Control and data-transfer system, gateway module, I/O module, and method for process control

A safety-related process control and data transmission system comprising:

• a plurality of single-channel I/O modules, each of the single-channel I/O modules comprising a communication diagnosis unit connected to a bus interface via registers for an input and an output of each respective single-channel I/O module for standard data signals that are non-safety-related signals;
• a gateway module, said gateway module and plurality of single-channel I/O modules communicable with each other through a local bus, said gateway module comprising a local bus master that generates a common data telegram, the common data telegram passing through each of the plurality of single-channel I/O modules in the manner of a shift register;
• and
• a diagnosis unit active within each of the single-channel I/O modules for generating at least one status data relating to a functional state of the inputs or the outputs of the respective single-channel I/O modules, transferring the status data to the gateway module and evaluating the input and the output for generating the status data,
• wherein a fault in communication between the gateway module and the single-channel I/O modules is detected in the gateway module by a checksum of a counter value using an individual counter that is provided in the common data telegram for each of the single-channel I/O modules, each respective individual counter having an initial value that is different for each of the respective single-channel I/O modules to provide an individual address for each of the respective single-channel I/O modules using the common data telegram, and
• wherein values of each of the individual counters are incremented from their respective initial values after successful communication of the common data telegram between the gateway module and the respective single-channel I/O modules, and
• wherein the status data generated at each single-channel I/O module is associated with a respective individual address.