US 11,909,199 B2
Functional safety techniques for industrial automation devices
Al J. Campbell, New Berlin, WI (US); John David Allan, Cambridge (CA); Marius G. Chis, Cambridge (CA); Reginald A. Drake, Waterloo (CA); and Scott D. Braun, Menomonee Falls, WI (US)
Assigned to Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH (US)
Filed by ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Mayfield Heights, OH (US)
Filed on Feb. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/165,623.
Prior Publication US 2022/0247165 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. H02H 7/20 (2006.01); G05B 19/05 (2006.01); H02H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02H 7/20 (2013.01) [G05B 19/058 (2013.01); H02H 1/0092 (2013.01); G05B 2219/14116 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium associated with an industrial automation device, wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprises instructions that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving one or more inputs indicative of a shutdown of one or more power modules of the industrial automation device;
in response to receiving the one or more inputs:
transmitting a first command to driver control circuitry to disable 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 to control an operation of a power converter configured to provide power to a motor; and
transmitting a second command to transmitter control circuitry to prevent power from being provided to the one or more transmitters;
wherein each power module of the one or more respective power modules is configured to:
receive the continuous control signal from the driver via the one or more transmitters;
monitor, at the power module, the continuous control signal for a lack of communication from the driver; and
in response to detecting the lack of communication from the driver to the power module based on the continuous control signal, utilize a gating signal enable circuitry to disable driver circuitry of the power module configured to control the operation of the power converter to provide power to the motor and prevent power from being provided to the driver circuitry.