Universal safety I/O module
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGregg Sichner, Joseph Vazach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A safety control block interfaces to one or more devices utilizing one or more communication protocols wherein a network interface receives and/or transmits data directly from a network. A backplane interface receives and/or transmits data from a backplane. A backplane extension receives and/or transmits data from a backplane. A processing component receives data from at least one of the network interface, backplane interface and backplane extension and determines if the received data is related to safety or non-safety. A safety I/O circuitry receives safety data from the processing component; wherein the safety data is utilized to communicate to at least one control device.
Claims20
A safety control block that interfaces to one or more devices utilizing one or more communication protocols, comprising:
- a network interface that receives and/or transmits data directly from a network;
- a backplane interface that receives and/or transmits data from a backplane;
- a backplane extension that receives and/or transmits data from a backplane;
- a processing component that receives data from at least one of the network interface, backplane interface and backplane extension and determines if the received data is related to safety or non-safety;
- a safety I/O circuitry that receives safety data from the processing component;
- wherein the safety data is utilized to communicate to at least one control device.
A field I/O component that processes safety and non-safety data within an industrial control architecture, comprising:
- a non-safety I/O component that receives, processes and outputs data unrelated to safety, wherein the non-safety I/O component is coupled to the expansion port;
- a bridging element that facilitates the communication of safety data to a backplane;
- an expansion port that is coupled to the non-safety I/O component;
- and
- a universal safety block coupled to the expansion port that receives, processes and outputs data related to safety.
A method for processing data within a control architecture, comprising:
- receiving data from a control network;
- determining if the data is related to safety based at least in part upon interfacing with a safety table;
- transmitting data related to safety to a safety I/O component;
- and
- processing the safety data via the safety I/O component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.