Abstract: A process control system (1) comprises at least one process control computer (2) and field units (4) connected thereto via a bus system. An, in particular, intrinsically safe data transmission device (5) is connected between the process control computer and the assigned field units. This data transmission device comprises a data adaptation device (6) and a data distributing device (7). In order to be able to connect more field units per data adaptation device while simultaneously reducing the costs per field unit, the data adaptation device (6) and its assigned supply devices (8) have an explosion-proof design, and each supply device is connected to the data distributing devices via an explosion-proof line, whereby these data distributing devices or field units connected thereto have a barrier device for limiting the applied power.

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 present invention relates to a SPC comprising at least one data processing means for realizing a first data channel 1 and a second data channel 2, and comprising a data transmission means 3 which is connected to data channels 1,2 in a manner such that, using data transmission means 3, data may be transferred from at least one data channel 1, 2 to a higher-order device 5 that is connectable to the controller. The object of the present invention is to further increase the safety of safety controllers. This aim is achieved by providing an active data lock 4, using which it is possible to influence the data transmission—which may be realized using data transmission means 3—to higher-order device 5. As a result, only error-free data are sent via higher-order device 5 to external I/O assemblies.

Abstract: This invention provides an input device of safety unit which enables an error diagnosis result referred to in a process of input processing for generating a control data from raw input signal to be referred by a side using the control data also in a safety unit such as a safety master and safety slave. An input device contains a function of outputting status data indicating the error diagnosis result referred to when input signal is converted to control data and the control data obtained by the conversion in pair, so that when the logical value of the control data is “LOW”, whether it originates from that the raw logical value is “LOW” or that “LOW” is compulsorily set due to an error in the terminal can be determined from the logical value of the status data.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling procedure of a controlled apparatus includes an update controller that determines, when the software is updated, whether a post-update software is to be selected based on an actual operation result of operating the controlled apparatus using the post-update software. The update controller puts the pre-update software back in use if the operation result is not within a predetermined acceptable range.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for error response when an error occurs in response to a motion, particularly of a drive mechanism in a machine, the motion taking place while using at least one master axis and at least one cam disk having at least one input and one output and being controlled by the master axis, in which, in response to the occurrence of the error at the least one input of the at least one cam disk, current process variables that are present are used for the initiation and the execution of the error response. The invention also relates to a corresponding computer system.

Abstract: Performance parameters for a reciprocating pump including pulsation energy, temperature energy, solids, Miller number and chemical energy and the like are monitored and employed to at least periodically compute a total energy number over the operating life of the pump. The current computed value is compared to a predictive failure value empirically determined for the respective pump design, to determine when failure is likely to be imminent. Scheduling of maintenance with other pumping operations and objective rating of competing designs is possible based on the total energy number.

Abstract: A method of rendering a graphical image described by an expression tree is disclosed. The expression tree has one or more parent nodes and one or more leaf nodes, with each parent node representing a graphical operator and having branches to respective descendent nodes. Each of the leaf nodes represents a graphic object. The method determines regions of one or more pixel locations in an output space of the image, with each region corresponding to a combination in the image of one or more of the graphical objects. Next, for each of the regions, an activity state of corresponding parent nodes is determined using a predefined function for each corresponding operator. The method then generates, in parallel, for each active one of the operators, compositing instructions and pixel generation instructions. The compositing instructions are stored in an operator queue and pixel colors are generated using the pixel generation instructions, with the pixel colors being buffered in an operand queue.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for embodiments for efficiently and flexibly controlling hardware devices in a semiconductor processing system are provided for use in a distributed control arrangement. In general, the distributed arrangement includes at least one upper-level controller that is configurable with a computer program sequence of instructions for controlling one or more hardware devices of a processing tool. The hardware devices are controlled through one or more lower-level controllers. Prior to execution of the program sequence of the upper-level controller, at least one instruction of this program is pre-compiled so as to translate the instruction for execution by a selected lower-level controller and to add an at least one interlock check to such pre-compiled instruction and make the translated instruction accessible to at least one lower-level controller. The interlock check specifies one or more condition(s) for the selected lower-level controller to execute the pre-compiled instruction.

