A laboratory sample distribution system comprising sample container carriers, a central controller having a network interface, and transport modules is presented. Each transport module comprises a transport surface, wherein the transport surfaces form a transport plane, a controllable driver arranged below the transport surface and configured to move sample container carriers on the transport surface, and a control unit for controlling the driver. The control unit comprises a network interface. The central controller and the control units of the transport modules are connected by their corresponding network interfaces. Each control unit comprises first and second addressing terminals. The addressing terminals are connected sequentially in a daisy chain topology. The first addressing terminal is the first control unit in the sequence and is connected to a first reference potential and the second addressing terminal is the last control unit in the sequence and is connected to a second reference potential.

A self-diagnostic circuit includes an electrical conductor configured to multiplex, a first switch interposing the electrical conductor, and a first module crossing the first switch. The first module includes a first receptor antenna associated with the conductor on one side of the first switch, a first emitter antenna associated with the conductor on an opposite side of the first switch, and a first interfacing microprocessor. The first interfacing microprocessor is configured to receive no signal from the first receptor antenna when the first switch is open thus generating a first open signal and a first address signal indicative of the first module and outputting the first open signal and the first address signal to the conductor via the first emitter antenna. The first interfacing microprocessor is further configured to receive a first induced frequency signal from the first receptor antenna when the first switch is closed thus generating a first closed signal and the first address signal indicative of the first module and outputting the first closed signal and the first address signal to the conductor via the first emitter antenna.

A distributed logic control apparatus is usable to control a system and includes a plurality of enhanced intelligent devices and a network protocol control that are connected with a data network. The intelligent devices each have a processor apparatus and an algorithm operable thereon that enables each intelligent device to control a corresponding part of the system. Other algorithms on the intelligent devices provide an advantageous setup operation that enables the intelligent devices to cooperate with one another in a self-setup operation.

A distributed logic control apparatus is usable to control a system and includes a plurality of enhanced intelligent devices and a network protocol control that are connected with a data network. The intelligent devices each have a processor apparatus and an algorithm operable thereon that enables each intelligent device to control a corresponding part of the system. Other algorithms on the intelligent devices provide an advantageous setup operation that enables the intelligent devices to cooperate with one another in a self-setup operation.

A motor starter comprising a manual motor starter (MMS) is provided. The MMS comprises an MMS status input unit to receive a status of the MMS, a magnetic contactor (MC) status input unit to receive a status of a magnetic contactor, a communication unit connected via a wired cable to communicate data with a monitoring control console, and a controller to transmit MMS information received from the MMS status input unit and MC information received from the MC status input unit to the monitoring control console and to control the magnetic contactor based on a control signal received from the monitoring control console and the MC information.

A method of operating a bioprocess arrangement to perform repetition of a bioprocess, wherein the bioprocess arrangement comprises a replaceable electronic component, wherein a process control system controls the bioprocess arrangement, using a digital model. The replaceable electronic components are removed and replaced by new electronic components, the process control system automatically detects the removal of the electronic components, automatically detects the presence of the new electronic components and retrieves digital representations of the new components, the process control system derives from the digital representations of the replaceable components and the new components a functional relationship, the process control system replaces the digital representations of the replaceable components with the digital representations of the new components based on the functional relationship thereby updating the digital model, and, that the process control system controls the bioprocess arrangement to perform the bioprocess based on the updated digital model.

A power conversion system comprises: a plurality of power conversion devices; and a master controller capable of communicating with the plurality of power conversion devices by a serial communication channel. The master controller transmits the same control command to the plurality of power conversion devices by serial communication via the serial communication channel, and the plurality of power conversion devices each perform power conversion from the primary side to the secondary side on the basis of the same control command.