Patent Application
20150073570
The present invention relates to a method for transition of control between two controllers and to a system for transition of control between two controllers, wherein the controllers are in particular provided for controlling actuators for operating of a gas and/or fire emergency equipment, in particular during oil exploration.
For production of oil and/or gas, in particular using an offshore oil or gas platform, it may be necessary to provide equipment for taking measures in an emergency case, such as a fire emergency case or a gas release emergency case. In particular, one or more actuators, such as pumps may be needed to be operated in order to fight the gas and/or fire emergency situation.
The emergency equipment may be controlled by a controller receiving one or more input signals, such as input signals derived from one or more sensors or derived from manual input of a maintenance personnel.
From time to time the controller(s) may be required to be replaced by a new controller(s). Thereby, it may be necessary to switch plural input lines connected to each existing controller to plural corresponding input terminals of each new controller. Further, it may be required to connect plural output lines currently connected to plural output terminals of the existing controller to plural output terminals of the new controller. During such a switching or transition between the existing controller and the new controller proper operation of the emergency system must be ensured. In particular, it may not be possible to shut down the emergency system since shutting down the emergency system may involve extensive costs. In particular, during replacement of existing old control systems by new control systems, in particular for process plants, it may be essential to avoid production loss due to shutdown of controllers and due to loss of integrity of the control and safety system. Further, it may be essential to avoid stress of central control room operator personnel, do maintain focus and safety of the process planned.
In a conventional system during replacement of existing process control systems with new process control systems it is usually required to shut down the system.
There may be a need for a method and for a system for transition of control between two controllers, wherein shutdown of the control system during change over or transition from the existing old controller to the new controller may be prevented.
Further, there may be a need for such a method and a system, wherein disturbance of the control room personnel may be reduced. Further, there may be a need for such a method and system, wherein present equipment may be utilized without requiring expensive hardware changes or hardware changes at all.
This need may be met by the subject matter according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are described by the dependent claims.
According to any embodiment of the present invention it is provided a method for transition of control from a first controller to a second controller, the method comprising: communicatively coupling the first controller and the second controller, such that at least one static digital input signal received by one controller is mutually provided to the respective other controller and such that at least one static digital output signal generated by one controller is mutually provided to the respective other controller; disconnecting at least one output line from the first controller; connecting the at least one output line to the second controller; supplying at least one output signal to the at least one output line, wherein the at least one output signal is obtained by performing a logical OR to at least one first output signal generated by the first controller and at least one second output signal generated by the second controller, wherein the method for transition further comprises, before disconnecting at least one output line from the first controller: supplying a logical high signal (such as a signal of 24 V) to the at least one output line by an external voltage source, if the first output signal is a logical high signal or if the output line is at the logical high state during normal operation.
The method for transition of the control from the first controller to the second controller may comprise steps which are electronically performed and steps which are performed by physically moving or manipulating the output line(s) and/or the input line(s).
The first controller may also be referred to as the existing controller and the second controller may also be referred to as the new controller which is intended to replace the existing controller. The first controller may comprise at least one (in particular a plurality of) first input terminal(s) to which the at least one (in particular a plurality of) first input line(s) may be connectable and may be connected at the beginning of the method. Analogously, the second controller may comprise a (in particular same number of) second input terminal(s) to which the at least one input line(s) is connectable.
The input terminals of the first and the second controller may be adapted to receive in particular digital logical static signals, such as a signal of for example 24 V indicating a logical high state or a signal of 0 V indicating a logical low state or vice versa. Typically, the digital input signal or input signals received at the plurality of respective input terminals may be static, i.e. may be constant over extended time spans, such as between one hour and three months, in particular between one day and three months. In particular, the input signals may only change in an emergency case, such as a gas emission or a fire situation.
Similarly, the first controller and also the second controller may comprise at least one (in particular a plurality of) respective output terminal(s) which may be adapted to output static digital signal(s), such as a signal of 24 V indicating a digital or logical high state and a signal of 0 V representing a digital or logical low state.
The first controller and the second controller are communicatively coupled such that their input and output signal(s) (in combination referred to as the I/O status) is mutually exchanged or transferred in both directions. Thereby, an existing bus system may be utilized and further particular software loaded into the first controller and the second controller may be utilized or may contribute to the mutual exchange. In particular, communication between the existing (the first) and the new (the second) controller may be set-up via an existing network which may transfer the I/O status from the first controller to the second controller and vice versa.
