Safety controller with rapid backup and configuration

• US 9,897,990 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Germany GmbH & Co. KG (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Germany GmbH & Co. KG (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Papenbreer, Rudolf, Helpenstein, Thomas, Machuletz, Norbert, Heckel, Oliver, Khaniki, Mussa Tohidi, Prosak, Bradley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Dennis M
• Application Number:
  US14/703,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20160327923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24024 Safety, surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A safety controller and system of safety controllers and a removable memory module for rapid configuration and/or backup of safety controllers are provided. The safety controller comprises a non-volatile memory and one or more slots configured to host modules. A predetermined slot of the one or more slots is configured to communicatively couple the safety controller with a memory module. The safety controller is configured to transfer a backup of a configuration on the safety controller to a memory module hosted in the predetermined slot and configured to load a configuration from a memory module hosted in the predetermined slot. A method of distributing software to a plurality of industrial safety controller comprises utilizing a memory module.

Claims

1. A safety controller, comprising:

a chassis including one or more receptacles, wherein;

each receptacle is configured to receive a module, selected from a plurality of different modules,

one receptacle, selected from the one or more receptacles, is a predetermined receptacle, and

the predetermined receptacle is operative to receive a removable memory module;

a non-volatile memory device contained within the chassis, the non-volatile memory device operative to store a configuration of the safety controller, the configuration including a verified safety control program and a verification ID associated with the verified safety control program; and

a processing unit contained within the chassis, wherein;

the processing unit is in communication with the predetermined receptacle,

the processing unit is configured to detect the removable memory module in the predetermined receptacle at power up,

the processing unit is configured to enter a non-operative state when the removable memory module is detected in the predetermined receptacle at power up,

the processing unit is configured to transfer a backup of the configuration from the non-volatile memory device to the memory module hosted in the predetermined receptacle in the non-operative state, and

the processing unit is configured to load the configuration from the memory module hosted in the predetermined receptacle to the safety controller in the non-operative state, and wherein the backup of the verified safety control program on the memory module comprises the verification ID for restoring the verified safety control program.

2. The safety controller of claim 1, wherein in the non-operative state the processing unit is not executing a safety control program, supports backup of the configuration from the safety controller, and supports loading of the configuration to the safety controller.

3. The safety controller of claim 1, wherein the configuration comprises a safety controller firmware.

4. The safety controller of claim 3, wherein the backup of the verified safety control program on the memory module comprises the verification ID for restoring the verified safety control program together with the verification ID on the safety controller.

5. The safety controller of claim 1, comprising at least two receptacles to host modules,

wherein only the predetermined receptacle is configured to communicatively couple the safety controller with the memory module or a communication module, the communication module providing at least one of gateway functionality, wired network connectivity or wireless network connectivity to the safety controller.

6. The safety controller of claim 5, further comprising

at least two processing units comprising only one processing unit having communication functions, only the predetermined receptacle being configured for communicative coupling with the processing unit having the communication functions.

7. The safety controller of claim 6, comprising

two safety processing units that at least in part operate in a synchronous mode of executing safety tasks;

and

a standard processing unit having the communication functions, wherein the standard processing unit is at least in part separate from the safety processing units.

8. The safety controller of claim 1, further comprising

user interface means for at least one of initiating generation of the backup of the configuration to the memory module and initiating loading the configuration from the memory module to the safety controller.

9. The safety controller of claim 1, wherein the safety controller is configurable by software running on a remote device, comprising downloading a configured project as the configuration to the safety controller.

10. The safety controller of claim 1, comprising

a module bay, each receptacle being a top plug-in receptacle of the module bay for hosting plug-in modules and comprising a bay connector.

11. A safety control system for rapid configuration of safety controllers, comprising

a plurality of safety controllers, each safety controller including:

a chassis including one or more receptacles, wherein each receptacle is configured to receive a module, selected from a plurality of different modules, and one receptacle, selected from the one or more receptacles, is a predetermined receptacle;

a non-volatile memory device contained within the chassis, the non-volatile memory device operative to store a configuration of the safety controller, the configuration including a verified safety control program and a verification ID associated with the verified safety control program; and

a processing unit contained within the chassis, wherein the processing unit is in communication with the predetermined receptacle; and

a removable memory module configured for being hosted in the predetermined receptacle of each safety controller of the plurality of safety controllers, wherein the processing unit of each safety controller is configured to detect the removable memory module in the predetermined receptacle at power up and to enter a non-operative state when the removable memory module is detected in the predetermined receptacle at power up, wherein

each safety controller and the memory module are configured for transfer of a backup of a configuration on the safety controller to the removable memory module when the safety controller is in the non-operative state or for loading a configuration from the removable memory module to the safety controller when the safety controller is in the non-operative state.

12. The safety control system of claim 11, further comprising

one or more expansion modules configured for being hosted by one or more of the safety controllers, the expansion modules comprising at least one of a digital input module, an analog input module, a digital output module, an analog output module, and a communication module.

13. The safety control system of claim 11, at least one safety controller of the plurality of safety controllers is configured to receive a download of the configuration via a network or a USB connection.

14. The safety control system of claim 11, wherein each safety controller of the plurality of safety controllers and the memory module are configured for removal of the memory module from the predetermined receptacle after completion of a loading of the configuration from the memory module to the safety controller or after completion of the backup of the configuration from the safety controller to the memory module.

15. A method of distributing software to a plurality of industrial safety controllers, the method comprising steps of:

loading a software associated with an industrial safety controller or with industrial safety control on a memory module;

inserting the memory module in a predetermined slot selected from one or more module slots of a first industrial safety controller selected from the plurality of industrial safety controllers,

powering up the first industrial safety controller with the memory module inserted in the predetermined slot;

identifying that the memory module is inserted in the predetermined slot with a processing unit on the first industrial safety controller during a power up sequence;

entering a non-operative state in the first industrial safety controller when the memory module is identified as being inserted in the predetermined slot during power up;

initiating a transfer of the software from the memory module to the first industrial safety controller when the first industrial safety controller is in the non-operative state;

in response to the initiating, transferring the software from the memory module to the first industrial safety controller; and

storing the transferred software in a non-volatile memory of the first industrial safety controller.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the software comprises a safety control application.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the software comprises a controller firmware.

18. The method of claim 17, the transferring comprising the controller firmware overwriting an existing controller firmware stored in a ROM of the first industrial safety controller.

19. The method of claim 16, the step of loading comprising:

inserting the memory module in a predetermined slot on a second industrial safety controller selected from the plurality of industrial safety controllers;

powering up the second industrial safety controller with the memory module inserted in the predetermined slot;

identifying that the memory module is inserted in the predetermined slot with a second processing unit on the second industrial safety controller during a power up sequence;

entering a non-operative state in the second industrial safety controller when the memory module is identified as being inserted in the predetermined slot on the second industrial safety controller during power up;

determining whether a safety control application on the second industrial safety controller is verified with the second processing unit; and

if the safety control application is verified, loading the software from the second industrial safety controller to the memory module with the second processing unit when the second industrial safety controller is in the non-operative state.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

downloading the software from a software editor or software configuration tool to the second industrial safety controller; and

storing the software in a non-volatile memory of the second industrial safety controller.