Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

David A Karpuszka

Ronald Edwin Schultz

Raymond R Husted

William B Cook

Dennis J Dombrosky

An industrial control system implementing a multi-tasking operating system employs a primary and secondary controller each having a processor and an I/O data table. The processors are configured to execute one or more priority ranked programs. A tracking of changes in the I/O data table of the primary processor is used to independently track changes to controller specific data that has been changed and program specific data that has been changed and to transmit controller specific data that has been changed by any program and program specific data that has been changed only for completed programs to the secondary processor.

Method and apparatus for providing redundancy in an industrial control system

A system and method for industrial control I/O forcing is provided. The invention includes a processor, shared memory and an I/O processor with cache memory. The invention provides for the cache memory to be loaded with I/O force data from the shared memory. The I/O processor performs I/O forcing utilizing the I/O force data stored in the cache memory. The invention further provides for the processor to notify the I/O processor in the event that I/O force data is altered during control program execution. The invention further provides for the I/O processor to refresh the cache memory (e.g., via a blocked write) after receipt of alteration of the I/O force data from the processor.

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Concord, OH, United States of America

David A Karpuszka