Systems to implement a safety state environment among control modules

{
  "publication_number": "US11314235B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Systems to implement a safety state environment among control modules",
  "abstract": "A distributed networking system and protocol is provided to a networking system with a modular design. The distributed networking system may include a networking system, modules, control module, user interface module, input/output module, network module, data transmission network, hybrid modules and composite modules. A method to interface with accessories of a system with a modular design using the distributed networking system and protocol is also provided.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for implementing a safety state environment, comprising: an appliance comprising a first control module operating according to a first role within the appliance and a second control module operating according to a second role within the appliance, the first and second control modules in network communication via a first network section associated with both a first network interface of the first control module and a first network interface of the second control module; wherein the first control module is to send a first command to a first input/output (I/O) module via a second network section according to the first role within the appliance of the first control module and in compliance with a safety standard of the safety state environment; wherein the first control module maintains a first physical separation between the first network section and; wherein the second control module is to send a second command to a second I/O module via a third network section according to the second role within the appliance of the second control module and in compliance with the safety standard of the safety state environment; and wherein the second control module maintains a second physical separation between the first network section and the third network section.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control module comprises a safety core to maintain the first physical separation, the safety core to analyze the first command, verify the first command complies with the safety standard, and send the first command to the first I/O module via the second network section.",
    "3. The system of claim 2, wherein the safety core is further to receive the first command via the first network section from a user interface that is in communication with the appliance via the first network section.",
    "4. The system of claim 2, wherein the safety core is further to analyze data received via the second network section, verify the data is in compliance with the safety standard, and send the data to the second control module via the first network section.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first command is determined based on first process data received from the second control module via the first network section.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first I/O module is to provide data to the appliance via the second network section.",
    "7. The system of claim 6, wherein the appliance interprets the data from the first I/O module using a plurality of processors.",
    "8. The system of claim 7, wherein a first processor of the plurality of processors is a processor of the first control module, and wherein a second processor of the plurality of processors is a processor of the second control module.",
    "9. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of processors interprets the data from the first I/O module using voting logic.",
    "10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface connected to the appliance via the first network section.",
    "11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first network interface of the first control module is associated with a first processor of the first control module, and wherein a second network interface of the first control module is associated with a second processor of the first control module.",
    "12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first network interface of the second control module is associated with a first processor of the second control module and wherein a second network interface of the second control module is associated with a second processor of the second control module.",
    "13. The system of claim 1, wherein the second control module is to send process data to the first control module via the first network section, and the first control module is to use the process data to generate the first command.",
    "14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first network interface of the first control module is associated with only a first processor of a plurality of processors of the first control module.",
    "15. A system for implementing a safety state environment, comprising: an appliance comprising a first control module operating according to a first role within the appliance and a second control module operating according to a second role within the appliance, the first and second control modules in network communication via a first network section associated with both a first network interface of the first control module and a first network interface of the second control module; a first input/output (I/O) module in network communication with the first control module via a second network section that is associated with a second network interface of the first control module; and a second I/O module in network communication with the second control module via a third network section that is associated with a second network interface of the second control module, wherein the first control module is to send a first command to the first I/O module via the second network section according to the first role within the appliance of the first control module and in compliance with a safety standard of the safety state environment, wherein the second control module is to send a second command to the second I/O module via the third network section according to the second role within the appliance of the second control module and in compliance with the safety standard of the safety state environment, and wherein the first control module maintains a physical separation between the first network section and the second network section, and the second control module maintains a physical separation between the first network section and the third network section.",
    "16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second I/O module is to provide information about a first monitored attribute to the appliance via the third network section, and the appliance is to respond by sending the first command to the first I/O module via the second network section.",
    "17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first I/O module is to provide information about a second monitored attribute to the appliance via the second network section, and the appliance is to respond by sending the second command to the second I/O module via the third network section.",
