Methods to configure a safety control system

A safety control system comprising:

• at least one monitored input port;
• at least one safety output port;
• a processor operatively coupled to the at least one monitored input port and the at least one safety output port;
• a data transfer link interface operatively coupled to the processor;
• and,
• a data store coupled to the processor and containing a program of instructions that are automatically executed by the processor in response to connection of a portable data storage device to the processor by the data transfer link interface,
• wherein the program of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations to automatically download network settings to the portable data storage device, the operations comprising:
• in response to the connection of the portable data storage device, receiving data from the portable data storage device corresponding to a first configuration profile for the safety control system, the first configuration profile being stored on the portable data storage device;
• in response to receiving the data, determining whether the safety control system is in a first predetermined state;
• in response to determining that the safety control system is not in the first predetermined state, then:
• determining whether the first configuration profile stored on the portable data storage device matches a second configuration profile pre-existing in the safety control system;
• and,
• in response to determining that the first configuration profile matches the second configuration profile, then reconfiguring the portable data storage device as a safety configuration device based on the configuration of the safety control system, the reconfiguration comprising transferring a copy of contents of a second network settings of the safety control system to the portable data storage device via the data transfer link.

A safety control system comprises:

• at least one monitored input port;
• at least one safety output port;
• at least one processor operatively coupled to the at least one monitored input port and the at least one safety output port;
• a data transfer link interface operatively coupled to the at least one processor;
• and,
• a data store coupled to the at least one processor and containing a program of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations to automatically download network settings to a portable data storage device in response to connection of the portable data storage device to the at least one processor by the data transfer link interface, the operations comprising:
• receiving data from the portable data storage device that stores a first configuration profile for the safety control system;
• determining whether the safety control system is in a predetermined state;
• and, if the safety control system is not in the predetermined state, then:
• (a) accessing, by the at least one processor, the portable data storage device;
• (b) determining, by the at least one processor, whether the first configuration profile matches a second configuration profile pre-existing in the safety control system;
• and,
• (c) if the first configuration profile matches the second configuration profile, then reconfiguring the portable data storage device as a safety configuration device based on the configuration of the safety control system, the reconfiguration comprising transferring, by the at least one processor, a copy of contents of a second network settings of the safety control system to the portable data storage device via the data transfer link.