Safety controller module

An industrial control system, comprising:

• a non-safety controller comprising a first housing and a first connector accessible via an opening in the first housing;
• and
• a safety controller module, configured to execute at least one safety control function to provide safety control independently from the non-safety controller, comprising a second housing operative to be removably connected to the first housing and a second connector accessible via an opening in the second housing, the safety controller module being communicatively coupled to the non-safety controller utilizing the first and second connectors when the second housing is plugged in to the first housing, wherein:
• the first connector is one of a bay connector in an expansion module bay on the first housing and a backplane connector for the non-safety controller accessible via a slot in the first housing when the second housing is inserted in the slot in the first housing;
• the safety controller module is configured to communicate at least one of an input and an output of the safety controller module via the first and second connectors to the non-safety controller,
• the safety controller module is configured to receive, via the first and second connectors, and process at least one signal from at least one of the non-safety controller and another module communicatively coupled to the non-safety controller,
• the at least one signal includes one of feedback and monitoring information related to a process controlled by the non-safety controller,
• the at least one signal is provided to the non-safety controller from a device in the controlled process,
• the safety controller module executes the at least one safety control function as a function of the at least one signal from the non-safety controller, and
• wherein the non-safety controller is configured to execute non-safety functions based at least in part on at least one of the input and the output received from the safety controller module.

A method of providing safety control by a safety controller module, comprising:

• mounting the safety controller module to a non-safety controller via one of an expansion module bay and a slot in a housing of the non-safety controller;
• communicatively coupling the non-safety controller module with the safety controller utilizing a first connector of the non-safety controller module and a second connector of the safety controller;
• receiving at the safety controller, via the first and second connectors, and processing at least one signal from at least one of the non-safety controller and another module communicatively coupled to the non-safety controller;
• the at least one signal includes one of feedback and monitoring information related to a process controlled by the non-safety controller,
• the at least one signal is provided to the non-safety controller from a device in the controlled process,
• executing, by the safety controller module, safety control functions to provide independent safety control as a function of the at least one signal from the non-safety controller;
• and
• communicating, by the safety controller module, at least one of an input and an output of the safety controller module through the first and second connectors to the non-safety controller.