Originally, the at least one output line may be connected to at least one first input terminal of the first controller. Then, the at least one output line may be physically disconnected (in particular by a maintenance personnel, in particular a human being) from the at least one output terminal of the first controller. After the disconnecting the output line from the first controller the first controller may not be able to properly supply a control signal to a respective actuator connected at the other end of the output line. Therefore, during the time span between disconnecting the output line and connecting the output line to the second controller a support voltage may be supplied by an external voltage source, in order to maintain the proper controlling of the actuator connected to the other end of the output line.
During the changeover of the output line or input line the control may be maintained at the first controller, receiving I/O signal as usual or via the communication bus which communicatively couples the first controller and the second controller. If the output line (and/or input line) has been moved (or connected) to the second controller, the output status is sent to the second controller and the “OR”-gate performs an OR-operation with the output of the second controller. In particular, the full status and control is available for the complete system except for the one signal line in transfer, in particular this signal line which is being disconnected from the first controller and is then connected to the second controller.
In particular, the output signal and/or input signal which is in transfer (which is being disconnected from the first controller and then connected to the second controller) may be blocked/suppressed during the transfer and further, the one signal and transfer may be verified in the second controller before being released from the second controller and used in an application program or used for controlling an actuator.
The method may be performed without temporary hardware changes except for eventual temporary bus connection hardware. Instead, the communicatively coupling the first controller and the second controller may be achieved by loading a communication software into the first controller and the second controller and running this software, while the control system for controlling the emergency equipment is continuously in operation.
The at least one output signal is obtained by performing a logical OR on the first output signal generated by the first controller and the at least one second output signal generated by the second controller. Thus, if either the first output signal is high, or the second output is high or if the first output signal is high and the second output is low, or if the first output signal is low and the second output is high, the output signal supplied to the at least one output line is high.
Thereby, in particular when a plurality of output lines needs to be connected or shifted or switched from the first controller to the second controller these plural output lines may be switched or moved from the first controller to the second controller one by one. Thereby, in particular the first output signal and/or the second output signal may be verified (in particular by control personnel using a control screen) before it is actually released for transfer to the existing controller or the first controller. When it has been verified or checked that the second control signal generated by the second controller is valid blocking in the second control signal may be removed. After all output lines and all input lines have been moved, i.e. connected to the second controller and all blocks of all output signals and input signals have been removed at the second controller, the first controller may be removed without interrupting operation of the control system.
Thus, no shutdown of the emergency protection process may be required during change over or transition from the old existing process controller to the new process controller. The necessary communication software may be loaded and removed without any shutdown of the controller or the process. Thus, full integrity of the process controller function may be ensured during changeover. In particular, the method does only comprise or require limited temporary hardware changes or even no hardware changes at all. Further, the control room operator may be disturbed only to a small extent. In particular, activation of the I/O in changeover may be controlled by the local personnel during the changeover. In particular, after complete changeover the communication software for I/O status exchange may be removed from the first controller and also from the second controller.
By supplying a logical high signal (such as a signal of 24 V) to the at least one output line by an external voltage source, also during changeover of the at least one output line from the first controller to the second controller an actuator connected to the other end of the output line may be properly operated, when the output line is disconnected from the first controller and is also disconnected from the second controller. In particular, supplying the logical high signal to the output line may not be required, if the first output signal is a logical low value or signal or if the output line is at a logical low level or low state during normal operation (e.g. in a non-emergency situation).
According to an embodiment of the present invention the method further comprises, in particular before the disconnecting the at least one output line from the first controller: blocking output of the first output signal (in particular using a blocking element comprised in the first controller arranged between an internal first output port of the first controller and a first output OR-gate in the first controller) and/or blocking output of the second output signal. Thereby, damage to the first controller and/or second controller may be avoided, in particular in the case, when an external voltage source is connected to the at least one output line.
According to an embodiment of the present invention the method for transition of control further comprises, in particular after the connecting the at least one output line to the second controller: removing blocking the output of the second output signal and/or removing blocking the output of the first output signal. In particular, also the external voltage source may be disconnected from the at least one output line upon or even slightly before the connecting of the at least one output line to the second controller. Thereby, the actuator or application program connected to the other end of the output line may be properly supplied with the output signal as generated by the first controller and/or the second controller.
According to an embodiment of the present invention the connecting the at least one output line to the second controller comprises connecting the at least one output line to at least one second output terminal of the second controller, the method further comprising: monitoring whether the connection of the at least one output line to the at least one second output terminal of the second controller is correct.
In particular, it may be monitored, if the correct one of the at least one second output terminal has been connected with the at least one output line. Therefore, in particular control personnel may check whether the connection is correct. Thereby, the method may be improved regarding safety and/or reliability.
