A microcontroller unit includes at least one core, a plurality of safety fault management units, with each safety fault management unit including circuitry to detect one or more safety faults and to output an alarm signal in response to detection of one or more safety faults. The microcontroller further includes system control units operating in parallel to the at least one core. Each of the plurality of system control units can be coupled to at least one of the safety fault management units and can include hardware circuitry to generate and output a port emergency stop (PES) signal based on the alarm signals obtained from a safety fault management unit. The microcontroller includes port circuitries coupled to ports and to the system control units. The port circuitries can selectively cause a respectively connected port to enter a non-operational electronic state in response to receiving a PES signal.

A service panel for controlling at least one utility actuator to control the availability of a utility comprises a covered enclosure having an exterior region and an interior region, at least one readily accessible utility control providing ON and OFF request signals and a limited access control in the exterior region providing a temporary activate signal. The service panel has a controller and data storage programmed with code and data and control circuitry providing an “ON” control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to the “ON” state, and the control circuitry providing an “OFF” control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to an OFF state, the control circuitry further providing a re-key signal to the at least one actuator in response to activation of a switch.

A service panel for controlling at least one utility actuator to control the availability of a utility comprises a covered enclosure having an exterior region and an interior region, at least one readily accessible utility control providing ON and OFF request signals and a limited access control in the exterior region providing a temporary activate signal. The service panel has a controller and data storage programmed with code and data and control circuitry providing an “ON” control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to the “ON” state, and the control circuitry providing an “OFF” control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to an OFF state, the control circuitry further providing a re-key signal to the at least one actuator in response to activation of a switch.

A service panel for controlling at least one utility actuator to control the availability of a utility comprises a covered enclosure having an exterior region and an interior region, at least one readily accessible utility control providing ON and OFF request signals and a limited access control in the exterior region providing a temporary activate signal. The service panel has a controller and data storage programmed with code and data and control circuitry providing an “ON” control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to the “ON” state, and the control circuitry providing an “OFF” control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to an OFF state, the control circuitry further providing a re-key signal to the at least one actuator in response to activation of a switch.

A method for monitoring, control and shutdown of control and/or computer units of a system, wherein the control and/or computer units are supplied with power via power supply components, where a control application is installed on each control and/or computer unit, and connection to a control system is subsequently established via a communication network, a detection call is used to identify power supply components and all control applications installed on the control and/or computer units, the power supply components are then assigned identified control applications installed on the control and/or computer units supplied by a particular power supply component, assignments between power supply components and identified control applications are saved centrally or locally, power supply components being monitored for event alarms, and upon an event alarm within a power supply component, the assigned control application initiates a definable action, or a shutdown, on the control and/or computer unit.

A service panel for controlling at least one utility actuator to control the availability of a utility comprises a covered enclosure having an exterior region and an interior region, at least one readily accessible utility control providing ON and OFF request signals and a limited access control in the exterior region providing a temporary activate signal. The service panel has a controller and data storage programmed with code and data and control circuitry providing an ON control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to the ON state, and the control circuitry providing an OFF control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to an OFF state, the control circuitry further providing a re-key signal to the at least one actuator in response to activation of a switch.

A servo system is used. The servo system includes: a safety driver including a drive signal generation circuit which generates a drive signal driving the drive device based on an action command from a standard PLC via a communication line and a feedback signal from the drive device, a drive signal path through which the drive signal is transmitted from the drive signal generation circuit to the drive device, and a safety stop circuit which cuts off the drive signal path when a stop instruction signal is input; a safety controller, connected with the safety driver by a control signal line and generating the stop instruction signal in response to an input of an operator and outputting the stop instruction signal; and a safety communication unit generating the stop instruction signal in response to an instruction from a safety PLC via the communication line and outputting the stop instruction signal.

A service panel for controlling at least one utility actuator to control the availability of a utility comprises a covered enclosure having an exterior region and an interior region, at least one readily accessible utility control providing ON and OFF request signals and a limited access control in the exterior region providing a temporary activate signal. The service panel has a controller and data storage programmed with code and data and control circuitry providing an ON control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to the ON state, and the control circuitry providing an OFF control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to an OFF state, the control circuitry further providing a re-key signal to the at least one actuator in response to activation of a switch.

A method for monitoring, control and shutdown of control and/or computer units of a system, wherein the control and/or computer units are supplied with power via power supply components, where a control application is installed on each control and/or computer unit, and connection to a control system is subsequently established via a communication network, a detection call is used to identify power supply components and all control applications installed on the control and/or computer units, the power supply components are then assigned identified control applications installed on the control and/or computer units supplied by a particular power supply component, assignments between power supply components and identified control applications are saved centrally or locally, power supply components being monitored for event alarms, and upon an event alarm within a power supply component, the assigned control application initiates a definable action, or a shutdown, on the control and/or computer unit.

A service panel for controlling at least one utility actuator to control the availability of a utility comprises a covered enclosure having an exterior region and an interior region, at least one readily accessible utility control providing ON and OFF request signals and a limited access control in the exterior region providing a temporary activate signal. The service panel has a controller and data storage programmed with code and data and control circuitry providing an ON control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to the ON state, and the control circuitry providing an OFF control signal to the at least one utility actuator to switch the at least one utility actuator to an OFF state, the control circuitry further providing a re-key signal to the at least one actuator in response to activation of a switch.