Abstract: A power distribution and protection system and method where an electrical power source distributes power to different load circuits and provides protection that changes on the fly as required by sensing the characteristics of the loads. This is accomplished by a central processing node that is connected to multiple point of use nodes. The characteristics over an initial period of time of the current drawn by the loads are detected and compared to references that determine whether a load is inductive, resistive or is in arcing condition. One of the techniques used involves counting the zero crossings over a predetermined period of time. If the voltage applied to the loads is AC, a high pass filter is used to extract the ringing characteristics to be compared.

Abstract: A redundant fieldbus system provides power and communications in a parallel physical configuration between the host system and attached field devices irrespective of any single point failure in the network. In case of a fault, the redundant fieldbus system automatically eliminates the faulty section of the network, switches power and communications to the healthy portion of the network and terminates the network for signal integrity. A device coupler for the system may include a fault detector coupled to an auto-termination circuit that terminates a fieldbus cable when a fault is detected. The device coupler may include fault detection and isolation coupled to each set of spur terminals used to connect field devices to the device coupler. A field device for the system may include circuitry for deselecting a faulty cable while maintaining connection to a healthy cable.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and process is provided for communicating safety-related data, over an open system, from a sender to a receiver. Safety-related components, including function blocks, flexible function blocks, resource blocks and transducer blocks, as well as, safety-related objects are provided. Also, an extended safety-related protocol provides for authenticating communications between safety-related components over an existing black channel, such as one using a fieldbus Architecture.

Abstract: A method and system for remotely predicting the reliability and the remaining time before failure for an DC motor system is provided. The method and system may remotely determine the reliability utilizing a DC motor condition forecaster. The method and system may include acquiring historical motor data, obtaining operational data, performing failure analysis, developing a causal network, and performing an integrated causal network and reliability analysis of the DC motor system. The method and system may provide at least one notification of an issue with the DC motor system or at least one component of the DC motor system.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the present technique provides a method for servicing an imaging device having a cryogenic cooling system. In the exemplary embodiment, servicing of an MRI scanner may be scheduled via a model correlating a measured condition of the MRI scanner's cryogenic cooling system to a kind of imaging device event. According to another embodiment, the present technique provides a method for developing a model for predicting a cryogenic cooling system event by analyzing data from a population of similar cryogenic cooling systems.

Abstract: A controller design for switching between m linear multivariable controllers each of whom stabilizes a linear plant has been presented. A Youla-Kucera factorization was exploited in the interest of obtaining a closed-loop system that is exponentially stable for any switching signal ?(t) in the absence of plant model uncertainty. Robustness to practical model uncertainty was also considered and lower and upper bounds on the tolerable magnitude of unstructured additive plant uncertainty were presented. Numerical example demonstrated that the two controller degrees of freedom in the proposed controller design could be used to separately modify the closed-loop steady-state (with respect to ?(t)) performance and the switching transients.

Abstract: A redundant fieldbus redundant system includes two independent conditioned power modules which automatically detect cable faults, such as short or open circuits on both the host and field sides of the network. The power modules are interfaced directly on one side to the primary and backup H1 cards of the host system, and are directly interfaced on the other side to an automatically terminating network device coupler module which provides connections to field devices. The redundant fieldbus system provides power and communications in a parallel physical configuration between the host system and the field devices irrespective of any single point failure in the network. In case of a fault, the redundant fieldbus system automatically eliminates the faulty section of the network, switches power and communications to the healthy portion of the network and terminates the network for signal integrity.