    "18. A system for implementing a safety state environment, comprising: an appliance comprising first and second control modules, each operating according to a respective role within the appliance, the first and second control modules connected to each other via a first network section; a first input/output (I/O) module connected to the first control module via a second a second I/O module connected to the second control module via a third network section; wherein the first control module is to: receive first information about a monitored attribute from the second control module; determine a first command to send to the first I/O module based on the first information about the monitored attribute and further according to the role within the appliance of the first control module within the appliance; the first command to be used by the first I/O module to control an accessory in compliance with a safety standard of the safety state environment; and maintain a physical separation between the first network section and the second network section; and wherein the second control module is to: determine a second command to send to the second I/O module according to the role within the appliance of the second control module within the appliance in compliance with the safety standard of the safety state environment; and maintain a physical separation between the first network section and the third network section.",
    "19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first control module is further to interpret the first information about the monitored attribute using a plurality of processors.",
    "20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first control module is further to receive data including second information about the monitored attribute from the first I/O module, the first command to be sent to the first I/O module further determined based on the second information about the monitored attribute.",
    "21. The system of claim 18, wherein the first control module is further to analyze the first command and verify that the first command complies with the safety standard."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a networking system. More particularly, the invention relates to a networking system with a modular design.\n\nIndustrial applications typically employ systems including multiple different components in a system. For example, a gas combustion appliance may include sensors, actuators, interfaces, controllers, and other components. These components may exchange control and data signals with a connected controller unit using analog signaling. Analog signaling often requires expensive cabling such as heavy gauge copper wire, specialized thermocouple wire, or shielded and insulated ignition wire. Analog signaling is also prone to interference from electrical and other types of noise. For at least this reason, industrial control systems typically must locate control components close to the component being controlled or monitored to reduce installation costs and to minimize susceptibility to noise.\n\nMore complex industrial applications include multiple appliance and other components on a common site that typically needs to be coordinated for proper operation and for safety. These applications are often controlled and monitored by a centralized plant control system. In the case of smaller sites, the plant control system is often a programmable logic controller (PLC). PLCs greatly increase cost since they include safety certified software and hardware. Additional cost in the present art results from programming the PLCs to fulfill a specific or targeted task by a trained professional.",
  "cpc": [
    "G05B 19/41855",
    "G05B 19/05",
    "G05B 2219/31001",
    "H04L 67/12",
    "Y04S 40/18"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04L 29/08",
    "G05B 19/05",
    "G05B 19/418",
    "H04L 67/12"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Profire Energy Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Patrick David Fisher",
    "Benjamin Ryan Northcott",
    "Curtis Michael Dublanko"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-11-01",
  "publication_date": "2022-04-26",
  "grant_date": "2022-04-26",
  "priority_date": "2015-09-16",
  "application_number": "US-201916672169-A",
  "family_id": "58257351",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US5838589A",
    "US5825890A",
    "US20080004727A1",
    "US6272523B1",
    "US6324582B1",
    "US20090105849A1",
    "US20070244614A1",
    "US5997280A",
    "US6247919B1",
    "US6584112B1",
    "US6819677B1",
    "US6526446B1",
    "US6614808B1",
    "US6651117B1",
    "US6891850B1",
    "US8855019B2",
    "US6532550B1",
    "US20010053145A1",
    "US6728600B1",
    "US20020019844A1",
    "US6967589B1",
    "US20040010651A1",
    "US7539188B2",
    "US7411966B2",
    "US20100008320A1",
    "US20040181530A1",
    "US20110119550A1",
    "US7457274B2",
    "US20030115356A1",
    "US20040089421A1",
    "US7512906B1",
    "US7356039B1",
    "US20140201265A1",
    "US20040030794A1",
    "US20060053229A1",
    "US7184871B2",
    "US20040148326A1",
    "US20040158713A1",
    "US7289861B2",
    "US7493623B2",
    "US7349400B2",
    "US20040228325A1",
    "US7627759B2",
    "US7436797B2",
    "US7243174B2",
    "US7400622B2",
    "US20140223169A1",
    "US20050122979A1",
    "US20050182521A1",
    "US7447788B2",
    "US7277777B2",
    "US20060031545A1",
    "US20060056406A1",
    "US20100027565A1",
    "US20060104306A1",
    "SG124338A1",
    "US20060199123A1",
    "US20060224811A1",
    "US7830273B2",
    "CN2861701Y",
    "US7715432B2",
    "US20070118253A1",
    "US20090112336A1",
    "US7539550B2",
    "US20120290759A1",
    "US20080008168A1",
    "US20100172372A1",
    "US20080161942A1",
    "US20080175246A1",
    "US9013322B2",
    "US8295166B2",
    "US20080301320A1",
    "US8653985B2",
    "US20120146663A1",
    "US7917675B2",
    "US20090210142A1",
    "US20090207855A1",
    "US20090214993A1",
    "US20140016468A1",
    "US20110142063A1",
    "US20120169362A1",
    "US8737398B2",
    "US20110282494A1",
    "US8761174B2",
    "US20110069698A1",
    "US8509927B2",
    "US20110107347A1",
    "US20110132592A1",
    "US8799504B2",
    "US8667091B2",
    "US20140115121A1",
    "US20130114482A1",
    "CN103081382A",
    "US20120074972A1",
    "US20120110216A1",
    "US8862769B2",
    "CN103250390A",
    "US20140196108A1",
    "CN202197312U",
    "US8688828B2",
    "US20140336792A1",
    "US20130191434A1",
    "US20140092884A1",
    "US20140147795A1",
    "US8953608B1",
    "US20140230008A1",
    "US20140269744A1",
    "US20140277764A1",
    "US20140281480A1",
    "WO2014150706A1",
    "CN203241816U",
    "US20150037742A1",
    "US20150085878A1",
    "US10069944B2",
    "CN203518572U",
    "US20150127120A1",
    "US20150276208A1",
    "US20150346706A1",
    "US20170139388A1",
    "US20160091205A1",
    "US20160091204A1",
    "US9582376B2",
    "US9654503B1",
    "US20160327923A1",
    "US20170045882A1",
    "US20170075345A1",
    "US20170078455A1",
    "US20200036818A1"
  ]
}