The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 02, 2009
Filed:
Sep. 30, 2004
Rens Ross, Austin, TX (US);
Steven C. Mccool, Austin, TX (US);
Rens Ross, Austin, TX (US);
Steven C. McCool, Austin, TX (US);
Novacentrix Corp., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A system for monitoring and controlling the safety system of equipment, which is used to insure personnel safety and cause the system to 'fail safe' in the event of computer or software failure, the failure of a critical piece of hardware, or the opening of any interlock indicating, for example, the unexpected entry of personnel into a dangerous area. Provides an integrated system of timed status monitoring hardware and software for use in a distributed-network computer-controlled environment. The hardware piece of this system includes a digital I/O computer add-on card, or other hardware supporting high-speed alternating state telemetry, and a custom circuit card. Such a circuit, when used within the overall control system can monitor the state of interlock switches and monitor the status of the computer control system(s). Such a safety circuit can then cause a shutdown appropriate to the failure detected. In addition, it has an ability to sense local hardware status information and immediately signal the computer of any potentially dangerous situation.