Abstract: Quick recovery or recovery support of a faulty power generating facility by real time diagnoses such as facility failure diagnosis, supervision for failure symptoms, facility diagnosis by evaluation of performance using databases between the power generating facilities and an operation control system. The operation control system transfers information on operating status and secular characteristic changes of apparatus from power generating facilities or information from operators of selected power generating facilities. The level of a failure of a power generating facility which has a failure is evaluated and repairing information (e.g. recovery procedures, processes, required parts, inventory of the parts, possible failure causes, etc.) created from repairing information prepared in advance for each evaluation condition. The repairing information is then sent to the operation supporting section of the power generating facility.

Abstract: A safety condition setting support device is used for a safety network to which an input device and an output device are connected and the output device serves to stop a controlled apparatus based on a detection signal outputted from the input device when the input device has detected a danger condition. The support device serves to set safety conditions for stopping the controlled apparatus within a specified time period and includes an apparatus data memory for storing data related to internal processing times of safety devices connected to the safety network including the input and output devices, data obtaining device obtaining connection data showing connection relationship among the safety devices and transmission intervals among the safety devices or a safety distance between the input device and the controlled apparatus, and a calculating device for obtaining the safety conditions based on these obtained data.

Abstract: Presently disclosed are a method and apparatus for predicting a failure in an electronic assembly by detecting an incremental change exhibited by a sacrificial sensor that is integrated into the electronic assembly and by monitoring environmental conditions that the electronic assembly is exposed to. A failure prediction is that made according to the detected incremental change exhibited by the sacrificial sensor and according to the monitored environmental conditions.

Abstract: In an electronic apparatus such as a DVD recorder (1) which controls electric power supply to a main micro processor (3) and peripheral devices (10, 11, 15) with a auxiliary micro processor (4), a power control method by the auxiliary micro processor (4) can be changed. The main micro processor (3) transmits a power control data, which indicates a control method of the electric power supply, to the auxiliary micro processor (4). The auxiliary micro processor (4) controls the electric power supply by a method indicated by the power control data.

Abstract: A redundant fieldbus system provides power and communications in a parallel physical configuration between the host system and attached field devices irrespective of any single point failure in the network. In case of a fault, the redundant fieldbus system automatically eliminates the faulty section of the network, switches power and communications to the healthy portion of the network and terminates the network for signal integrity. A device coupler for the system may include a fault detector coupled to an auto-termination circuit that terminates a fieldbus cable when a fault is detected. The device coupler may include fault detection and isolation coupled to each set of spur terminals used to connect field devices to the device coupler. A field device for the system may include circuitry for deselecting a faulty cable while maintaining connection to a healthy cable.

Abstract: A system and method for servicing a medical device, which provides for generation of a transfer function that correlates historical machine data with the health of the medical device. The transfer function may be validated and stored. The transfer function is automatically updated based on current machine data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for managing the restarting of automatic control equipment, consisting in: backing up, on an outage of the main electrical power supply, in a non-volatile memory (Flash 2) of the automatic control equipment, the data and a signature (LID?) associated with the mapping of the data in the volatile memory (RAM) of the application program which is running at the time of the outage, after the end of the main electrical power supply outage, reloading the application program into the volatile memory (RAM) from a backup available in another non-volatile memory (Flash 1), comparing the signature (LID?) with a signature backed up (LID) to decide on a restart of the automatic control equipment.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for a nuclear reactor safety related application. The method includes executing two forms of a same application-specific logic, one of the two forms implemented as hardware logic, and the other of the two forms implemented as software instructions for execution by microprocessor-based controlling software. Each form of the application-specific logic is executed with a same set of inputs. The method compares a result produced from the execution of the hardware-implemented form to a result produced from the execution of the software-implemented form. When the compared results concur, the controlling software performs actions associated with the concurring results by executing microprocessor-based software. When the compared results fail to concur, the controlling software reports the failure of the compared results to concur to an operator by executing microprocessor-based software, and thereafter places the microprocessor-based software system into an inoperative (INOP) mode.

