Pilz Gmbh & Co Kg.

Helmut Ehrhart

Martin Zondler

Matthias Reusch

Stefan Woehrle

Harald Foerster

A safety controller for controlling an automated installation in accordance with a user program has a control unit receiving a plurality of control input signals from a plurality of sensors. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program. The control output signals drive actuators in order to adopt one of a plurality of installation states of the automated installation. An installation diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of installation state signals representing which one of the plurality of installation states is existent at a defined moment of time. In addition, a system diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of system state signals, with each system state signal representing one from a plurality of operational system states of the controller system, which is formed by the control unit and its connected sensors and actuators, at the defined moment of time. A diagnosis report unit produces a number of diagnosis signals depending on the installation state signals, depending on the system state signals, and depending on predefined associations between said installation states and said operational system states. The diagnosis signals represent a number of diagnosis reports which are a result of a combination of both the installation states and associated operational system states. A display unit displays the diagnosis reports in response to the diagnosis signals.

Safety controller and method for controlling an automated installation

A safety controller for controlling an automated installation has a control unit to which a plurality of control input signals are supplied from the sensors of the installation. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program running in said control unit in an automatic mode. The plurality of control output signals actuate the actuators. The safety controller also has a diagnosis evaluation unit that ascertains which one of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time and produces an operating state signal which represents the ascertained operating state. A diagnosis selection unit generates a diagnosis report as a function of the operating state signal and as a function of a user access authorization signal and/or a special operating mode signal. The diagnosis report representing the ascertained operating state thus varies depending on specific circumstances, such as a certain user access authorization or a certain operating mode.

A safety controller for controlling an automated installation which has a plurality of sensors and a plurality of actuators, comprises a control unit to which a plurality of control input signals are supplied by the sensors. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals in an automatic mode on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program running in said control unit. The plurality of control output signals is used to actuate the plurality of actuators. The safety controller also has a diagnosis evaluation unit to which a number of diagnoses input signals are supplied. The diagnosis evaluation unit takes the diagnosis input signals as a basis for ascertaining which of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time. The diagnosis evaluation unit produces an operating state data record which represents an ascertained operating state. The safety controller also has an interface for a display unit in order to display diagnosis reports. The operating state data record includes a plurality of diagnosis data and a Boolean status indicator. The control unit actuates at least one actuator on the basis of the Boolean status indicator contained in the operating state data record.

Growing community of inventors

Stuttgart, Germany

Helmut Ehrhart