A safety module for a secured drive control of an automated drive system is configured to receive encoder data sent from an encoder unit to a drive unit, based on an encoder protocol via a protocol active unit. The safety module is configured to forward the encoder data from the protocol active unit to a safety logic and a protocol passive unit, check the forwarded encoder data with the aid of the safety logic for correspondence with predetermined safety criteria relating to operation of a motor unit, and transmit the forwarded encoder data via the protocol passive unit to the drive unit, in respective data packets based on the encoder protocol. The safety module can stop operation of the motor unit with the aid of the safety logic, if the encoder data does not correspond to the predetermined safety criteria. A corresponding drive system and automation system are also provided.

A test controller functionally tests components of a modular data center (MDC) that is being manufactured. Functional test(s) for quality assurance of an environmental control system (ECS) are determined for an information technology pre-assembled component (ITPAC) module and an environmental system (ES) module that are configured for being coupled together for cooling of heat-generating equipment of the ITPAC module at a deployed location. For each functional test(s), the test controller identifies input signal value(s) associated with one of the modules. The test controller emulates, via a communication test cable connected between the one module and the test controller, the identified input signal value(s). The test controller determines, via the communication test cable, any response by the one module to the input signal value(s). The test controller compares the determined response to an expected response and generates and outputs test data based on the comparison.

A test controller functionally tests components of a modular data center (MDC) that is being manufactured. Functional test(s) for quality assurance of an environmental control system (ECS) are determined for an information technology pre-assembled component (ITPAC) module and an environmental system (ES) module that are configured for being coupled together for cooling of heat-generating equipment of the ITPAC module at a deployed location. For each functional test(s), the test controller identifies input signal value(s) associated with one of the modules. The test controller emulates, via a communication test cable connected between the one module and the test controller, the identified input signal value(s). The test controller determines, via the communication test cable, any response by the one module to the input signal value(s). The test controller compares the determined response to an expected response and generates and outputs test data based on the comparison.

A device for testing an electronic control unit with a hardware-in-the-loop simulator to simulate at least one sensor signal and equipped with a two-wire cable via which the sensor signal is outputted, and with a switchover device which is connected to the hardware-in-the-loop simulator via the two-wire cable, so that the sensor signal is receivable from the switchover device. The two-wire cable in the switchover device is routed to a two-pole interface of the switchover device to which the electronic control unit can be connected in order to receive the sensor signal, and the switchover device has two voltage sources, each of which is assigned to a wire of the two-wire cable and can be connected to the respective wire via a controllable switch. In this way, it is possible to continue to supply the sensor with electrical energy via two switchable voltage sources during diagnostics, thus avoiding diagnostic errors.

A system, method, and computer readable medium for employing data obtained from an electronic network, such as the Internet, as an emulation of sensor data. A virtual sensor bridge mechanism may be interfaced to a data source, such as the Internet, to receive Web data or remote sensor data. The virtual sensor bridge may convert the received data into a format usable by a logic controller, thereby emulating sensor data and enabling the logic controller to treat the networked data source as a sensor. Furthermore, the virtual sensor bridge may interface directly with one or more sensors and may serve as an adapter or data relay between a sensor and the logic controller.