Coordinated safety interlocking systems and methods

A system for providing coordinated safety interlocking between a plurality of machines, the system comprising:

• a plurality of machine control units configured to control the plurality of machines;
• and
• at least one operator control unit configured to define a dynamic cluster including a subset of the plurality of machine control units and to control safety interlocking between each machine control unit by stopping operation of each machine control unit in response to a different machine control unit failing;
• wherein:
• the plurality of machine control units is configured to be operable for controlling a plurality of crane bridges, and the at least one operator control unit is configured to stop operation of all crane bridges if any crane bridges stop moving;
• and/or
• the plurality of machine control units is configured to be operable for controlling a plurality of crane hoists, and the at least one operator control unit is configured to stop operation of all crane hoists if any crane hoists stop moving.

A method of coordinating safety interlocking between a plurality of machines in a system, the method comprising:

• defining, by at least one operator control unit, a dynamic cluster of machine control units by selecting a subset of a plurality of machine control units configured to control the plurality of machines;
• receiving, at the at least one operator control unit, an operation status from each machine control unit in the dynamic cluster;
• transmitting, from the at least one operator control unit, a safety interlocking control message to each machine control unit in the dynamic cluster, the safety interlocking control message including an operation status for each machine control unit in the dynamic cluster;
• and
• stopping operation of each machine control unit in the dynamic cluster in response to any machine control unit in the dynamic cluster failing;
• wherein:
• the plurality of machine control units is configured to be operable for controlling a plurality of crane bridges, and the method further comprises stopping operation of all crane bridges if any crane bridges stop moving;
• and/or
• the plurality of machine control units is configured to be operable for controlling a plurality of crane hoists, and the method further comprises stopping operation of all crane hoists if any crane hoists stop moving.