SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SUPPORTING WIRED AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS IN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY SYSTEMS

• US 20200137167A1
• Filed: 10/24/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Sukeerthi, Chunchgatta Narendra Harsha, Kinage, Amol
• Granted Patent: US 11,451,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24024 Safety, surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

This disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for supporting wired and wireless communications in industrial safety systems. The apparatus, system and method involve a safety management controller comprising one or more processors, one or more wired interfaces, and one or more wireless interfaces; wherein the safety management controller supports an application stack associated with an open industrial protocol that operates over multiple communication protocols, at least one of the communication protocols comprising a wired communication protocol, at least one other of the communication protocols comprising a wireless communication protocol.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a safety management controller comprising one or more processors, one or more wired interfaces, and one or more wireless interfaces;

wherein the safety management controller supports an application stack associated with an open industrial protocol that operates over multiple communication protocols, at least one of the communication protocols comprising a wired communication protocol, at least one other of the communication protocols comprising a wireless communication protocol.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an application profile associated with the open industrial protocol is common across all of the communication protocols.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more wired interfaces comprise an IEEE 802.3 transceiver; and

the one or more wireless interfaces comprise an IEEE 802.15.4 wireless radio.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the open industrial protocol comprises a PROFIsafe or openSAFETY protocol; and

the communication protocols comprise ISA100, PROFINET, and SafeNet protocols.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interfaces of the safety management controller is configured to communicate with at least one wireless device via a wireless gateway.

6. A system comprising:

one or more wired safety devices;

one or more wireless safety devices; and

a safety management controller comprising a safety management controller comprising one or more processors, one or more wired interfaces, and one or more wireless interfaces;

wherein the safety management controller supports an application stack associated with an open industrial protocol that operates over multiple communication protocols, at least one of the communication protocols comprising a wired communication protocol, at least one other of the communication protocols comprising a wireless communication protocol and

wherein an application profile associated with the open industrial protocol is common across all of the communication protocols.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the one or more wired interfaces comprise an IEEE 802.3 transceiver; and

the one or more wireless interfaces comprise an IEEE 802.15.4 wireless radio.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the open industrial protocol comprises a PROFIsafe or openSAFETY protocol; and

the communication protocols comprise ISA100, PROFINET, and SafeNet protocols.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the interfaces of the safety management controller is configured to communicate with at least one wireless device via a wireless gateway.

10. A method comprising:

operating a safety management controller in an industrial safety system, the safety management controller comprising one or more processors, one or more wired interfaces, and one or more wireless interfaces;

executing, by the safety management controller, an application stack associated with an open industrial protocol that operates over multiple communication protocols, at least one of the communication protocols comprising a wired communication protocol, at least one other of the communication protocols comprising a wireless communication protocol.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein an application profile associated with the open industrial protocol is common across all of the communication protocols.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more wired interfaces comprise an IEEE 802.3 transceiver; and

the one or more wireless interfaces comprise an IEEE 802.15.4 wireless radio.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the open industrial protocol comprises a PROFIsafe or openSAFETY protocol; and

the communication protocols comprise ISA100, PROFINET, and SafeNet protocols.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the interfaces of the safety management controller is configured to communicate with at least one wireless device via a wireless gateway.