A safety control device, a method of controlling safety control device, and a recording medium are provided. A detection zone in which the safety of an operator can be secured and a decrease in an operation rate of a machine can be minimized is set. A safety controller sets a detection zone for executing a safety operation when it is determined that an operator has entered for each operator.

Control systems for industrial machinery (e.g., robots) or other devices such as medical devices utilize a safety processor (SP) designed for integration into safety applications and computational components that are not necessarily safety-rated. The SP monitors performance of the non-safety computational components, including latency checks and verification of identical outputs. One or more sensors send data to the non-safety computational components for sophisticated processing and analysis that the SP cannot not perform, but the results of this processing are sent to the SP, which then generates safety-rated signals to the machinery or device being controlled by the SP. As a result, the system may qualify for a safety rating despite the ability to perform complex operations beyond the scope of safety-rated components.

A control device according to the present invention includes a main control unit configured to control a main operation of a controlled object, a sub-control unit configured to control an operation of an attached device of the controlled object, and a sequence program execution unit configured to transmit and receive a command between the main control unit and the sub-control unit, the sequence program execution unit has a function of transmitting a stop command signal SD to the sub-control unit when receiving a power stop signal PD from outside of the control device, and then transmitting a power stop command signal SP to a power supply unit when receiving a stop confirmation signal SE from the sub-control unit.

The system includes a fence inside which machines are arranged that are potentially dangerous for the operators, forming part of a processing plant for processing web material and producing rolls. A passage counting the number of operators entering the fence and exiting therefrom is so controlled as to be accessible only when the machines are not working and to allow a partial operation of the machines inside the fence under particular safety conditions.

The present application provides a safety control system for an industrial robot and an industrial robot including the safety control system. In an embodiment, the safety control system includes a first safety controller connected to at least one core safety sensor outputting a core safety signal, to receive the core safety signal; and a second safety controller connected to at least one safety-related sensor outputting a safety-related signal, to receive the safety-related signal. In an embodiment, the first safety controller and the second safety controller are respectively connected to a safety actuating system.

This disclosure involves a method of controlling a safety critical control device, the method comprising: sending user inputs to a first state machine, identifying user inputs by the first state machine, determining the correct state to communicate to a second state machine, the correct state being determined by selecting one state of a plurality of states depending on the user inputs, communicating the correct state to a second state machine through a control bus, and determining the correct state for the second state machine based on communication from the control bus.

A method checks an industrial machine or an automation system by a computer-assisted safety test. At least one control path of the entire industrial machine or of the entire automation system is checked the computer-assisted safety test.

Systems and methods for safety-enabled control. Input values provided to a control system can be validated. Command gating can be performed for control values provided by the control system. Validation of input values and command gating for control values can be performed in accordance with respective validation windows. Validation windows can be dynamically adjusted based on data received via a sensor or interface.

An interactive autonomous robot is configured for deployment within a social environment. The disclosed robot includes a show subsystem configured to select between different in-character behaviors depending on robot status, thereby allowing the robot to appear in-character despite technical failures. The disclosed robot further includes a safety subsystem configured to intervene with in-character behavior when necessary to enforce safety protocols. The disclosed robot is also configured with a social subsystem that interprets social behaviors of humans and then initiates specific behavior sequences in response.

A method is provided of configuring at least one hazard zone to be monitored by at least one 3D sensor, wherein the hazard zone is a volume defined by outer surfaces in which a machine to be secured is located; and wherein the outer surfaces are fixed by the configuration. In this process, a check is made during the configuration or after the configuration whether the outer surfaces are visible to at least one of the 3D sensors.