US 12,607,970 B2Granted

Using software encoded processing to achieve a SIL rating for safety applications executed in the cloud or in non-safety rated servers

AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.

InventorsSteven Terry Seidlitz, James Grosskreuz, Xiaobo Peng

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Abstract

A cloud-based industrial safety system executes safety applications and interfaces with industrial assets on the plant floor using software encoded processing (SEP). The use of SEP ensures safety reliable execution of safety applications and data communication software by redundantly executing native code, thereby implementing a level of software-based fault detection that is independent of the hardware on which the safety application operates. This allows the cloud-based industrial safety applications to achieve at least SIL3 safety ratings for safety services even though the safety applications are executed using standard COTS hardware that is commonplace in the server market. The use of SEP to reliably execute safety software on the cloud can make possible a wide variety of safety applications that would be difficult to implement using purely localized industrial safety systems.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a memory that stores executable components;
and
a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes the executable components, the executable components comprising:
a communication component configured to collect, on a cloud platform, input data from first industrial devices that operate within an industrial facility;
and
a safety execution component configured to
process the input data using a primary version of safety processing code associated with an industrial safety application to yield a safety processing result,
process an encoded version of the input data using an arithmetically encoded version of the safety processing code to yield an encoded safety processing result,
in response to validating that a result of a comparison between the safety processing result and the encoded safety processing result satisfies a criterion indicative of error-free execution of the safety processing code, generate safety output data directed to a second industrial device within the industrial facility based on the safety processing result,
wherein
the communication component is further configured to
process the safety output data using transmission communication code to yield safety data packets,
process an encoded version of the safety output data using an arithmetically encoded version of the transmission communication code to yield encoded safety data packets, and
send the safety data packets and the encoded safety data packets to the second industrial device, and
the safety data packets and the encoded safety data packets cause the second industrial device to initiate a safety action designed to mitigate a hazard indicated by the safety processing result.

12 more elements

A method, comprising:

collecting, by an industrial safety system on a cloud platform comprising a processor, input data from first industrial devices that operate within a plant facility;
processing, by the industrial safety system, the input data on the cloud platform in accordance with an industrial safety application, wherein the processing comprises:
processing the input data using a primary version of the safety processing code to yield a safety processing result;
processing an encoded version of the input data using an arithmetically encoded version of the safety processing code to yield an encoded safety processing result;
and
in response to validating that a result of a comparison between the safety processing result and the encoded safety processing result satisfies a criterion indicative of error-free execution of the safety processing code, generating safety output data based on the safety processing;
and
sending, by the industrial safety system, the safety output data directed to a second industrial device within the plant facility, wherein the sending comprises:
processing the safety output data using transmission communication code to yield safety data packets;
processing an encoded version of the safety output data using an arithmetically encoded version of the transmission communication code to yield encoded safety data packets;
and
sending the safety data packets and the encoded safety data packets to the second industrial device,
wherein the sending of the safety output data causes the second industrial device to perform a safety action designed to mitigate a hazard indicated by the safety processing result.

10 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, in response to execution, cause an industrial safety system comprising a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, on a cloud platform, input data from first industrial devices that operate within an industrial facility;
processing the input data on the cloud platform in accordance with an industrial safety application, wherein the processing comprises:
processing the input data using a primary version of the safety processing code to yield a safety processing result;
processing an encoded version of the input data using an arithmetically encoded version of the safety processing code to yield an encoded safety processing result;
and
in response to validating that a result of a comparison between the safety processing result and the encoded safety processing result satisfies a criterion indicative of error-free execution of the safety processing code, generating safety output data based on the safety processing;
and
sending the safety output data directed to a second industrial device within the industrial facility, wherein the sending of the safety output data causes the second industrial device to perform a safety action designed to mitigate a hazard indicated by the safety processing result, and wherein the sending comprises:
processing the safety output data using transmission communication code to yield safety data packets;
processing an encoded version of the safety output data using an arithmetically encoded version of the transmission communication code to yield encoded safety data packets;
and
sending the safety data packets and the encoded safety data packets to the second industrial device.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.