Process for the processing of safety-relevant data

• US 6,577,918 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2000
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Roth, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, PAUL L
• Application Number:
  US09/500,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/4, 700/19, 700/20, 700/21, 700/23, 700/32, 700/73, 700/78, 700/79, 700/82, 700/108, 700/174, 700/177, 700/245, 700/2, 700/249, 702/57, 702/183, 709/201, 709/238, 709/251, 714/47, 714/48
• US Class Current: 700/177
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24175 Redundant communication channel, if one fails use the other
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25309 Module in ring for power supply and ring for command signals

Abstract

For optimizing data processing in a safety system for a machine, such as a robot or the like, while permitting a simple, safety-uncritical diagnosis, the invention provides a process for processing safety-relevant data in a safety system for a machine, such as a robot or the like, with several nodes connected in a ring and which is characterized in that in parallel in each node are processed the data received by it, which are retransmitted to the next node and for diagnosis purposes a diagnostic unit is provided which passively receives the data present in at least one node.

Claims

1. A process for processing safety-relevant data in a safely system for a machine with several machine part control nodes, the process comprising the steps of:

providing each control node with a microprocessor and data memory;

connecting the nodes with plural channel inputs providing redundant safety-relevant data;

connecting plural channel safety-relevant outputs to control safety-relevant control elements;

providing serial lines;

connecting each node to another node to one of the lines via an income serial interface and connecting each node to another one of the lines via a relaying serial interface to form a bus ring with connected nodes;

at each node receiving safety-relevant data at the plural channel inputs and processing the received safety-relevant data, the processing taking place in parallel at the respective nodes;

upon processing received safety-relevant data, each node transmitting processed data to a next node around the bus ring via the relaying serial interface and simultaneously receiving processed data from another node of the bus ring via the incoming serial interface.

2. A process according to claim 1, further comprising providing a diagnosis unit and using the diagnostic unit to passively receive data present in at least one node.

3. A process for processing safety-relevant data in a safety system for a machine with several machine part control nodes, the process comprising the steps of:

providing each control node with dual microprocessors and a data memory;

connecting the nodes with a plural channel inputs providing redundant safety-relevant data;

connecting plural channel safety-relevant outputs to control safety-relevant control elements;

providing serial lines;

connecting each node to another node to one of the lines via an incoming serial interface and connecting each node to another one of the lines via a relaying serial interface to form a bus ring with connected nodes;

at each node receiving safety-relevant data and processing the received safety-relevant data in parallel at each of the dual microprocessors, the processing taking place in parallel at the respective nodes, wherein the safety-relevant data received by each node is different in content from data received simultaneously at another node;

upon processing received safety-relevant data, each node transmitting processed data to a next node around the bus ring via the relaying serial interface and simultaneously receiving processed data from another node of the ring via the incoming serial interface.

4. A process according to claim 3, wherein for diagnosis use is made of a diagnostic unit which passively receives said data present in at least one node.