According to an embodiment of the present invention connections of all output lines (such as 10-1000 output lines, in particular between 100 and 500 output lines) of the at least one output line are switched one by one (such that only one of the output lines is disconnected from the first controller and then connected to the second controller while all other output lines are not touched during this transition time) from the first controller to the second controller. Thereby, in particular proper connection of a switched output line may be monitored one by one.
According to an embodiment of the present invention the method further comprises: disconnecting at least one input line from the first controller; connecting the at least one input line to the second controller; supplying the at least one input signal carried by the at least one input line to the first controller.
Thus, the method also enables transition of at least one input line (in particular a plurality of input lines, such as between 10 and 1000 input lines) from the first controller to the second controller. In particular, first all input lines may be switched from the first controller to the second controller and then all output lines may be switched from the first controller to the second controller. Alternatively, first all output lines may be switched from the first controller to the second controller and then all input lines may be switched from the first controller to the second controller. Furthermore, first a subset of input lines may be switched from the first controller to the second controller and then a subset of output lines may be switched from the first controller to the second controller.
Although the at least one input line is not connected to the first controller anymore via the first input terminal of the first controller, the first controller is nevertheless supplied with the at least one input signal carried by the at least one input line by using the communication software which communicatively couples the first controller and the second controller. Thus, at any time of the performing the method the first controller as well as the second controller may have available both the at least one input signal and the at least one output signal except during the time span while the at least one input line is neither connected to the first controller nor connected to the second controller or when the at least one output line is neither connected to the first controller or to the second controller.
According to an embodiment of the present invention the method for transition of control further comprises, in particular before the disconnecting the at least one input line from the first controller: blocking the input signal at the first controller (such that in particular the input signal supplied to the first input terminal of the first controller is not transferred to at least one first internal input port of the first controller); and/or blocking the input signal at the second controller (such that in particular the input signal provides at the at least one second input terminal of the second controller is not supplied or transferred to a second internal input port of the second controller). Thereby, during the changeover of the at least one input line damage to components of the controllers may be reduced or even avoided.
According to an embodiment of the present invention the method for transition of control further comprises, in particular after the connecting the at least one input line to the second controller: removing the blocking the input signal of the first controller; and/or removing the blocking the input signal of the second controller. Thus, the first controller and/or the second controller are then provided with the input signal in fact delivered to the first input terminal of the first controller or delivered to the second input terminal of the second controller. Thereby, the control function of the first controller and the second controller may be performed actually based on the real input signal.
The input signal may for example represent a sensor signal which for example senses gas emission or fire.
According to an embodiment of the present invention the connecting the at least one input line to the second controller comprises connecting the at least one input line to at least one second input terminal of the second controller, the method further comprising: monitoring whether the connection of the at least one input line to at least one second input terminal of the second controller is correct.
In particular, the disconnecting the at least one input line from the first controller may comprise disconnecting the at least one input line from at least one first input terminal. Further, it may be checked whether the at least one first input terminal corresponds to the at least one second input terminal to which the input line has been connected. If it is determined that the connection of the at least one input line to the at least one second input terminal of the second controller does not correspond to the at least one first input terminal of the first controller, an alarm may be output and the at least one input line may be disconnected from the faulty second input terminal and may instead connected to another proper second input terminal of the second controller which may in turn be confirmed by another monitoring step.
It should be understood that features individually or in any combination disclosed, described, explained or provided for a method for transition of control from a first controller to a second controller according to an embodiment of the present invention may also be applied, provided or used for a system for transition of control between two controllers according to an embodiment of the present invention and vice versa.
According to an embodiment of the present invention it is provided a system for transition of control between two controllers, the system comprising: a first controller having: at least one first input terminal, at least one first internal input port, at least one first input OR-gate between the first input terminal and the first internal input port, at least one first output terminal, at least one first internal output port, at least one first output OR-gate between the first internal output port and the first output terminal; a second controller having: at least one second input terminal, at least one second internal input port, at least one second input OR-gate between the second input terminal and the second internal input port, at least one second output terminal, at least one second internal output port, at least one second output OR-gate between the second internal output port and the second output terminal; and a communication system for communicatively coupling the first controller and a second controller, such that an input signal received at a second input terminal of the second controller is supplied to the first input OR-gate, such that an output signal generated at a second output terminal of the second controller is supplied to the first output OR-gate, such that an input signal received at the first input terminal of the first controller is supplied to a second input OR-gate, such that an output signal generated at the first output terminal of the first controller is supplied to a second output OR-gate.
The first input terminal may represent a physical input terminal to which at least one input line may be connected. The first internal input port may represent a internal software logic within the first controller which may be indirectly connected to the first input terminal by providing the first input OR-gate in between. Further, an I/O-card may be arranged between the first input terminal and the first internal input port. Further, a blocking element may be provided between the first input terminal and the first internal input port.