Abstract: A method of using an APC system to perform a data pre-population function is described in which the APC system is coupled to a processing element. The APC system comprises an APC computer including operational software, a database coupled to the APC computer, and a GUI, and the processing element comprises at least one of a tool, a processing module, and a sensor. When the APC system operates, the APC system collects data from the processing element and stores the collected data in the database. When an APC malfunction occurs, a data recovery (data pre-population) can be performed. When some of the historical data is missing, a data recovery (data pre-population) can be performed. When an APC system is coupled to a new tool having some historical data, a data recovery (data pre-population) can be performed.

Abstract: In building automation architectures, components may be associated through physical communications paths and at a different level through building automation applications. Building automation applications implement control processes for a building function. Due to changing needs, such as a failure of a physical communications path or the addition or removal of components, the building automation application may be more appropriately performed in a different device. By dynamically positioning or determining a processor for implementing a building automation application, an architecture or network may more optimally control building functions, such as by requiring less user input, more rapid response and/or avoiding building function failures.

Abstract: A network communication device is provided, comprising a control processor for controlling operation of the device, a reset module which is controllable independently of the control processor for performing a reset operation of the device, and a reset control interface for receiving a reset signal, the reset module being responsive to the reset signal for performing the reset operation. A monitor is provided for monitoring the status of the control processor and an interface is adapted to transmit information relating to the monitored status from the device. A second, inactive device is provided to protect the communication device in the event of a control fault which renders the communication device unreachable. The protection device includes a reset interface for transmitting a reset signal to the reset module to enable the communication device to release activity.

Abstract: Safety units 1d to 1f for executing a safety function processing are connected to a non-safety controller constituted by connectting a plurality of units 1b, 1c including CPU units 1a. A CPU bus 10 to be connected with the CPU units and a safety dedicated bus 11 for mutually connecting the safety units are provided to the safety units. Since the safety dedicated bus is isolated from the non-safety system, reliability of the safety function can be secured. The CPU unit can read out data through the CPU bus irrespective of the safety unit and the non-safety unit.

Abstract: A configurable system for automating a control sequence, in particular a motion sequence, has several components which exchange in regular time intervals during the control sequence with each other information via communication relationships. The system selects exactly one system project design from a plurality of system project designs based on the topology and functionality of the components. Each component of the system has a component project design, which is used by the system to design the components according to the corresponding component project designs. Each component arranges the communication relationships of the other components according to its own component project design.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for process control, wherein at least one process device to be controlled is controlled by at least one process module and by at least one safety module, in that process signals not relevant to safety are transmitted to a local control unit associated with the process device by the process module and safety signals relating to the process safety are transmitted by the safety module, wherein the process signals and the safety signals are logically linked to one another in the control unit and the result of the logical link is made available at a control output of the control unit to which the process device to be controlled is connected. The invention moreover relates to a system for process control, in particular for the carrying out of the method in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for easily altering redundancy management data values associated with redundancy management logic that is executed by redundant data processing systems. The redundancy management data values are altered on a computer device remote from the system that includes the redundant data processing systems.

Abstract: An automatic steering control system comprises a behavior detector, a pattern matching section and a control parameter setter. The behavior detector sequentially determines a time duration of each of specific kinds of behaviors of a ship based on heading data detected by a heading sensor. The pattern matching section sequentially determines a behavior pattern which each of the behaviors of the ship matches from among multiple behavior patterns based on the heading data detected by the heading sensor during the time duration of each of the behaviors sequentially determined by the behavior detector. The control parameter setter sequentially reads out control parameters stored in a memory in correlation with the behavior pattern which each of the behaviors of the ship matches as determined by the pattern matching section and controls the ship based on the control parameters read out of the memory.

Abstract: A modular safety system for controlling emergency stop applications includes a plurality of inputs, a plurality of output groups, and a plurality of safe relay outputs. The plurality of inputs is assigned to at least one of the output groups. Each output group is configured to control at least one of the plurality of safe relay outputs. The system also includes means for configuring the system and at least three freely programmable output groups.

