Patents by Inventor Juergen Laforsch

Juergen Laforsch 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: 11914338
    Abstract: A method for operating a redundant automation system for controlling a technical process in which two-out-of-three system with three subsystems are operated, wherein a comparator is cyclically operated in each subsystem and compares the first, second and third output data with one another, and a respective comparator is operated such that, during each comparison in which the result is that all output data are approximately the same, no further action is performed, and during a comparison in which deviations between the output data are determined, that subsystem in which the deviations of its own output data from the other output data are the greatest is identified as faulty via a majority decision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Albert Renschler, Jürgen Laforsch
  • Publication number: 20240027979
    Abstract: System and method for influencing an open-loop or closed-loop control parameter of a technical device by at least one initial parameter that is generated in accordance with at least one input parameter, wherein a predicted future value of a parameter detected in the technical device is used as an input parameter to compensate at least in part for temporal delays between the detection of the parameter and the generation of the initial parameter from the input parameter, where delays in the transmission and processing of values of input parameters can thus be compensated for and dead times in the open-loop or closed-loop control of the technical device that are caused thereby can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Albert RENSCHLER, Thomas GROSCH, Jürgen LAFORSCH
  • Publication number: 20230229131
    Abstract: In order to provide a method for operating a redundant automation system (100) for controlling a technical process, it is proposed to operate a two-out-of-three system with three subsystems, wherein - a comparison means (V1, V2, V3) is cyclically operated in each subsystem (1, 2, 3) and compares the first, second and third output data (A1, A2, A3) with one another, and the respective comparison means (V1, V2, V3) are operated in such a manner that - during each comparison in which the result is that all output data (A1, A2, A3) are approximately the same, no further action is carried out, and - during a comparison in which deviations between the output data are determined, that subsystem (1, 2, 3) in which the deviations of its own output data (A1, A2, A3) from the other output data (A1, A2, A3) are the greatest is identified as faulty by means of a majority decision (ME).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas GROSCH, Albert RENSCHLER, Jürgen LAFORSCH
  • Publication number: 20220317665
    Abstract: The real time capability is to be improved in a Cloud-based control system for an automation plant. To this end, a redundantly embodied, Cloud-based control system with a plurality of computing resources distributed over a network with control applications running thereon is proposed, which, embodied as a primary and backups, execute a control program almost simultaneously and send corresponding program instructions to the automation plant. Long transmission times of individual computing resources therefore do not have a negative effect on the control of the automation plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, ALBERT RENSCHLER, JÜRGEN LAFORSCH
  • Patent number: 11281190
    Abstract: Method for setting up a redundant communication connection, and failsafe control unit, wherein a transport and/or networking functional unit of a communication device utilizes at least one communication network address associated with a primary control device and/or a secondary control device to set up two communication connections to a failsafe control unit that includes the primary control device and the secondary control device, where data transmitted via a first communication connection are forwarded from the primary control device to the secondary control device via a first synchronization connection such that data transmitted via a second communication connection are forwarded from the secondary control device to the primary control device via a second synchronization connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Jürgen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Patent number: 11262745
    Abstract: A method for operating a redundant automation system having a plurality of subsystems, wherein one subsystem of the plurality of subsystems operates as a master and assumes process control and the other subsystem operates as a reserve during redundant operation, where measures are provided by which the availability of the redundant automation system is increased, and where regardless of whether transient errors occur on the subsystem of the plurality of subsystems operating as the master or on the subsystem operating as the reserve, a total failure of the automation system is largely avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Kleifges, Juergen Laforsch
  • Patent number: 10996659
    Abstract: A plurality of hardware units of a redundant automation system each include a plurality of processor units that each execute a group of tasks, where groups of tasks executed on different hardware units receive the same input signals directly or indirectly from a managed industrial process, and determine the same output signals for the managed industrial process, where however, only the tasks of one of the groups executed on different hardware units each output their output signals to the managed industrial process, where the groups executed on different hardware units synchronize with one another via a respective communication link, and where the groups of tasks executed on the same hardware unit exchange data between themselves on a pair basis via a respective pair of intermediate storage units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Albert Renschler, Jürgen Laforsch
  • Publication number: 20200394111
    Abstract: A method for operating a redundantly configured automation system which has a first subsystem and a second subsystem, wherein one of these subsystems operates as the master and the other of these subsystems operates as the slave, where in the event that the master fails the slave takes over the function of the master, and where the first subsystem receives a data packet generated by an external data source and forwards the data packet only at a level of the physical layer and the data link layer to the second subsystem before processing of the data packet occurs in the first subsystem at a higher layer than the level of the physical layer and the data link layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Albert Renschler, Jürgen Laforsch
  • Publication number: 20200150635
    Abstract: A plurality of hardware units of a redundant automation system each include a plurality of processor units that each execute a group of tasks, where groups of tasks executed on different hardware units receive the same input signals directly or indirectly from a managed industrial process, and determine the same output signals for the managed industrial process, where however, only the tasks of one of the groups executed on different hardware units each output their output signals to the managed industrial process, where the groups executed on different hardware units synchronize with one another via a respective communication link, and where the groups of tasks executed on the same hardware unit exchange data between themselves on a pair basis via a respective pair of intermediate storage units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Albert Renschler, Jürgen Laforsch
  • Publication number: 20190302742