Further, the first output terminal may represent a physical terminal to which at least one output line may be connected. Further, the first internal output port may represent an internal internal software logic within the first controller at which the first controller generates a control signal based on the signal received at one or more of the at least one internal input port. Further, in between the first output terminal and the first internal output port an I/O-card may be arranged. The I/O-card may provide some kind of data conversion or data encoding or decoding. The first controller may be adapted to be used in a method for transition of control from a first controller to a second controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The first controller may therefore particularly be adapted to exchange its I/O status with the second controller.
The system according to this embodiment may be operating during replacement of the first controller by the second controller, while the system is in continuous operation.
According to an embodiment of the present invention the system for transition of control between two controllers further comprises at least one first controllable input block arranged between the first input terminal and the first input OR-gate for blocking an input signal received at the first input terminal; at least one first controllable output block arranged between the first internal output port and the first output OR-gate for blocking an output signal generated at the first internal output port; at least one second controllable input block arranged between the second input terminal and the second input OR-gate for blocking an input signal received at the second input terminal; at least one second controllable output block arranged between the second internal output port and the second output OR-gate for blocking an output signal generated at the second internal output port.
The first controllable input block may avoid that an input signal supplied to the first input terminal may be transferred to the first internal input port for avoiding damage of the first controller. Further, the first controllable output block may avoid damage of the first controller when the output line is disconnected from the first controller or when a potential at the first output terminal is in an undefined condition. The same may apply to the second controllable input block and to the second controllable output block of the second controller.
Thereby, damage of the controller may be avoided, thus ensuring reliable operation of the system.
According to an embodiment of the present invention the communication system is implemented in software loaded into the first controller and the second controller. Thereby, no hardware replacements or additions may be required in order to provide the system and perform the method of transition of control.
According to an embodiment of the present invention the system for transition of control between two controllers is adapted as a protection system for controlling actuators for operation of a gas and/or fire emergency equipment.
In particular, the gas and/or fire emergency equipment may be utilized for managing emergency cases in a gas exploration or gas and oil production facility, such as an offshore platform or subsea gas/oil exploration site.
Embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention is not limited to the described or illustrated embodiments.
It has to be noted that embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to different subject matters. In particular, some embodiments have been described with reference to method type claims whereas other embodiments have been described with reference to apparatus type claims. However, a person skilled in the art will gather from the above and the following description that, unless other notified, in addition to any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter also any combination between features relating to different subject matters, in particular between features of the method type claims and features of the apparatus type claims is considered as to be disclosed with this document.
The FIGURE schematically illustrates a system 100 for transition of control between two controllers, a first controller 101 and a second controller 103 which is adapted to perform a method for transition of control from the first controller 101 to the second controller 103 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The illustration in the drawing is in schematic form.
The system 100 comprises the first controller 101, the second controller 103 and a communication system 105 for communicatively coupling the first controller 101 and the second controller 103.
The first controller 101 has at least one first input terminal 107, here exemplarily represented by five first input terminals 107, providing a first input signal 110. Further, the first controller 101 comprises a first internal input port 109 again exemplarily represented by five input ports 109 corresponding to the five first input terminals 107. Further, the first controller comprises at least one first input OR-gate 111, which is arranged between the first input terminal 107 and the first internal input port 109.
For clarity only one signal path between the first input terminal 107 and the first internal input port 109 is illustrated in the FIGURE, although each of the at least one first input terminal 107 comprises such a signal transmission path to the control section 113 harbouring the internal input ports 109. Further, between the first input terminal 107 and the first input OR-gate 111 a controllable first input block 113 is arranged.
The control section 113 of the first controller 101 comprises at least one first output terminal 117, here exemplarily represented by three internal output ports 117. However, there may be more or less internal output ports 117 and there may be also more or less internal input ports 109. The control section 113 outputs at the at least one first internal output port 117 an output signal 118 or a plurality of output signals 118 corresponding to the different internal output ports 117 which are derived based on the at least one input signal received at the at least one internal input port 109. The first output signal 118 supplied at the at least one first internal output port 117 is supplied via a first controllable output block 119, an OR-gate 121 to at least one first output terminal 123, wherein the number of first output terminals 123 corresponds to the number of first internal output ports 117.
The second controller 103 comprises at least one second input terminal 125, wherein a number of the at least one second input terminal equals the number of the at least one first input terminal 107 of the first controller 101. The second controller 103 comprises a second controllable input block 127 and a second input OR-gate 129 between the at least one second input terminal 125 and at least one second internal input port 131.
