Back to results
US 2006/0142873 A1Published application
Method to increase the safety integrity level of a control system
AssigneeABB AB
InventorsAudun Opem, Mats Gunnmarker, Kai Hansen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Controller capable of executing non-safety-related control logic. A safety module is added to the controller in order to increase the safety-integrity level of a control system. The controller is able to execute safety-related control of real-world objects. Such a control system may exist at an offshore production platform or in a hazardous area of a chemical plant.
Claims20
A method to increase the safety integrity level of a controller for control of real world objects, the method comprising:
- attaching to the single controller a safety-hardware unit wherein the safety hardware unit communicates with a central processing unit of the controller,
- downloading safety-related configuration data and/or diagnostic information to the attached safety-hardware unit and downloading the control function software to the controller,
- configuring the attached safety-hardware unit to execute logic, which depends on the downloaded safety-related configuration data and/or diagnostic information, and in an active or passive way set output values of the controller to a safe state for online safety control.
A single or 1-channel control system intended for safety-related control of real-world objects, comprising:
- a single main central processing unit handling the main processes of a controller,
- an attached safety-hardware unit comprising means to increase the safety-integrity level of the controller and comprising means to set output values of the controller in a safe state for online safety control.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.