US 11,982,984 B2
Automation system for monitoring a safety-critical process
Daniel Bakovic, Ostfildern (DE); Uwe Schoch, Ostfildern (DE); and Matthias Schweiker, Ostfildern (DE)
Assigned to PILZ GMBH & CO. KG, Ostfildern (DE)
Filed by PILZ GMBH & CO. KG, Ostfildern (DE)
Filed on Feb. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/180,755.
Application 17/180,755 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2019/066172, filed on Jun. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2018 120 344.6 (DE), filed on Aug. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0278815 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. H04L 9/08 (2006.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01); G07C 3/08 (2006.01)
CPC G05B 19/0425 (2013.01) [G07C 3/08 (2013.01); H04L 9/0869 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automation system for monitoring a safety-critical process, comprising:
a platform configured to execute user programs, which implement a safety function;
a fail-safe peripheral module configured to couple the user programs with the safety-critical process; and
a monitoring device configured to ensure fail-safe execution of the safety function on the platform, wherein:
the monitoring device is couplable to the platform via a first communication interface,
the fail-safe peripheral module is couplable to the platform via a second communication interface,
the monitoring device is configured to run a fail-safe service independently of the platform, via which the monitoring device interacts with the fail-safe peripheral module,
the fail-safe peripheral module is configured to signal a safe state based on the safety function and the fail-safe service, and
the fail-safe service includes a counter unit configured to generate a continuous counter value C and an encoding unit configured to generate a key value S.