Modular Safety Function Validation Using Automatic Parameter Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current safety validation methods for modular security systems are complex and inflexible, especially in dynamic or configuration-changing systems, requiring manual effort and lacking automated online validation, which hinders the detection and prevention of incorrect configurations and safety function failures.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for automatic validation of security functions in modular security systems, where a checking device stores and compares safety-relevant target and actual parameters across subsystem modules, generating reaction signals to ensure compliance with safety standards, and can convert the system to a safe state if thresholds are not met, enabling online and offline validation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual safety validation methods are used for modular systems, then validation can be performed with existing tools, but the process becomes complex and inflexible especially in dynamic or configuration-changing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The subsystem modules automatically provide their own safety-relevant actual characteristic values (failure rates, diagnostic coverage, response times) to the checking device, eliminating the need for manual data collection and reducing validation complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The checking device automatically compares actual system characteristic values against target values and provides feedback through reaction signals, enabling continuous automated validation that adapts to configuration changes without manual intervention
2Reliability
If comprehensive safety validation is performed for modular systems, then safety compliance is ensured, but the validation process requires significant manual effort and time
Solution Approach 1:
Safety-relevant actual characteristic values are pre-stored in each subsystem module before integration, and the checking device automatically retrieves and processes these values, enabling rapid validation without manual data gathering during the validation process
Solution Approach 2:
Manual validation processes are replaced with an automated checking device that electronically compares actual characteristic values against target values, eliminating time-consuming manual efforts while ensuring comprehensive safety compliance
3Productivity
If automated validation is implemented for modular security systems, then validation efficiency is improved, but the system requires additional checking devices and infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The checking device is designed to validate multiple subsystem modules with different safety functions using a single unified approach, and can be integrated into various modular system configurations, reducing the need for multiple specialized validation tools
Solution Approach 2:
The checking device serves as an intermediary that coordinates between subsystem modules and validation requirements, automatically processing safety-relevant data and generating reaction signals without requiring complex additional infrastructure
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to the automatic validation of safety functions of a modularly constructed safety system with subsystem modules. Safety-relevant target parameters of a system, which forms a safety system built or constructed modularly from at least two subsystem modules, in particular residual error probabilities, failure rates and/or total response times, are stored in machine-readable form in the memory of a verification device, and local, module-specific safety-relevant actual parameters of at least each individual subsystem module, which is used or intended to be used for the modular construction of the system's safety system, are stored in machine-readable form in the respective subsystem module.The local, module-specific, safety-relevant actual values are transmitted from the individual subsystem modules, which currently form the modular structure of the system's safety system, to the monitoring device and automatically processed to generate overall safety-relevant actual values resulting from the interaction of the individual subsystem modules. Subsequently, the monitoring device compares these overall safety-relevant actual values with the target values of the system stored in its memory and automatically generates a reaction signal based on the comparison result.