Risk evaluation support device, program product and method for controlling safety network risk evaluation support device

• US 20060038688A1
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Toshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.100
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/058 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management

Abstract

A risk evaluation support device is used for a safety network which serves to cause an output device to make a controlled device operable based on a detection signal outputted from an input device when the input device detects a safety condition. The support device creates a parameter setting table for correlating a danger source with the input and output devices and a PLC for risk evaluation based on configuration data of the safety network obtained through a communication part and device data on devices obtained from a component database. Operating data for the safety network are obtained according to conditions provided by the parameter setting table and a current risk evaluation value for the danger source is calculated based on the obtained operating data. The calculated risk evaluation value is outputted to a display part.

Claims

1. A risk evaluation support device for a safety network, said safety network serving to cause an output device to make a controlled device operable based on a detection signal outputted from an input device when said input device detects a safety condition, said risk evaluation support device comprising:

table creating means for creating a parameter setting table for risk evaluation based on configuration data of said safety network and device data on devices that form said safety network, said parameter setting table correlating a danger source with said input device and said output device;

data obtaining means for obtaining operating data for said safety network according to conditions provided by said parameter setting table for risk evaluation;

calculating means for calculating a current risk evaluation value for said danger source based on said obtained operating data; and

outputting means for outputting data related to said risk evaluation value calculated by said calculating means.

2. The risk evaluation support device of claim 1 wherein said calculating means calculates said risk evaluation value based at least on the scale of injury by said danger source.

3. The risk evaluation support device of claim 1 wherein said parameter setting table stores standard setting values of observation parameters;

and

wherein said calculating means obtains current values of said observation parameters based on said obtained operating data and calculates said current risk evaluation value for said danger source at least from said current value and said standard setting values.

4. The risk evaluation support device of claim 2 wherein said parameter setting table stores standard setting values of observation parameters;

and

wherein said calculating means obtains current values of said observation parameters based on said obtained operating data and calculates said current risk evaluation value for said danger source at least from said current value and said standard setting values.

5. The risk evaluation support device of claim 1 wherein said calculating means calculates said risk evaluation value at least based on data related to frequency of approach to said danger source.

6. The risk evaluation support device of claim 2 wherein said calculating means calculates said risk evaluation value at least based on data related to frequency of approach to said danger source.

7. The risk evaluation support device of claim 3 wherein said calculating means calculates said risk evaluation value at least based on data related to frequency of approach to said danger source.

8. The risk evaluation support device of claim 4 wherein said calculating means calculates said risk evaluation value at least based on data related to frequency of approach to said danger source.

9. The risk evaluation support device of claim 1 adapted to output an alarm when said risk evaluation value exceeds a preliminarily specified threshold value.

10. The risk evaluation support device of claim 2 adapted to output an alarm when said risk evaluation value exceeds a preliminarily specified threshold value.

11. The risk evaluation support device of claim 3 adapted to output an alarm when said risk evaluation value exceeds a preliminarily specified threshold value.

12. The risk evaluation support device of claim 4 adapted to output an alarm when said risk evaluation value exceeds a preliminarily specified threshold value.

13. The risk evaluation support device of claim 5 adapted to output an alarm when said risk evaluation value exceeds a preliminarily specified threshold value.

14. The risk evaluation support device of claim 6 adapted to output an alarm when said risk evaluation value exceeds a preliminarily specified threshold value.

15. The risk evaluation support device of claim 7 adapted to output an alarm when said risk evaluation value exceeds a preliminarily specified threshold value.

16. The risk evaluation support device of claim 8 adapted to output an alarm when said risk evaluation value exceeds a preliminarily specified threshold value.

17. A program product for carrying out risk evaluation for a safety network, said safety network serving to cause an output device to make a controlled device operable based on a detection signal outputted from an input device when said input device detects a safety condition, said program product comprising program parts carrying out the steps of:

obtaining configuration data of said safety network and device data on devices that form said safety network and creating a parameter setting table for risk evaluation based on said obtained configuration data of said safety network and device data, said parameter setting table correlating a danger source with said input device and said output device;

obtaining operating data for said safety network according to conditions provided by said parameter setting table for risk evaluation;

calculating a current risk evaluation value for said danger source based on said obtained operating data; and

outputting data related to said risk evaluation value.

18. A method of controlling a risk evaluation support device for a safety network, said safety network serving to cause an output device to make a controlled device operable based on a detection signal outputted from an input device when said input device detects a safety condition, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining configuration data of said safety network and device data on devices that form said safety network;

creating a parameter setting table for risk evaluation based on said obtained configuration data of said safety network and said device data, said parameter setting table correlating a danger source with said input device and said output device;

obtaining operating data for said safety network according to conditions provided by said parameter setting table for risk evaluation;

calculating a current risk evaluation value for said danger source based on said obtained operating data; and

outputting data related to said risk evaluation value.