Safety Control Function Activation Without Program Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety control devices require extensive downtime and costly hardware replacements to modify or expand their function ranges, as users are restricted from updating operating programs, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors during the upgrade process.
Innovation Solution
A safety control device with a non-volatile, overwritable storage medium that allows users to download and link function activation codes to a function library, enabling the activation of specific functions without replacing the operating program, and using cryptographic storage to prevent unauthorized copying or manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operating program is protected from user modification to ensure fail safety, then reliability is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the operating program into protected core functions and user-modifiable function extensions. The protected segment ensures fail safety while the extendable segment allows adaptability through additional safety functions that can be added without modifying the certified core program.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (function extension module) that allows users to add safety functions without directly modifying the protected operating program. This intermediary layer maintains the integrity of the certified program while enabling functional expansion through controlled interfaces.
2Reliability
If the manufacturer replaces the operating program to change function ranges, then reliability is maintained, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-service functionality where users can independently extend the safety control device's capabilities by adding their own safety functions without requiring manufacturer intervention. This eliminates downtime associated with manufacturer program replacement while maintaining reliability through the protected core program architecture.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hardware is replaced to support new function ranges, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a hardware platform that can support multiple safety functions through software extensions rather than requiring dedicated hardware for each function. The protected operating program architecture allows the same hardware to reliably support diverse safety functions through addable function modules.
4Reliability
If extensive testing is performed to ensure fail safety, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the certification process by distinguishing between the certified protected core program and the user-added function extensions. This allows the core program to maintain its certified reliability status while enabling rapid productivity improvement through untested but controlled function additions that interface with the certified core.
Data Source
AI summary
A safety control device comprises: at least one input module having a number of input interfaces; at least one output module having a number of output interfaces; and a computing unit that includes: a programmable processor; a read-only memory to store an operating program for the processor with program code in machine-readable form for providing a function library with a number of functions of the safety control device; and a non-volatile, overwritable storage medium. A number of function activation codes are stored downloadably in the storage medium, and each of the function activation codes is capable of being assigned a function of the function library such that by logically linking the function activation codes to their associated functions of the function library only those functions of the function library can be activated whose function activation codes are stored in the storage medium.