Abstract: A method for monitoring the vitality of a number of participant devices of a distributed technical system, wherein each of the participant devices has a number of electronic components, comprises: continuously detecting a plurality of physical environmental and/or operating parameters in each of the participant devices and/or in each of the electronic components of the participant devices; storing for retrieval the plurality of physical environmental and/or operating parameters in a vitality data storage device; calculating for each of the electronic components, on the basis of the plurality of physical environmental and/or operating parameters, a number of statistical characteristics that form vitality parameters and that represent at least one of safety, reliability, or the availability of the electronic component; and initiating exception processing in response to a predefined or predefinable threshold value of a statistical characteristic being reached or exceeded.

Abstract: An emergency off-switch for triggering an emergency switch-off function has an actuator and two electrical contact points that can be disconnected from one another by the actuator. The emergency off-switch has an active operating state in which the emergency switch-off function can be triggered by moving the actuator, and a passive operating state in which the emergency off-switch is functionless. The emergency off-switch further has a visualization unit having at least a first and a second display state. The emergency off-switch is visually highlighted in the first display state, and the emergency off-switch is neutrally represented in the second display state. The visualization unit adopts the first display state in the active operating state and adopts the second display state in the passive operating state. The emergency off-switch also has a monitoring unit which monitors whether the visualization unit is in the first or in the second display state.

Abstract: An emergency off-switch for triggering an emergency switch-off function has an actuator and two electrical contact points that can be disconnected from one another by the actuator. The emergency off-switch has an active operating state in which the emergency switch-off function can be triggered by moving the actuator, and a passive operating state in which the emergency off-switch is functionless. The emergency off-switch further has a visualization unit having at least a first and a second display state. The emergency off-switch is visually highlighted in the first display state, and the emergency off-switch is neutrally represented in the second display state. The visualization unit adopts the first display state in the active operating state and adopts the second display state in the passive operating state. The emergency off-switch also has a monitoring unit which monitors whether the visualization unit is in the first or in the second display state.

Abstract: An arrangement for controlling an automated system, having a number of sensors and actuators, in particular for controlling a railroad system. A programmable control unit runs a user program to process input data from the sensors and to generate control commands for the actuators. The sensors and the actuators are connected to a remote I/O unit, which is connected to the control unit via a communication network. The control unit and the I/O unit interchange data messages in order to transmit the input data and the control commands. The arrangement has a remote disconnection unit, which is coupled to the remote I/O unit independently from the input data and control commands. The control unit is designed to integrate specific verification data for the disconnection unit into the data messages for the I/O unit. The disconnection unit is designed to deactivate the I/O unit depending on the specific verification data.

Abstract: An arrangement for controlling an automated system, having a number of sensors and actuators, in particular for controlling a railroad system. A programmable control unit runs a user program to process input data from the sensors and to generate control commands for the actuators. The sensors and the actuators are connected to a remote I/O unit, which is connected to the control unit via a communication network. The control unit and the I/O unit interchange data messages in order to transmit the input data and the control commands. The arrangement has a remote disconnection unit, which is coupled to the remote I/O unit independently from the input data and control commands. The control unit is designed to integrate specific verification data for the disconnection unit into the data messages for the I/O unit. The disconnection unit is designed to deactivate the I/O unit depending on the specific verification data.

Abstract: A safety device for an automatically operating installation determines at least one movement variable of a moving installation part in a safety-related manner. The safety device includes an acceleration sensor and an evaluation unit. The acceleration sensor is adapted to be coupled to the moving installation part in order to detect any acceleration of the moving installation part. The evaluation unit determines a movement velocity and/or a movement travel of the installation part on the basis of the acceleration.

Abstract: A safety device for an automatically operating installation determines at least one movement variable of a moving installation part in a safety-related manner. The safety device includes an acceleration sensor and an evaluation unit. The acceleration sensor is adapted to be coupled to the moving installation part in order to detect any acceleration of the moving installation part. The evaluation unit determines a movement velocity and/or a movement travel of the installation part on the basis of the acceleration.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a protective device for safeguarding a hazardous area and a method for checking the functional reliability of such a device. The protective device has an image recording unit with an image sensor which includes a large number of light-sensitive pixels. During operation, the image recording unit records an object image. The image sensor is also supplied with a defined test image in order to check the functional reliability, wherein the test image recorded by the image sensor is compared with a defined expectation. According to one aspect of the invention, the object image is specifically made dynamic by means of a testing device and the modified object image is used as the test image.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a protective device for safeguarding a hazardous area and a method for checking the functional reliability of such a device. The protective device has an image recording unit with an image sensor which includes a large number of light-sensitive image points (pixels). During operation, the image recording unit records an object image. The image sensor is also supplied with a defined test image in order to check the functional reliability, wherein the test image recorded by the image sensor is compared with a defined expectation. According to one aspect of the invention, the object image is specifically made dynamic by means of a testing device and the dynamized object image is used as the test image.

Abstract: A device for comparing two DC voltages (U.sub.1, U.sub.2) comprises a voltage comparator (3) having two inputs (9, 11). One of the two voltages (U.sub.1, U.sub.2) to be compared to each other is fed directly into one of the inputs (9, 11). The other voltage enters a voltage-conversion device (2) in which the voltage to be compared is superimposed with the DC voltage (8) so that a DC voltage arises at the output (7) of the voltage-conversion device (2), which voltage periodically fluctuates back and forth between an upper and a lower amplitude value in the cycle of the square-wave signal (8). The distance between the two amplitude values corresponds to the tolerance band within which the two voltages (U.sub.1, U.sub.2) to be compared with one another must be identical.

Abstract: A system architecture uses at least two processors (2, 3), which jointly control a process and constantly compare their data with each other. A program complex which has been checked with respect to the possible errors, as well as a non-checked program complex, runs on one of the two processors (2). In order to rule out interference in the checked program complex by the non-checked one, the peripheral hardware (12) which interact with the checked program complex are provided with inhibit inputs (16), and the tested program complex, via the inhibit inputs (16), blocks the peripheral hardware (12) which are reserved for it before it gives up command to the non-checked program complex.