Safety controller and method for controlling an automated installation
First Claim
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1. A safety controller for controlling an automated installation which comprises a plurality of sensors including at least one guard door sensor for signaling when a guard door is closed and a plurality of actuators, the safety controller comprising:
- a control unit to which a plurality of control input signals are supplied by the sensors, wherein the control unit is designed to produce a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program running in said control unit either in an automatic mode or in one from a plurality of special operating modes, wherein the guard door is closed in the automatic mode and wherein the guard door is open in any of the special operating modes, and wherein the plurality of control output signals are used to actuate the plurality of actuators,a diagnosis evaluation unit to which a number of diagnosis input signals are supplied, wherein the diagnosis evaluation unit is designed to take the number of diagnosis input signals as a basis for ascertaining which of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time, wherein the plurality of operating states comprise at least one process state for the installation to be controlled and at least one system state for the safety controller, wherein the diagnosis evaluation unit produces at least one operating state signal which represents an ascertained operating state,a display unit designed to display diagnosis reports,an operating mode selection unit which is designed to select one from the plurality of special operating modes which are different from one another, wherein the mode selection unit provides a special operating mode signal which represents a selected special operating mode, wherein said special operating mode signal is supplied to the control unit in order to operate the installation in the selected special operating mode, when the guard door is open,a detection unit, wherein the detection unit is designed to detect an access authorization associated with a person interacting with the safety controller, wherein the detection unit provides an access authorization signal which represents the detected access authorization, anda diagnosis selection unit to which the operating state signal, the special operating mode signal and the access authorization signal are supplied, wherein the diagnosis selection unit stores a plurality of predefined diagnosis reports for each of the plurality of operating states, which diagnosis reports are different from one another, wherein the plurality of diagnosis reports comprises a respective diagnosis report associated with each combination of the ascertained operating state, the selected special operating mode, and the detected access authorization, wherein the diagnosis selection unit selects a diagnosis report from the plurality of predefined diagnosis reports as a function of the ascertained operating state and as a function of the selected special operating mode and the detected access authorization, and wherein the diagnosis selection unit produces a diagnosis signal which represents the diagnosis report and which is supplied to the interface for the display unit for the purpose of displaying the diagnosis report.
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Abstract
A safety controller for controlling an automated installation has a control unit to which a plurality of control input signals are supplied from the sensors of the installation. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program running in said control unit in an automatic mode. The plurality of control output signals actuate the actuators. The safety controller also has a diagnosis evaluation unit that ascertains which one of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time and produces an operating state signal which represents the ascertained operating state. A diagnosis selection unit generates a diagnosis report as a function of the operating state signal and as a function of a user access authorization signal and/or a special operating mode signal. The diagnosis report representing the ascertained operating state thus varies depending on specific circumstances, such as a certain user access authorization or a certain operating mode.
36 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A safety controller for controlling an automated installation which comprises a plurality of sensors including at least one guard door sensor for signaling when a guard door is closed and a plurality of actuators, the safety controller comprising:
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a control unit to which a plurality of control input signals are supplied by the sensors, wherein the control unit is designed to produce a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program running in said control unit either in an automatic mode or in one from a plurality of special operating modes, wherein the guard door is closed in the automatic mode and wherein the guard door is open in any of the special operating modes, and wherein the plurality of control output signals are used to actuate the plurality of actuators, a diagnosis evaluation unit to which a number of diagnosis input signals are supplied, wherein the diagnosis evaluation unit is designed to take the number of diagnosis input signals as a basis for ascertaining which of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time, wherein the plurality of operating states comprise at least one process state for the installation to be controlled and at least one system state for the safety controller, wherein the diagnosis evaluation unit produces at least one operating state signal which represents an ascertained operating state, a display unit designed to display diagnosis reports, an operating mode selection unit which is designed to select one from the plurality of special operating modes which are different from one another, wherein the mode selection unit provides a special operating mode signal which represents a selected special operating mode, wherein said special operating mode signal is supplied to the control unit in order to operate the installation in the selected special operating mode, when the guard door is open, a detection unit, wherein the detection unit is designed to detect an access authorization associated with a person interacting with the safety controller, wherein the detection unit provides an access authorization signal which represents the detected access authorization, and a diagnosis selection unit to which the operating state signal, the special operating mode signal and the access authorization signal are supplied, wherein the diagnosis selection unit stores a plurality of predefined diagnosis reports for each of the plurality of operating states, which diagnosis reports are different from one another, wherein the plurality of diagnosis reports comprises a respective diagnosis report associated with each combination of the ascertained operating state, the selected special operating mode, and the detected access authorization, wherein the diagnosis selection unit selects a diagnosis report from the plurality of predefined diagnosis reports as a function of the ascertained operating state and as a function of the selected special operating mode and the detected access authorization, and wherein the diagnosis selection unit produces a diagnosis signal which represents the diagnosis report and which is supplied to the interface for the display unit for the purpose of displaying the diagnosis report. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for controlling an automated installation which comprises a plurality of sensors including at least one guard door sensor for signaling when a guard door is closed and a plurality of actuators, the method comprising the following steps:
