically enable and disable an Ethernet port of the secondary switch. Further disclosed is a flat network consisting of such a device network. Further disclosed is a method for controlling a redundant connection in a flat network, consisting of detecting failure of the primary control device, initiating failover, enabling the Ethernet port of the secondary switch, and disabling the Ethernet port of the primary switch.

A control system includes a controller for controlling a control target and redundant devices accessible from the controller. The control system includes a feature quantity generation unit that generates a feature quantity from data associated with the redundant devices, an abnormality detection unit that determines whether an abnormality has occurred in one of the redundant devices based on the feature quantity generated by the feature quantity generation unit and a predetermined abnormality detection parameter, a switch unit that switches the redundant devices between a working mode and a standby mode when the abnormality detection unit determines that an abnormality has occurred, and a learning unit that performs machine learning using the data associated with the redundant devices to determine the abnormality detection parameter.

In order to enable a seamless configuration modification during operation, a first automation device sends a second automation device a request for parameter modification. The second automation device responds to the request, such that a standby acknowledgement of the request is sent. Immediately with the transmission of the standby acknowledgement in the second automation device, an output process image is frozen, and the modification of the communication parameters for the second automation device is carried out. The first automation device responds, such that after receiving the standby acknowledgement in the first automation device, the communication is immediately stopped and the modification of the communication parameters is carried out for the first automation device. An input process image is frozen.

To achieve an automatic adjustment of a monitoring time in an automation system with a first automation device and a second automation device, at least one of the two automation devices operates a measuring program. A desired ring interruption is carried out by the measuring program by blocking a ring port in order thus to provoke a ring reconfiguration that utilizes a reconfiguration time. The blockage of the ring port is canceled again after the reconfiguration time has elapsed. The ring port is blocked again if the ring port has been opened by the ring reconfiguration, and all routing tables are deleted. As a result of this, at least the peripheral units are triggered to learn new network routes. Runtimes of test telegrams are measured, and a maximum value of the measured runtimes is stored. The measured maximum value is used for a dynamic adjustment of the monitoring time.

A circuit is provided that has three clock sources, a first processing unit connected to the first clock source, a second processing unit connected to the second clock source, and an input unit. The first processing unit has a first logic circuit and a first memory circuit connected to the first logic circuit, wherein a first set of instructions, which is designed to implement a first control program when executed by the first logic circuit, is stored in the first memory circuit, wherein the first clock source specifies a clock timing of the execution of the first set of instructions. The second processing unit has a second logic circuit and a second memory circuit connected to the second logic circuit, wherein a second set of instructions, which is designed to implement a second control program when executed by the second logic circuit, is stored in the second memory circuit.

A multi-channel control system includes at least a primary control microprocessor and a back-up control microprocessor operable to control a device. The primary control microprocessor and the back-up control microprocessor assert control over a controlled device according to a locally stored method of controlling a back-up microprocessor assumption of control of a device.

A method for improving a redundancy and an uptime in a SCADA network for controlling a well operation includes executing control systems for the well operation in identical virtual simulated environments on at least two servers, storing all data for the control systems in a designated redundant cluster storage system, and setting-up the at least two servers with a load balancing.

To achieve an automatic adjustment of a monitoring time in an automation system with a first automation device and a second automation device, at least one of the two automation devices operates a measuring program. A desired ring interruption is carried out by the measuring program by blocking a ring port in order thus to provoke a ring reconfiguration that utilizes a reconfiguration time. The blockage of the ring port is canceled again after the reconfiguration time has elapsed. The ring port is blocked again if the ring port has been opened by the ring reconfiguration, and all routing tables are deleted. As a result of this, at least the peripheral units are triggered to learn new network routes. Runtimes of test telegrams are measured, and a maximum value of the measured runtimes is stored. The measured maximum value is used for a dynamic adjustment of the monitoring time.

A fault-tolerant industrial control system includes a redundant controller including a first process controller (CP1) including a first processor with a first associated memory, and a parallel connected second redundant process controller (CP2) including a second processor with a second associated memory. A redundancy link is between CP1 and CP2 for sharing data. CP1 and CP2 include logic gates exclusive of any conditional branching for performing data synchronization and calculations including a different logical arrangement for providing each of a digital output (DO), a digital input (DI), an analog input (AI), and an analog output (AO). At least one input/output (IO) module includes a first IO processor including a first memory coupled by a first leg to CP1 and by a second leg to CP2. The IO module is coupled to field devices that are coupled to processing equipment.

A method and system for safely switching off an electrical load in a system comprising a multi-channel control unit, a single-channel data transmission path and an output unit having a first processing unit, a second processing unit and safe outputs. The method comprises receiving and evaluating an input signal by the multi-channel control unit and generating an enable signal based on the evaluation; transmitting the enable signal to the output unit via the single-channel data transmission path; receiving the enable signal by the first processing unit and generating an output signal based on the enable signal; providing at least one part of the enable signal from the first processing unit to the second processing unit for evaluation therewith; generating a dynamic clock signal by the second processing unit based on the enable signal; and controlling the safe outputs based on the output signal and the dynamic clock signal.