Failsafe Data Transmission via Communication Driver
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for failsafe data transmission in the process industry require expensive, redundant hardware configurations to achieve the necessary safety integrity level, which is not economically viable for operational use.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a one-channel component connected via a bus to a failsafe computer unit with a communication driver that maintains data in standard and non-standard forms, generates checksums, and employs a program run control to verify synchronization points, allowing for failsafe data transmission without the need for redundant hardware configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant hardware configuration is used to achieve safety integrity level, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains data in duplicate forms (standard and non-standard/inverted) within a single microcontroller. The communication driver creates and manages these duplicate data representations, allowing error detection through comparison without requiring physically redundant hardware components. This copying approach achieves safety integrity level while reducing hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms data into different parameter representations (standard and non-standard/inverted forms) and uses checksum calculations to detect errors. By changing the parameter representation of the same data rather than using separate hardware channels, the system achieves reliable error detection with reduced hardware complexity.
2Reliability
If redundant hardware configuration is used to achieve safety integrity level, then reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication driver creates duplicate data representations (standard and non-standard forms) within the same hardware component. This software-based copying eliminates the need for expensive redundant hardware channels while maintaining the ability to detect transmission errors through comparison and checksum verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a single, operationally proven microcontroller component rather than expensive redundant hardware systems. By implementing failsafe functionality through software (communication driver) rather than hardware redundancy, the system achieves safety integrity level with lower-cost, easily replaceable components.
3Productivity
If operationally proven components are used for both safety and non-safety applications, then productivity is improved, but reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The communication driver dynamically switches between standard and non-standard data forms and actively monitors data integrity through checksum calculations and marker values. This dynamic error detection and correction capability allows the same component to reliably serve both safety-critical and non-safety applications by adapting its operation mode based on requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables a single microcontroller component to function in both safety-critical and non-safety applications through the communication driver. The driver implements failsafe mechanisms that can be activated when needed, allowing the component to universally serve multiple application types while maintaining safety integrity when required.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a system and a method for the failsafe transmission of data, the system having at least one component (2, 6, 7), which is enhanced for the failsafe transmission of data. To allow the failsafe transmission of data with reduced hardware outlay, it is proposed according to the invention that the one-channel component (2, 6, 7) is enhanced for the fail-safe transmission of data in that it is connected via a bus (1) to a failsafe computer unit (8), it has a communication driver (23), which maintains the data in standard and non-standard form, the communication driver (23) maintains a marker value, which indicates whether safe replacement values or real values are used, in standard and non-standard form.