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:
Dec. 19, 2017
Filed:
Jun. 21, 2016
Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH (US);
Suresh R. Nair, Amherst, NH (US);
Wayne R. Foster, Tyngsborough, MA (US);
Alex Harris, Salem, MA (US);
Rudolf Laurenz Papenbreer, Wuppertal, DE;
Norbert Machuletz, Wetter, DE;
Oliver Heckel, Frechen, DE;
Thomas Helpenstein, Wuppertal, DE;
Van Duros, Lynnfield, MA (US);
Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH (US);
Abstract
A single-wire safety system is provided that yields reliable safety device monitoring without the need for dual redundant signal channels. The safety system comprises a safety relay acting as a communications master device and one or more safety devices connected in series with the safety relay via a single-wire communication circuit. A smart tap device is used to interface safety devices that are not compliant with the single-wire protocol to the single-wire channel. The safety device or smart tap device farthest from the safety relay on the safety circuit modulates a safety signal with a recognizable pulse pattern that traverses the single-wire safety circuit to the safety relay via the intermediate safety devices or smart taps. The safety relay maintains safety mode as long as the pulse pattern is received and recognized. The architecture allows bi-directional communication of initialization, configuration, and diagnostic messages over the single-wire safety channel.