A laboratory device (4, 9), in particular a magnetic stirrer, comprises at least one adjustable operating parameter for controlling at least one laboratory device function, and an outer housing (2). The outer housing (2) has a coupling device (11a, 11b) for coupling the laboratory device (4, 9) to at least one further laboratory device (5, 9) for the same at least one laboratory device function, at which further laboratory device the at least one operating parameter can also be adjusted, and the coupling device (11a, 11b) is configured such that by means of the coupling device (11a, 11b) the laboratory device (4, 9) and the at least one further laboratory device (5, 9) can be operated simultaneously and by means of a common adjustment device the at least one operating parameter can be adjusted in a central manner independently and/or consistently for the laboratory device (4, 9) and the at least one further laboratory device (5, 9).

Some embodiments provide irrigation controllers comprising: a housing; a control unit including a first microcontroller configured to execute irrigation programs and a first set of code; and a removable plug-in device that removably mates with a portion of the irrigation controller and communicationally couples to the first microcontroller, wherein the plug-in device comprises a memory storing a second set of code to replace at least a portion of the first set of code, wherein the plug-in device is configured to re-flash at least a portion of the first set of code allowing a copy of the second set of code to overwrite at least the portion of the first set of code; wherein the first set of code comprises a bootloader that writes the copy of the second set of code over the first set of code with the exception of the bootloader that is not written over.

An industrial controller with a modular backplane includes multiple modules, where each module includes a base and a chassis. Electrical connectors located on each side of the base engage the base of an adjacent module such that the bases are electrically connected. The backplane is defined by and extends through each of the bases connected to each other. A chassis is inserted into each base. Each chassis includes an embedded switch and a local circuit. The embedded switch is in communication with the base, and the local circuit performs the operation of the corresponding module. The embedded switch receives data transmitted along the backplane between bases. The embedded switch reads the data intended for the module and passes the data to the local circuit for further processing. Similarly, the embedded switch receives data from the local circuit and inserts the data on the backplane for transmission to the appropriate module.

A method for monitoring data processing and data transmission in a safety chain of a safety system, and a device for carrying out the method, which achieve the object of further simplifying the monitoring of the safety chain of an overall safety function of a modular safety system, in particular during ongoing operation. For this purpose, the method and device use at least one actual characteristic value for a safety-relevant characterizing attribute of the data processing and/or data transmission.

Some embodiments provide irrigation controllers comprising: a housing; a control unit including a first microcontroller configured to execute irrigation programs and a first set of code; and a removable plug-in device that removably mates with a portion of the irrigation controller and communicationally couples to the first microcontroller, wherein the plug-in device comprises a memory storing a second set of code to replace at least a portion of the first set of code, wherein the plug-in device is configured to re-flash at least a portion of the first set of code allowing a copy of the second set of code to overwrite at least the portion of the first set of code; wherein the first set of code comprises a bootloader that writes the copy of the second set of code over the first set of code with the exception of the bootloader that is not written over.

A distributed event engine for controlling distributed devices of a building management system executes as discrete event processes on distributed devices with sufficient computing power and availability. The distributed devices communicate via a peer-to-peer network and a distributed ledger (e.g. blockchain). An event engine configuration module assigns the event processes to the distributed devices based on device and capability information published to the distributed ledger. An edge device scoring process executing on the distributed devices executing the event processes determines which other distributed devices to control based on which devices are compatible with local event processes and/or electrically and geographically close, resulting in decreased latency, vulnerability to hacking and corruption of data.

A distributed transaction ledger (e.g. a blockchain) is used to track and validate changes in a building management system such as a building automation system, access control system, or security/surveillance system. The building management system 100 includes a series of distributed devices connected to a peer-to-peer validation network. The distributed devices generate transaction information during normal operation and broadcast the transaction information to the validation network. The validation network maintains a distributed transaction ledger for the building management system, for example, by validating the transaction information and distributing the transaction information across the validation network according to consensus criteria to be stored locally in multiple instances by nodes of the validation network, which can be dedicated computing devices and/or validator distributed devices. The distributed devices perform building management functions based on validated transaction information retrieved from the transaction ledger.

An input module for an industrial controller includes configurable execution windows. The execution windows are defined by a first parameter and a second parameter stored within the input module. A third parameter defines a status bit which is compared against the execution window to set a window output signal within the input module. The execution window may define a range between the first and second parameters against which the status bit is compared. Alternately, the first and second parameters may define setpoints against which the status bit is compared. At one of the setpoints, the window output signal is set and at the other of the setpoints, the window output signal is reset.

A control system for a machine includes one or more component controllers for one or more components of the machine. The control system also includes a supervisory controller, connected to the one or more component controllers, and having at least one supervisory processor configured to perform operations comprising receiving supervisory system inputs, including at least one of a machine component status input, a key switch input, a directional input, or an operator presence input, from an operator of the machine, requesting and receiving, from each of the one or more component controllers, a status of the one or more components, and, upon receiving an indication that a status of a component, of the one or more components, is faulted, disabling the faulted component, and disabling any other components, of the one or more components, that require the faulted component for operation.

A customizable pool automation control system includes a system housing defining a protective enclosure. A processor is located within the housing. A plurality of expansion slots are formed with the housing, and operatively communicate with the processor. A plurality of modular external expansion cards are adapted for being custom selected by a user and inserted into respective expansion slots. The expansion cards are selected from a group consisting of a chlorine generator control, a water level control, a camera control, a valve actuator control, and a relay control.