Abstract: A safety sensor for monitoring the operational safety of a system comprises at least one safety signal input and at least one safety signal output. The safety sensor has a control unit. The control unit imprints the output safety signal with additional data, wherein the signal value of the output safety signal is changed within the limits of the value range assigned to the presently output signal state of the output safety signal depending on the additional data of the signal value of the output safety signal, and/or the control unit imprints the received input safety signal with additional data, wherein the signal value of the received input safety signal is changed within the limits of the value range assigned to the presently received signal state of the input safety signal depending on the additional data of the signal value of the received input safety signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety sensor (1) for monitoring the operational safety of a system (2), comprising at least one safety signal input (11, 12) and at least one safety signal output (15, 16) for receiving and outputting safety signals, respectively. A first signal state of the safety signal signals a safe operating state of the system and is represented by a signal value from a first value range assigned to the first signal state, and a second signal state signals an unsafe operating state of the system and is represented by a signal value from a second value range which is assigned to the second signal state and which differs from the first value range. The safety sensor has a control unit (13) which is designed to detect the operating state of the system and output an output safety signal at the at least one safety signal output, the signal state of the safety signal signaling the detected operating state.