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supplying a plurality of control input signals to a control unit by the sensors, wherein the control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals and in accordance with a user program running in said control unit either in an automatic mode or in one from a plurality of special operating modes, wherein the guard door is closed in the automatic mode and wherein the guard door is open in any of the special operating modes, wherein the plurality of control output signals actuate the plurality of actuators, ascertaining which of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time on the basis of a number of diagnosis input signals, wherein the plurality of operating states comprise at least one process state for the installation to be controlled and at least one system state for the safety controller, and producing an operating state signal which represents an ascertained operating state, selecting one of a plurality of special operating modes which are different from one another, wherein the special operating modes each are different from the automatic mode, and providing a special operating mode signal which represents the selected special operating mode, detecting an access authorization associated with a person interacting with the safety controller, and providing an access authorization signal which represents the detected access authorization, supplying the operating state signal, the special operating mode signal and the access authorization signal to a diagnosis selection unit, wherein the diagnosis selection unit stores a plurality of different predefined diagnosis reports for each of the plurality of operating states, selecting a diagnosis report from the plurality of predefined diagnosis reports, with the selected diagnosis report representing the ascertained operating state as a function of the ascertained operating state and as a function of the selected special operating mode and the detected access authorization, wherein the plurality of diagnosis reports comprises a respective diagnosis report associated with each combination of the ascertained operating state and the selected special operating mode, producing a diagnosis signal representing the diagnosis report in the diagnosis selection unit, and supplying the diagnosis signal to a display unit for the purpose of displaying the selected diagnosis report.
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14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing a computer program comprising program code designed to run on a control unit of a safety controller for controlling an automated installation which comprises a plurality of sensors including at least one guard door sensor for signaling when a guard door is closed and a plurality of actuators, wherein said program code is further designed to carry out a method comprising the following steps, when the program code is executed on the control unit:
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receiving a plurality of control input signals from the sensors at the control unit and producing a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals either in an automatic mode or in one from a plurality of special operating modes, wherein the guard door is closed in the automatic mode and wherein the guard door is open in any of the special operating modes, wherein the plurality of control output signals actuate the plurality of actuators, ascertaining which of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time, wherein the plurality of operating states comprise at least one process state for the installation to be controlled and at least one system state for the safety controller, and producing an operating state signal which represents an ascertained operating state, selecting one from the plurality of special operating modes which are different from one another, wherein the special operating modes each are different from the automatic mode, wherein the guard door is open in any of the special operating modes, and providing a special operating mode signal which represents the selected special operating mode, detecting an access authorization associated with a person interacting with the safety controller, and providing an access authorization signal which represents the detected access authorization, supplying the operating state signal, the special operating mode signal and the access authorization signal to a diagnosis selection unit, wherein the diagnosis selection unit stores a plurality of different predefined diagnosis reports for each of the plurality of operating states, selecting a diagnosis report from the plurality of predefined diagnosis reports, with the selected diagnosis report representing the ascertained operating state as a function of the ascertained operating state and as a function of the selected special operating mode and the detected access authorization, wherein the plurality of diagnosis reports comprises a respective diagnosis report associated with each combination of the ascertained operating state and the selected special operating mode, producing a diagnosis signal representing the diagnosis report in the diagnosis selection unit, and supplying the diagnosis signal to a display unit for the purpose of displaying the selected diagnosis report.
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Specification
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Current AssigneePILZ GmbH & Company KG
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Original AssigneePILZ GmbH & Company KG
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InventorsEhrhart, Helmut, Woehrle, Stefan, Zondler, Martin
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Primary Examiner(s)Flynn, Nathan
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Assistant Examiner(s)LAKHIA, VIRAL S
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Application NumberUS13/115,494Publication NumberTime in Patent Office916 DaysField of Search726/2, 726/21, 726/26, 700/20, 700/29, 700/2, 700/4US Class Current726/21CPC Class CodesG05B 9/02 electricY02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g....