Further, the second controller 103 comprises a control section 133 which derives based on the at least one input signal received at the at least one internal input port 131 a second output signal 136 provided at at least one second internal output port 135. Via a second controllable output block 137 and a second output OR-gate 139 the second output signal is supplied to at least one second output terminal 141 of the second controller 103. For clarity only for one second input terminal 125 the second controllable input block 137 and the second input OR-gate 139 is illustrated, however the other input terminals 141 comprise corresponding transmission lines. The same holds for the output path between the control section 133 and the at least one output terminal 141.
Via the communication system 105 comprising a communication bus consisting of signal lines 143 at the input section and signal lines 145 at the output section the input signals and output signals between the first controller 101 and the second controller 103 are mutually exchanged.
In particular, an input signal supplied to the at least one first input terminal 107 (of the first controller 101) is supplied (via the communication bus 143) to the at least one OR-gate 129 (of the second controller 103) after having passed the controllable first input block 115. Similarly, the input signal supplied to the second input terminal 125 of the second controller 103 is supplied (via the communication bus 143) after having passed the second input block element 127 to the first input OR-gate 111 of the first controller 101. Thereby, exchange of the input signal between the two controllers 101, 103 is enabled.
Similarly, the first output signal 118 output at the internal first output terminal 117 is supplied after having passed the first controllable output block 119 to the second output OR-gate 139 of the second controller 103. Further, the second output signal 136 supplied or provided at the second internal output port 135 is supplied after having passed the second output controllable block element 137 to the first output OR-gate 121 of the first controller 101.
In particular, the first internal output port 117 outputs a first output signal 118. Further, the second internal output port 135 provides a second output signal 136.
The system 100 illustrated in the FIGURE is adapted to carry out a method for condition of control from the first controller 101 to the second controller 103 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Thereby, in the beginning the input lines 106 are all connected to the respective first input terminals 107 of the first controller 101 and the output lines 124 are all connected to the first output terminals 123 of the first controller. This is indicated by the solid line(s) of the input lines 106 and the output lines 124. In particular, the input lines 106 may be connected to one or more sensors for sensing physical quantities, such as temperature, fume, humidity, gas and so forth. Further, the output lines 124 may lead to one or more actuators for providing control signals to these actuators in order to operate these actuators in case of an emergency, such as a fire situation or a gas emission.
When the first controller 101 is to be replaced by the second controller 103 one of the output lines 124 may be disconnected from the first output terminal 123 and may then be connected to the first output terminal 141 as is indicated by the broken line 126. In particular, one output line 124 after the other may be switched from the first controller 101 to the second controller 103. This may be performed, while none of the input lines 106 is connected to the input terminal or terminals 125 of the second controller 103. Thus, also in this case the second controller 103 may be provided with essentially the same input signal(s) as those provided by the input lines 106 which are connected to the input terminals 107 of the first controller. This is achieved by the aforementioned exchange of input signals between the two controllers 101, 103.
The first output signal 118 derived by the control section 113 of the first controller 101 is, as was mentioned before, supplied to the second output OR-gate 139 of the second controller 103 and is thereby used as an input of this OR-gate 139, wherein further as an input the second output signal 136 derived by the control section 133 of the second controller 103 is supplied to this second output OR-gate 139. The resulting signal 147 from the OR-gate 139 is thus derived as a logical “OR” of the signal 136 and the signal 118.
In a later stage of the method for transition of control from the first controller 101 to the second controller 103 the first output signal 118 output by the control section 113 of the first controller 101 may be blocked using the first controllable output block 119 so that the second output OR-gate 139 does not receive anymore the first output signal 118 but only the second output signal 136. Thereby, the output signal 147 eventually output at the second output terminal 141 is the second output signal 136 as output by the control section 133 of the second controller 103.
In particular, during disconnecting the output line 124 from the first output terminal 123 and connecting it to the second output terminal 141 the output of the first output signal 118 and/or the output of the second output signal 136 may be blocked using the blocking elements 119, 137, respectively. Later, the first output signal 118 and/or the second output signal 136 may not be blocked anymore by removing the blocking.
The input lines 106 initially connected to the respective first input terminals 107 of the first controller 101 may be switched to be connected to the second input terminals 125 of the second controller 103 one by one (analogously to the switching the output lines 124) as schematically illustrated as the broken line 108.
The following table indicates the extent of adaptation of several components of the system 100 to be adapted for performing a method according to an embodiment of the present invention:
It should be noted that the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12159803.1 | Mar 2012 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2013/051531 | 1/28/2013 | WO | 00 |
