Safety control device and method for changing a range of functions of a safety control device

A method for changing a function range of a safety control device, the safety control device comprising:

• at least one input module having a number of input interfaces;
• at least one output module having a number of output interfaces;
• and
• a computing unit connected to the at least one input module and to the at least one output module, the computing unit including:
• a programmable processor;
• a read-only memory to non-volatilely store an operating program for the processor with program code in machine-readable form for providing a function library with a number n of functions (F1-Fn) of the safety control device;
• and
• a non-volatile, overwritable storage medium that is integrated in the computing unit or is accommodated interchangeably in a storage medium interface of the computing unit, wherein:
• a number of function activation codes (FACi) are stored downloadably in the storage medium;
• and each of the function activation codes (FACi) is capable of being assigned a function (Fi) of the function library (F) such that by logically linking the function activation codes (FACi) to their associated functions (Fi) of the function library (F) only those functions (Fi) of the function library (F) can be activated whose function activation codes (FACi) are stored in the storage medium;
• wherein the function library (F) comprises a first function group (FG1), which, after activation by the associated function activation codes (FACi) in a first basic configuration, makes available to the safety control device function ranges for a signal processing-free signal input and signal output;
• wherein the function library (F) comprises a second function group (FG2), which, after activation by the associated function activation codes (FACi) in a second basic configuration, makes available to the safety control device function ranges of a programmable logic controller;
• wherein the function library (F) comprises a third function group (FG3), which, after activation by the associated function activation codes (FACi) in a third basic configuration, makes available to the safety control device function ranges of a safety control device with safety-related control rules;
• the method comprising:
• non-volatilely storing the operating program for the processor in the read-only memory;
• downloadably storing the function activation codes (FACi) in the overwritable, non-volatile storage medium;
• and
• linking the stored function activation codes (FACi) to their associated functions (Fi) of the function library (F) of the operating program in the safety control device.