    Abstract: Method for setting up a redundant communication connection, and failsafe control unit, wherein a transport and/or switching functional unit of a communication device utilizes at least one communication network address associated with a primary control device and/or a secondary control device to set up two communication connections to a failsafe control unit that includes the primary control device and the secondary control device, where data transmitted via a first communication connection are forwarded from the primary control device to the secondary control device via a first synchronization connection such that data transmitted via a second communication connection are forwarded from the secondary control device to the primary control device via a second synchronization connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Jürgen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Patent number: 10365618
    Abstract: A method with which one subsystem of a redundant automation system that is provided with a first subsystem and a second subsystem is operated as a master and another subsystem is operated as a slave, where the subsystems are provided with transmission and reception tasks to transmit and receive messages, and where messages are also interchanged with program path synchronization during a temporally asynchronous run through a program path in the master and the slave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Juergen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Patent number: 9927791
    Abstract: A method for reproducing the sequence of a program provided for process control in an automation device, wherein a program that corresponds to the program in the automation device with regard to process control is provided for processing using a backup device, where suitable measures can be used to image the complete history of the automation device and to reproduce the sequence of the program so that with regard to the processing of the program, it becomes possible to subsequently and repeatedly approach any desired time in the past and to reproduce all associated data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Jürgen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Publication number: 20170351252
    Abstract: A method for operating a redundant automation system having a plurality of subsystems, wherein one subsystem of the plurality of subsystems operates as a master and assumes process control and the other subsystem operates as a reserve during redundant operation, where measures are provided by which the availability of the redundant automation system is increased, and where regardless of whether transient errors occur on the subsystem of the plurality of subsystems operating as the master or on the subsystem operating as the reserve, a total failure of the automation system is largely avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Georg KLEIFGES, Juergen LAFORSCH
  • Patent number: 9524259
    Abstract: A method for operating an automation device having a CPU module that is configured to effect read or write access to local peripherals that are each provided with two interface modules that are each wired up in ring form to an input/output controller, wherein peripheral access operations are executed via one of the rings or via both rings, and wherein a redundancy manager that is provided for each ring is used to logically interrupt the respective ring in a normal mode and to initiate ring reconfiguration for this ring in the event of a physical ring interruption so as to provide a basis for allowing peripheral access operations during the actual period of this ring reconfiguration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Jürgen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Patent number: 9405644
    Abstract: A redundant automation system having a plurality of automation devices which are connected to one another comprises a plurality of master devices and a slave device. Each of the plurality of automation devices processes a control program in order to control a technical process. At least one of the plurality of automation devices operates as a slave and at least two of the plurality of automation devices, each operates as a master. The plurality of master devices is each configured to run a respective master program and to process processing sections of the respective master program of the respective master program, and the slave device is configured to process a corresponding slave control program for each master control program run by the plurality of master devices and, if one of the plurality of master devices fails, to assume the function of the failed master.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Jürgen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Patent number: 9389971
    Abstract: A redundant automation system and a method for operating the redundant automation system which is provided with a first subsystem and a second subsystem that each process a control program while controlling a technical process, one of these subsystems operating as a master and the other subsystem operating as a slave, and the slave assuming the function of the master if the master fails such that it becomes possible to dispense with temporally synchronous communication between the participants with regard to the synchronization of the program processing in the two subsystems, thus reducing the communication load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Jürgen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Patent number: 9323823
    Abstract: A method for operating an automation system having at least two subsystems which are each provided with a control program, wherein relevant data from one subsystem is transmitted to the other subsystem within the scope of an updating phase of the automation system to transfer process control from a solo mode of one of the subsystems to a redundant control mode with another of the subsystems so as to facilitate updating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Grosch, Jürgen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Publication number: 20150154130
    Abstract: A method for operating an automation device having a CPU module that is configured to effect read or write access to local peripherals that are each provided with two interface modules that are each wired up in ring form to an input/output controller, wherein peripheral access operations are executed via one of the rings or via both rings, and wherein a redundancy manager that is provided for each ring is used to logically interrupt the respective ring in a normal mode and to initiate ring reconfiguration for this ring in the event of a physical ring interruption so as to provide a basis for allowing peripheral access operations during the actual period of this ring reconfiguration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: THOMAS GROSCH, Jürgen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Publication number: 20150134082
    Abstract: A method for operating an automation system provided with a first subsystem and a second subsystem which each process a control program in order to control a technical process, one of these subsystems operating as a master and the other subsystem operating as a slave, wherein measures are provided which make it possible to provide diagnostic and/or test data for diagnostic and/or test measures during control operation, in which case it is not necessary to dispense with a breakpoint function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas GROSCH, Jürgen Laforsch, Albert Renschler
  • Publication number: 20150120013
    Abstract: A method for reproducing the sequence of a program provided for process control in an automation device, wherein a program that corresponds to the program in the automation device with regard to process control is provided for processing using a backup device, where suitable measures can be used to image the complete history of the automation device and to reproduce the sequence of the program so that with regard to the processing of the program, it becomes possible to subsequently and repeatedly approach any desired time in the past and to reproduce all associated data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas GROSCH, Jürgen LAFORSCH, Albert RENSCHLER