Abstract: A data processing system ensures maximum reaction times. A novel and significantly improved way of ascertaining, checking and/or observing maximum reaction times in data processing systems includes complex or distributed, safe and/or nonsafe systems, particularly between a safe input signal and the corresponding safe output signal, in a flexible and universally applicable manner. Input and/or output data, which are present on the input side of users incorporated in the system, are read in synchronously during each data cycle and checked in relation to currency parameters, which are based on at least one data cycle and associated with the input and/or output data An error is identified in response to a defined discrepancy being reached between at least one currency parameter and a defined currency threshold, and a defined function, particularly a safety-oriented function, are triggered in response to identification of an error.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the transmission of safe process information including detecting two or more process signals redundantly, identifying an event that is relevant to system safety, and converting said process signals to a single process signal for further system-based processing.

Abstract: The invention relates to the location-based adaptation of an intelligent unit. One object of the invention is to indicate a way in which, particularly in the case of network-compatible intelligent units, the intelligent units can be configured on the basis of the respective application and/or the respective installation location in order to ensure reliable, secure and thus simple association, essentially without any further steps. For adaptation of an intelligent unit, the invention provides that a configuration device (21, 22, 24, 25) can be associated with a defined application and/or a defined location and have the capability to store application-based and/or location-based configuration data and/or behavior description data, such that data can be transmitted from the configuration device (21, 22, 24, 25) to a logic device for processing of data for configuration of the intelligent unit (11, 12, 13, 14, 15).

Abstract: A data processing system ensures maximum reaction times. A novel and significantly improved way of ascertaining, checking and/or observing maximum reaction times in data processing systems includes complex or distributed, safe and/or nonsafe systems, particularly between a safe input signal and the corresponding safe output signal, in a flexible and universally applicable manner. Input and/or output data, which are present on the input side of users incorporated in the system, are read in synchronously during each data cycle and checked in relation to currency parameters, which are based on at least one data cycle and associated with the input and/or output data An error is identified in response to a defined discrepancy being reached between at least one currency parameter and a defined currency threshold, and a defined function, particularly a safety-oriented function, are triggered in response to identification of an error.

Abstract: The invention relates to the transmission of safe process signals between input and output units in a safety system.