Address allocation for secure bus subscribers

A control system for the secure control of safety-critical processes, the control system comprising:

• a bus system,
• a control unit connected to the bus system, and
• at least one secure bus subscriber connected to the bus system,
• wherein the at least one secure bus subscriber has means for picking up and evaluating an address allocation message and also a memory for storing a subscriber address assigned to the bus subscriber, and the control unit stores planning data for the secure bus subscriber connected to the field bus,
• wherein the planning data stored in the control unit comprise a link between a physical position of the secure bus subscriber within the bus system and the subscriber address assigned to the bus subscriber,
• wherein the secure bus subscriber has means for sending a parameter transfer message to the control unit, and
• wherein the control unit has means for verifying, by means of comparison with parameters transmitted by the secure bus subscriber, the planning data for the secure bus subscriber that are stored in the control unit.

A method for configuring a secure bus subscriber connected to a field bus in a secure control system, the secure bus subscriber being assigned a defined subscriber address, the method comprising:

• defining the subscriber address within a control unit connected to the field bus on the basis of the physical position of the secure bus subscriber within the field bus,
• sending an address allocation message from the control unit to the secure bus subscriber, the address allocation message comprising the defined subscriber address, wherein the address allocation message is sent on the basis of planning data for the secure bus subscriber connected to the field bus, wherein the planning data are stored in the control unit, and wherein the planning data stored in the control unit comprise a link between the physical position of the secure bus subscriber within a bus system and the subscriber address assigned to the bus subscriber,
• storing the defined subscriber address in a memory in the secure bus subscriber,
• sending an acknowledgement message from the secure bus subscriber to the control unit, the acknowledgement message comprising the defined subscriber address, and
• sending a parameter transfer message from the secure bus subscriber to the control unit, comprising parameters that include at least one of i) appliance type, ii) manufacturer, and iii) serial number.

A control system for the secure control of safety-critical processes, the control system comprising:

• a bus system,
• a control unit which is connected to the bus system and which has means for generating and sending an address allocation message on the basis of stored planning data, and
• at least one secure bus subscriber which is connected to the bus system and which has means for picking up and evaluating an address allocation message, a memory for storing a subscriber address assigned to the bus subscriber, and means for generating and sending an acknowledgement message which comprises the assigned subscriber address,
• wherein the planning data stored in the control unit comprise a link between the physical position of the at least one secure bus subscriber within the bus system and the subscriber address assigned to the bus subscriber,
• wherein the secure bus subscriber has means for sending a parameter transfer message to the control unit, and
• wherein the control unit has means for verifying, by means of comparison with parameters transmitted by the secure bus subscriber, the planning data for the secure bus subscriber that are stored in the control unit.