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.

The present disclosure provides an industrial robot safety control system, a back-up safety circuit and a safety module. The safety module includes a first safety circuit and a second safety circuit. The first safety circuit and the second safety circuit receive a warning signal at a same time. The first safety circuit is configured to respond to the warning signal. The second safety circuit include a delay system and an event response circuit. The delay system sets a time delay when receiving the warning signal, wherein, when the delay system does not receive a first control signal indicating that the first safety circuit has responded to the warning signal during the time delay, the delay system controls the event response circuit to respond to the warning signal. The present disclosure may help avoid the problem of common mode failure of the back-up safety mechanism.

A control system for controlling a process. The control system includes primary and secondary module buses over which information may be transmitted between a controller and a plurality of I/O modules. Each of the controller and I/O modules has a power sense circuit for detecting current on the high side of a driver and a ground sense circuit for detecting current on the low side of the driver. The driver is determined to have failed if either the current on the high side of the driver measured by the power sense circuit is outside a predetermined high range or the current on the low side of the driver measured by the ground sense circuit is outside a predetermined low range.

An output module for an industrial controller configurable to simplify setup and commissioning is disclosed. The output module includes configurable PWM outputs that may be scheduled to start at different times within the PWM period, that may be configured to generate a fixed number of PWM pulses, and that may have an extendable PWM period. The output terminals are configurable to enter a first state upon generation of a fault and further configurable to enter a second state after a configurable time delay following the fault being generated. The output module may receive inputs signals directly from another module and set output signals at the terminals responsive to these signals.

A modular controlling system for controlling and/or interfacing sophisticated power, communication, monitoring, lighting, ventilation and/or other services systems in complex environments such as underground mines, pharmaceutical laboratories and production facilities and nuclear plants comprises a main processing unit, several communication interface units, several equipment interface units, and a user interface unit. The modular controlling system is configured to be installed in a complex environment such as an underground mine and connected to various mining equipment, including ventilation equipment and environmental sensors. The modular controlling system is generally preprogrammed and preconfigured with all the necessary operating programs, control algorithms and equipment drivers such as to required minimal customization upon installation.

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.

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.