Abstract: A system for preventative maintenance of a ride or an attraction component at a venue. A validator establishes the identity of the ride or attraction component and a controller monitors the use of the ride or attraction component. The controller also manage the ride or attraction component's availability for patron usage and transmits this information to a system control panel. A blocking device controlled by the panel prevents patron usage of a ride or attraction component that is in non-compliance with pre-established operating standards.

Abstract: A control system for a load (10), the system comprising a first microprocessor (16) having an output to drive one side of a load (10), a second microprocessor (18) having an output to drive the other side of the load (10), the system being arranged so that when either microprocessor detects a fault in the control of the load (10) the load (10) is switched off.

Abstract: According to the present invention, as processing apparatus drive starts, the operating state of software used to drive the processing apparatus is monitored in real time to diagnose whether or not an abnormality has occurred (S110). If it is judged through the diagnosis performed in S110 that no abnormality has occurred, the workpiece processing is allowed to continue uninterrupted and then a decision is made as to whether or not the workpiece processing has been completed (S130). If the processing has been completed, the processing apparatus is stopped (S140). If, on the other hand, it is judged through the diagnosis performed in S110 that an abnormality has occurred, a log of the diagnosis item with regard to which the abnormality has occurred is recorded (S120). The processing apparatus is then stopped (S140).

Abstract: A rack equipment power pricing plan control system and method is presented. In one embodiment of the present invention, a power pricing plan rack equipment control method is utilized to control operation of rack equipment. A power pricing plan for operating the rack equipment is established. The rack equipment is operated in accordance with the power pricing plan.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods and apparatus for improving top drive operations. In one embodiment a method of ensuring safe operation of a top drive includes operating a top drive, thereby exerting torque on a first tubular to makeup or breakout a first threaded connection between the first tubular and a second tubular. The method further includes monitoring for break-out of a second connection between a quill of the top drive and the first tubular; and stopping operation of the top drive and/or notifying an operator of the top drive if break-out of the second connection is detected.

Abstract: A current overload detecting system and method applicable in a data processing device connected with a plurality of electronic devices is disclosed, each of the electronic devices having a USB interface. The data processing device has a plurality of USB ports corresponding to and connected with the USB interfaces, a plurality of USB control units for controlling the operations of the USB ports, and a basic input/output system (BIOS) for executing a POST process. The current overload detecting system includes a signal-detecting unit for detecting if the USB control unit of the data processing device is outputting an over-current when the BIOS of the data processing device is executing the POST process, outputting a control signal if the USB control unit is detected to be outputting the over-current signal; and a display unit for receiving the control signal and displaying corresponding messages according to the control signal.

Abstract: Method of controlling a current through a coil (L) for the generation of a magnetic field (H) in which: a parameter is determined which is a measure for the value of the resistance (RL) of the coil (L), the current (IL) through the coil (L) is controlled by data (DS) delivered by a data control circuit (DSS), and a stop data signal (SPD) is delivered to the data control circuit (DSS) for (at least) temporarily stopping the control of the current (IL) when the parameter exceeds a certain limit.

Abstract: Thousands of process and equipment measurements are gathered by the modern digital process control systems that are deployed in refineries and chemical plants. Several years of these data are historized in databases for analysis and reporting. These databases can be mined for the data patterns that occur during normal operation and those patterns used to determine when the process is behaving abnormally. These normal operating patterns are represented by sets of models. These models include simple engineering equations, which express known relationships that should be true during normal operations and multivariate statistical models based on a variation of principle component analysis. Equipment and process problems can be detected by comparing the data gathered on a minute by minute basis to predictions from these models of normal operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring and control of a system is disclosed. The method and apparatus include providing a plurality of sensors, a table, and a network processor. The sensors monitor attributes of the system. The table includes a plurality of entries. Each of the entries indicates at least one action to be taken in response to a portion attributes having particular values. The network processor is coupled with the sensors and with the table. The network processor receives from the sensors a plurality of statuses for the attributes. The network processor further determines at least one entry of the entries to access based upon the statuses and accesses the at least one entry to determine a corresponding action.

Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are processed in conjunction with a manufacturing execution system using a run-to-run controller and a fault detection system. A recipe is received from the manufacturing execution system by the run-to-run controller for controlling a tool. The recipe includes a setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties. Processing of the wafers is monitored by measuring processing attributes including fault conditions and wafer properties using the fault detection system and one or more sensors. Setpoints of the recipe may be modified at the run-to-run controller according to the processing attributes to maintain the target wafer properties, except in cases when a fault condition is detected by the fault detection system. Thus, data acquired in the presence of tool or wafer fault conditions are not used for feedback purposes. In addition, fault detection models may be used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition.

Abstract: An open-loop and closed-loop control unit for a safety-relevant apparatus, in particular for aviation applications, has a computer unit with a number of computer inputs and computer outputs, and a circuit unit with a number of circuit inputs and circuit outputs. The circuit unit has hardware components for simulating some of the logic operations that can be carried out in the computer unit. The circuit inputs and computer inputs that correspond to one another with respect to the simulated logic operations are each connected in parallel to a signal input line. The computer outputs and circuit outputs which correspond to one another with respect to the simulated logic operations are each connected to a decision-making unit, by which an output signal for open-loop control of the safety-relevant apparatus can be emitted as a function of the correspondence between the signals from the computer output and from the circuit output.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automation system with a programmable controller (6), the programmable controller (6) exhibiting deterministic behavior and being provided to produce at least one first result value (13) from at least one first input value (3, 4, 5), as well as a method for controlling a technical process or a technical system with an automation system of this type. To improve the reaction of the automation system in situations for which no account is taken at the engineering stage, it is proposed that additional means for affective control (7) are provided which produce at least one state value (9) by means of situation evaluation means (8) from at least one second input value (1, 2) and for linking the state value (9) with an attribute profile (10) in order to form a second result value (11), the linkage means (14) being provided to link the first result value (13) to the second result value (11) in order to form at least one output value (15).

Abstract: A process plant includes a safety system that is physically and logically integrated with a process control system such that the safety system and the process control system can use common communication, configuration hardware and software within the process plant while still providing functional isolation between the safety system controllers and the process control system controllers. This integrated process control and safety system uses a common data communication structure for both the safety system and the process control system so that the configuration application can send data to and receive data from devices in either system in the same manner, e.g., using the same communication hardware and software.

Abstract: A portable weather detection and alarm device includes an electromagnetic signal receiver that receives digital time signals and atmospheric phenomenon signals. A processor connected to the electromagnetic signal receiver processes the atmospheric phenomenon signals to determine when an atmospheric event has occurred. An alarm connected to the processor that indicates the occurrence of an atmospheric event.

Abstract: Graphical programming or modeling environments, such as a block diagram environment, are disclosed in which graphical programs or models are configured using handshaking communication between entities of the graphical programs or models. The graphical programming or modeling environments provide mechanisms for the handshaking configuration of graphical programs/models before the graphical programs/models are executed in the graphical programming/modeling environments.

Abstract: A method for providing a virtual age estimation for predicting the remaining lifetime of a device of a given type, comprises the steps of monitoring a predetermined number of significant parameters of respective ones of a training set of devices of the given type, the parameters contributing respective wear increments, determining coefficients of a multivariate Hermite polynomial for modeling the wear increments determined from the training set operated to failure and whereof the respective virtual ages are normalized substantially to a desired norm value, deriving from the multivariate Hermite polynomial a formula for virtual age of a device of the given type, and applying the formula to the significant parameters from a further device of the given type for deriving wear increments for the further device.

Abstract: A memory module comprises a plurality of storage bits for each memory location, and a plurality of error management storage bits for each memory location. A memory controller is operable to change error management modes on the memory module. Changing error management modes comprises in one example using an error management mode providing the greatest error management capability for the number of operable memory components available within the memory module.