Abstract: The electronic flash unit disclosed comprises: a transformer (14) to vary voltages of a power supply; an accumulator (16) composed of a main capacitor (17) to charge an electric energy supplied from the transformer (14); a lamp unit (4) provided with a flashlamp (20), set inside of a reflector (19), that flashes by discharging of energy storages in the main capacitor (17) upon applying a voltage on a trigger terminal (21); and a trigger circuit (10) to generate the voltage to apply on the trigger terminal (21), wherein at least the lamp unit (4) is coated with an insulation material.

Abstract: A receiving device including: a receiver receiving two frames, each including substantially same data attached thereto with a data error detection code, a frame error detection code, and safety flag information indicating a safety function or not, respectively; a first detector connected to the receiver for performing error detection of the frames by use of the frame error detection code, respectively; a second detector connected to the receiver for performing error detection of the data by use of the data error detection code, respectively; and a Direct Memory Access Controller (DMAC) connected to the first and second detectors for outputting one among the data included in the two frames under a condition of the safety function in the two frames when no error is detected in the frame and data error detections.

Abstract: Processed results are received when processors make compatible computations on data of a common object. A computation command signal is generated and fed to the processors in response to a start signal from any one of the processors so that the processors can make computations with different operation timings. Then, the results of the computations made by the processors are compared with each other. Thus, apparatus capable of small size, high performance and safety at the same time can be achieved by the above construction using the processors.

Abstract: An input/output control apparatus including: a unit that controls input/output of data relating to a computation of a plurality of processors in response to an access request from a second input/output unit and an access request from a first input/output unit which requires higher reliability than said second input/output unit, and orders at least one of a plurality of processors to perform a computation relating to the access request from said first input/output unit away from the computation relating to the access request from said second input/output unit in case of that said first input/output unit issued an access request, so that a same computation is made by said plurality of processors; a unit that compares the results of said computations relative to the access request from said first input/output unit provided from said plurality of processors; and a unit that allows the data associated with said computations of said processors to be output on the basis of said compared results.

Abstract: A receiving device including: a receiver receiving two frames, each including substantially same data attached thereto with a data error detection code, a frame error detection code, and safety flag information indicating a safety function or not, respectively; a first detector connected to the receiver for performing error detection of the frames by use of the frame error detection code, respectively; a second detector connected to the receiver for performing error detection of the data by use of the data error detection code, respectively; and a Direct Memory Access Controller (DMAC) connected to the first and second detectors for outputting one among the data included in the two frames under a condition of the safety function in the two frames when no error is detected in the frame and data error detections.

Abstract: A programmable electronic controller in which one central arithmetic processing unit and a plurality of input devices and output devices are connected by means of a parallel bus, the controller being basically configured to activate a self-diagnostic function and a diagnostic test of the input devices and the output devices with an instruction from a microprocessor of the central arithmetic processing unit; and to judge the result with the microprocessor of the central arithmetic processing unit, by using the microprocessor installed in the central arithmetic processing unit also as a processor for tests (diagnostic tests) of the self-diagnostic function of the input devices and output devices and conducting tests of the self-diagnostic function of the plurality of input devices and output devices with the central arithmetic processing unit.

Abstract: The system has, provided in a sending device, a generator generating transmission data including data, a data error detection code generated from the data and a safety flag indicating a degree of reliability, and transmission data; has, provided in a receiving device, a plurality of components of extracting transmission data, a safety flag, and a data error detection code from a received frame, and detecting a data error, a comparator comparing the matching of a plurality of received frames, and a selector selecting one received frame, from the frame error detection result, the safety flag, the data error detection result, and the matching comparison result; and determines the validity of transmitted data by the detection corresponding to the degree of reliability set with the safety flag.

Abstract: The electronic flash unit disclosed comprises: a transformer (14) to vary voltages of a power supply; an accumulator (16) composed of a main capacitor (17) to charge an electric energy supplied from the transformer (14); a lamp unit (4) provided with a flashlamp (20), set inside of a reflector (19), that flashes by discharging of energy storages in the main capacitor (17) upon applying a voltage on a trigger terminal (21); and a trigger circuit (10) to generate the voltage to apply on the trigger terminal (21), wherein at least the lamp unit (4) is coated with an insulation material.

