A modular I/O system for an industrial automation network includes a network adapter including first and second adapter modules, wherein each adapter module is configured for connection with an industrial network. The I/O system further includes a first I/O device with first and second I/O modules each configured for operative connection to a controlled system for input/output of data with respect to the controlled system. The I/O system further includes first and second independent backplane data networks that connect each of the first and second adapter modules to each of the first and second I/O modules. The network adapter includes first and second removable backplane network switches and the first I/O device includes third and fourth removable backplane network switches that establish the backplane networks. The backplane network switches can be Ethernet gigabit switches.

A method for producing a control system, in particular a driver assistance system, of a motor vehicle. The method includes the following steps: providing a first control unit, setting vehicle-specific operating parameters for the motor vehicle in the first control unit for its encoding, providing a second control unit and connecting in terms of signaling the second control unit to the first control unit, transmitting the encoding of the first control unit to the second control unit.

A head module for a modular control device includes redundant channel units, each including a processing unit and multiple failure revelation units. The head module includes a bus disconnection unit configured to shut down a communication bus. The failure revelation units are configured to monitor a state of the channel units. The processing units are configured to continuously stimulate the failure revelation units. At least one of the processing units is coupled to signal wires of the communication bus to provide a communication link to one or more peripheral modules of the modular control device. The failure revelation units are further configured to control, based on the stimulation and the monitoring, the bus disconnection unit.

A control device (1) includes a master-information processing unit (10), and a slave-information processing unit (20) including an information processing CPU (220) that performs information processing through a general-purpose OS, and a distribution control CPU (210) that measures an operating state of the information processing CPU (220) through a real-time OS. The master-information processing unit (10) acquires, from the slave-information processing unit (20), information indicating the operating state of the information processing CPU (220) in the slave-information processing unit (20), determines, based on the acquired information, whether to request the slave-information processing unit (20) to perform information processing, and transmits, when determining to request the slave-information processing unit (20) to perform the information processing, a signal requesting the information processing to the slave-information processing unit (20). The information processing CPU (220) in the slave-information processing unit (20) performs the information processing upon receiving the signal requesting the information processing.

Disclosed is a redundant hot standby control system including K industrial personal computers, with a plurality of virtual control devices being established thereon respectively, at least one of the plurality of virtual control devices being established on each IPC as a main control device; and the other virtual control devices being standby control devices. Each of the standby control devices corresponds to a virtual control device, which serves as the main control device on another IPC, except for the IPC to which the standby control device itself belongs. A procedure, which is the same as that operated on the main control device corresponding thereto, is operated on the standby control device. A control bus of the system is used for connecting a plurality of the M IPCs; and a field bus is used for connecting the M IPCs and a plurality of field devices.

A modular I/O system for an industrial automation network includes a network adapter including first and second adapter modules, wherein each adapter module is configured for connection with an industrial network. The I/O system further includes a first I/O device with first and second I/O modules each configured for operative connection to a controlled system for input/output of data with respect to the controlled system. The I/O system further includes first and second independent backplane data networks that connect each of the first and second adapter modules to each of the first and second I/O modules. The network adapter includes first and second removable backplane network switches and the first I/O device includes third and fourth removable backplane network switches that establish the backplane networks. The backplane network switches can be Ethernet gigabit switches.

Disclosed is a redundant hot standby control system including K industrial personal computers, with a plurality of virtual control devices being established thereon respectively, at least one of the plurality of virtual control devices being established on each IPC as a main control device; and the other virtual control devices being standby control devices. Each of the standby control devices corresponds to a virtual control device, which serves as the main control device on another IPC, except for the IPC to which the standby control device itself belongs. A procedure, which is the same as that operated on the main control device corresponding thereto, is operated on the standby control device. A control bus of the system is used for connecting a plurality of the M IPCs; and a field bus is used for connecting the M IPCs and a plurality of field devices.

A safety instrumented system (SIS) includes safety controllers, and safety input/output (I/O) modules coupled to safety field devices that are coupled in parallel with a process control system's field devices to processing equipment which is configured and controlled to run a process. An I/O mesh network between the safety controllers and the safety I/O modules is configured for selecting any safety controller to become coupled to any safety I/O module to function as a pool of safety I/O modules so that any safety controller is configurable to receive sensor signals from and transmit control signals to any safety field device. The safety field devices are for monitoring process variable(s) for the process so that when one of the safety controllers recognizes a hazardous condition regarding the processing equipment, the SIS independently takes action to keep the processing equipment under control or bring it to a safe state.

Method for operating a redundantly configured automation system which includes has a first subsystem, a second subsystem and a third subsystem, wherein a sequence program is implemented in each of the subsystems of the automation system and is executable in a runtime environment to fulfill automation tasks, and wherein a data memory is implemented in the subsystems in each of the automation systems, where the sequence program includes at least a first subprogram and a second subprogram, the data memory in each of the subsystems includes at least a first submemory and a second submemory, the first subprogram and the first submemory are synchronized with a first synchronization clock between the first and second subsystems, and the second subprogram and the second submemory are synchronized with a second synchronization clock between the first and third subsystems, and where the first and synchronization clocks differ from one another.

An I/O system having redundant removable and/or replaceable components. Each of the removable/replaceable components can be removed by displacement parallel to a common axis. An I/O device having an I/O base with a lock-out toggle to prevent installation of one or more I/O modules to the I/O base unless a ground screw has been secured to supporting structure.