Functional safety techniques for industrial automation devices

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by respective processing circuitry of one or more power modules of an industrial automation device, a continuous control signal from a controller of the industrial automation device, wherein the one or more power modules comprise driver circuitry and a power converter configured to provide power to a motor based on the signal;
• detecting, by the respective processing circuitry, a lack of communication from the controller based on the continuous control signal dropping out of communication with the power module;
• and
• in response to detecting, at the power module, the continuous control signal dropping out of communication with the power module:
• transmitting, by the respective processing circuitry, a first command to gating signal enable circuitry to disable the driver circuitry;
• and
• transmitting, by the respective processing circuitry, a second command to driver power circuitry to prevent power from being provided to the driver circuitry.

A system, comprising:

• a controller, comprising:
• a driver communicatively coupled to one or more transmitters, wherein the driver is configured to transmit a continuous control signal via the one or more transmitters to one or more respective power modules;
• and
• first processing circuitry configured to:
• receive one or more inputs indicative of a shutdown of the one or more respective power modules;
• in response to receiving the one or more inputs:
• transmitting a first command to driver control circuitry communicatively coupled to the driver, wherein the first command is configured to disable the driver;
• and
• transmitting a second command to transmitter control circuitry communicatively coupled to the transmitter, wherein the second command is configured to prevent power from being provided to the one or more transmitters;
• and
• a power module of the one or more respective power modules, wherein the power module is configured to control an operation of a power converter to provide power to a motor, wherein the power module is communicatively coupled to a first transmitter of the one or more transmitters, and wherein the power module comprises:
• driver circuitry configured to control the operation of the power converter;
• and
• second processing circuitry, at the power module, configured to:
• receive the continuous control signal from the first transmitter;
• detect a lack of communication from the driver based on the continuous control signal;
• in response to detecting the lack of communication:
• transmit a third command to gating signal enable circuitry at the power module to disable the driver circuitry;
• and
• transmit a fourth command to driver power circuitry to prevent power from being provided to the driver circuitry.