System for operating at least one non-safety-critical and at least one safety-critical process

• US 8,549,136 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Kalhoff, Johannes, Lutz, Rahlves, Horn, Steffen
• Primary Examiner(s): VOSTAL, ONDREJ C
• Application Number:
  US12/247,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/058 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

For the operation of at least one non-safety-critical application process and at least one safety-critical application process, the invention proposes a data processing and transmission system with a data transmission network, at least one non-safety-related network element linked to the non-safety-critical application process and connected to the network, and with at least one safety-related network element linked to the safety-critical application process, as well as with at least one master unit connected to the network, and a server unit connected to the network separately from the master unit, wherein the safety-related server unit controls the at least one safety-critical application process, specifically by processing safety-relevant data necessary for controlling the safety-critical application process and by organizing the transmission of the safety-relevant data over the network by means of at least one of the network elements and/or the master unit.

Claims

1. A data processing and transmission system for operating at least one non-safety-critical application process and at least one safety-critical application process, comprising:

a data transmission network;

at least one non-safety-related network element, linked to the non-safety-critical application process and connected to the network;

at least one safety-related network element, linked to the safety-critical application process and connected to the network;

at least one master unit connected to the network;

a safety-related server unit connected to the network separately from the master unit, for controlling the at least one safety-critical application process by processing safety-relevant data necessary for controlling the safety-critical application process; and

an allocation unit connected to the network, wherein the allocation unit is constructed to

i) determine network elements connected to the network that are relevant to controlling of the safety-critical application process and that must be supplied with the safety-relevant data, or must obtain the safety-relevant data,

ii) generate information describing the determined network elements,

iii) provide the safety-related server unit and the determined network elements with the generated information, and

iv) initialize the master unit by means of the generated information in order to provide operating means and access rules for a transmission of the safety-relevant data between the safety-related server unit and the determined network elements,

wherein the transmission of the safety-relevant data is organized by the safety-related server unit according to a safety communication superimposed to a standard communication of the data transmission network, the safety communication is between the safety-related server unit and the determined network elements, and wherein the safety-critical application process is controlled independently of the non-safety-critical application process and can be operated independently of the data transmission network structure and protocols; and

wherein the master unit is initialized in order to operate the network in such a manner that a superimposed safety-related network structure is provided and, based on a standard communication via the network, a superimposed safety communication is possible according to a safety communication protocol superimposed to a standard communication of the data transmission network.

2. The data processing and transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the allocation unit is constructed to determine the connected network elements that are relevant to the control of the safety-critical application process by interaction with the master unit.

3. The data processing and transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the allocation unit is integrated in the master unit.

4. The data processing and transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the information generated by the allocation unit and describing the determined network elements comprises parameter descriptions and/or details of a secure signal path like addresses, communication source and sink, time reference, reaction time, switch-off time and replacement values.

5. The data processing and transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the safety-relevant data is available in the form of a secured protocol.