Patents by Inventor Helmut EHRHART

Helmut EHRHART has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9310795
    Abstract: A safety controller for controlling an automated installation in accordance with a user program has a control unit receiving a plurality of control input signals from a plurality of sensors. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program. The control output signals drive actuators in order to adopt one of a plurality of installation states of the automated installation. An installation diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of installation state signals representing which one of the plurality of installation states is existent at a defined moment of time. In addition, a system diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of system state signals, with each system state signal representing one from a plurality of operational system states of the controller system, which is formed by the control unit and its connected sensors and actuators, at the defined moment of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Martin Zondler, Helmut Ehrhart, Harald Foerster
  • Patent number: 8595827
    Abstract: A safety controller for controlling an automated installation has a control unit to which a plurality of control input signals are supplied from the sensors of the installation. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program running in said control unit in an automatic mode. The plurality of control output signals actuate the actuators. The safety controller also has a diagnosis evaluation unit that ascertains which one of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time and produces an operating state signal which represents the ascertained operating state. A diagnosis selection unit generates a diagnosis report as a function of the operating state signal and as a function of a user access authorization signal and/or a special operating mode signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Zondler, Helmut Ehrhart, Stefan Woehrle
  • Patent number: 8560094
    Abstract: A safety controller for controlling an automated installation which has a plurality of sensors and a plurality of actuators, comprises a control unit to which a plurality of control input signals are supplied by the sensors. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals in an automatic mode on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program running in said control unit. The plurality of control output signals is used to actuate the plurality of actuators. The safety controller also has a diagnosis evaluation unit to which a number of diagnoses input signals are supplied. The diagnosis evaluation unit takes the diagnosis input signals as a basis for ascertaining which of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time. The diagnosis evaluation unit produces an operating state data record which represents an ascertained operating state. The safety controller also has an interface for a display unit in order to display diagnosis reports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Helmut Ehrhart, Matthias Reusch
  • Publication number: 20120016495
    Abstract: A safety controller for controlling an automated installation in accordance with a user program has a control unit receiving a plurality of control input signals from a plurality of sensors. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program. The control output signals drive actuators in order to adopt one of a plurality of installation states of the automated installation. An installation diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of installation state signals representing which one of the plurality of installation states is existent at a defined moment of time. In addition, a system diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of system state signals, with each system state signal representing one from a plurality of operational system states of the controller system, which is formed by the control unit and its connected sensors and actuators, at the defined moment of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Martin ZONDLER, Helmut EHRHART, Harald FOERSTER
  • Publication number: 20120005748
    Abstract: A safety controller for controlling an automated installation has a control unit to which a plurality of control input signals are supplied from the sensors of the installation. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program running in said control unit in an automatic mode. The plurality of control output signals actuate the actuators. The safety controller also has a diagnosis evaluation unit that ascertains which one of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time and produces an operating state signal which represents the ascertained operating state. A diagnosis selection unit generates a diagnosis report as a function of the operating state signal and as a function of a user access authorization signal and/or a special operating mode signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Martin ZONDLER, Helmut Ehrhart, Stefan Woehrle
  • Publication number: 20110301720
    Abstract: A safety controller for controlling an automated installation which has a plurality of sensors and a plurality of actuators, comprises a control unit to which a plurality of control input signals are supplied by the sensors. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals in an automatic mode on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program running in said control unit. The plurality of control output signals is used to actuate the plurality of actuators. The safety controller also has a diagnosis evaluation unit to which a number of diagnoses input signals are supplied. The diagnosis evaluation unit takes the diagnosis input signals as a basis for ascertaining which of a plurality of operating states is present at a defined instant of time. The diagnosis evaluation unit produces an operating state data record which represents an ascertained operating state. The safety controller also has an interface for a display unit in order to display diagnosis reports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Helmut EHRHART, Matthias Reusch