Abstract: Input-output devices are prevented from conducting false output due to faulty operation by providing an input-output control apparatus configured to store input-output values to be used by a processor to conduct arithmetic operation in a mode having a relatively high safety requirement, in a first storage area, store input-output values to be used by the processor to conduct arithmetic operation in a mode having a relatively low safety requirement, in a second storage area, and restrict copying to the first storage area, copying from the first storage area, copying to the second storage area, or copying from the second storage area according to the mode concerning the safety requirement.

Abstract: A control device diagnoses the operation of a bus arbiter that mediates bus usage requests output by multiple devices in the control device to satisfy both responsiveness and safety. A diagnostic module, implemented as an external diagnostic module, monitors signals related to the arbiter mediation and, if an abnormality caused by a signal sticking condition or an abnormality in a mediation control unit is detected, stops data transfer safely to prevent safety data from being output incorrectly.

Abstract: A programmable electronic controller in which one central arithmetic processing unit and a plurality of input devices and output devices are connected by means of a parallel bus, the controller being basically configured to activate a self-diagnostic function and a diagnostic test of the input devices and the output devices with an instruction from a microprocessor of the central arithmetic processing unit; and to judge the result with the microprocessor of the central arithmetic processing unit, by using the microprocessor installed in the central arithmetic processing unit also as a processor for tests (diagnostic tests) of the self-diagnostic function of the input devices and output devices and conducting tests of the self-diagnostic function of the plurality of input devices and output devices with the central arithmetic processing unit.

Abstract: In a control apparatus which transmits/receives data from a central processing unit via a serial transfer channel to a communication control unit, and groups/distributes data of input/output units from the communication control unit via a parallel transfer channel, the control apparatus initiates a diagnosing unit of the parallel transfer channel in response to an instruction issued from the central processing unit, and diagnosis the input/output units subsequent to the diagnosis of the transmission channel. Data input/output timing of the input/output unit is also instructed from the central processing unit, so that the central processing unit can suppress lowering of response speeds caused by the diagnoses, and can maintain the periodicity of the data input/output.

Abstract: Input-output devices are prevented from conducting false output due to faulty operation by providing an input-output control apparatus configured to store input-output values to be used by a processor to conduct arithmetic operation in a mode having a relatively high safety requirement, in a first storage area, store input-output values to be used by the processor to conduct arithmetic operation in a mode having a relatively low safety requirement, in a second storage area, and restrict copying to the first storage area, copying from the first storage area, copying to the second storage area, or copying from the second storage area according to the mode concerning the safety requirement.

Abstract: The electronic flash unit disclosed comprises: a transformer (14) to vary voltages of a power supply; an accumulator (16) composed of a main capacitor (17) to charge an electric energy supplied from the transformer (14); a lamp unit (4) provided with a flashlamp (20), set inside of a reflector (19), that flashes by discharging of energy storages in the main capacitor (17) upon applying a voltage on a trigger terminal (21); and a trigger circuit (10) to generate the voltage to apply on the trigger terminal (21), wherein at least the lamp unit (4) is coated with an insulation material.

Abstract: A self-diagnosis system of a processor capable of realizing a sufficiently high processing ability for control tasks is provided without deteriorating reliability of safety controls even in complex diagnostic techniques. The self-diagnosis system is equipped with a diagnostic target area allocator for allocating a non-active area within a memory as a diagnosis-ready area, which is not used in a control task under execution by a main processor in an independent manner from the main processor; and a diagnostic executor for executing a diagnosis based upon a predetermined sequence in an independent manner from the main processor. In the self-diagnosis system, a diagnostic target area segmented from the diagnosis-ready area is selected, and a diagnosis of the selected diagnostic target area is carried out in each of diagnostic cycles by the diagnostic executor.

Abstract: The system has, provided in a sending device, a generator generating transmission data including data, a data error detection code generated from the data and a safety flag indicating a degree of reliability, and transmission data; has, provided in a receiving device, a plurality of components of extracting transmission data, a safety flag, and a data error detection code from a received frame, and detecting a data error, a comparator comparing the matching of a plurality of received frames, and a selector selecting one received frame, from the frame error detection result, the safety flag, the data error detection result, and the matching comparison result; and determines the validity of transmitted data by the detection corresponding to the degree of reliability set with the safety flag.

Abstract: Processed results are received when processors make compatible computations on data of a common object. A computation command signal is generated and fed to the processors in response to a start signal from any one of the processors so that the processors can make computations with different operation timings. Then, the results of the computations made by the processors are compared with each other. Thus, apparatus capable of small size, high performance and safety at the same time can be achieved by the above construction using the processors.