Patent ID: 9599970
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: B29B,B29C,B29K,B29L,C04B,C08G,C08K,F41A,G05B,Y10T

Claim:
1. A control and configuration system for a safety critical device comprising: a control panel configured to receive user inputs used to configure or control a device, said control panel comprising a plurality of user operated controls, one or more equipment operational status displays; a transmitter communicatively coupled with the control panel, the transmitter comprising a first logic unit including a first plurality of logic elements configured to selectively implement a first state machine, the first state machine comprising a first plurality of identifiable states, wherein said first plurality of identifiable states comprises a first power-up safe state, a first ready-to-operate state, and a first operate state; a receiver system comprising a second logic unit including a second plurality of logic elements configured to selectively implement a second state machine, the second state machine comprising a second plurality of identifiable states, wherein said second plurality of identifiable states comprises a second power-up safe state, a lock-out state, a second ready-to-operate state, and a second operate state, wherein said receiver system is communicatively coupled with said device; and a control bus containing a plurality of wires, the control bus electrically coupling the transmitter and the receiver; wherein, the transmitter is configured to transmit to the receiver, via the control bus one set of a plurality of discrete signal sets that are each respectively associated with each of said first plurality of identifiable states that the first state machine has selected or instantiated from said plurality of first identifiable states based on input from said user operated controls; wherein said plurality of discrete signal sets respectively comprises a first, second, and third discrete signal sets, wherein said first discrete signal set comprises a first signal pattern associated with said first power-up safe state, said second discrete signal set comprises a second signal pattern associated with said first ready to operate state, and said third discrete signal set is associated with said operate state, wherein said first plurality of logic elements are configured to generate said first and second discrete signal sets as constant logic signals, said first plurality of logic elements are configured to generate said third discrete signal set as a time varying logic signal; wherein said receiver is communicatively coupled with the device to configure and operate said device based on inputs received from said transmitter comprising said plurality of discrete signal sets; wherein said second logic unit is configured to select one of said second plurality of identifiable states based on said first, second or third discrete signal sets; wherein said receiver comprises a receiver clock, said receiver clock selectively configures or operates said device based on said second plurality of identifiable states, wherein said receiver monitors said inputs received from said transmitter and starts said receiver clock upon transition between said ready-to-operate state and said operate state in order to measure said time varying logic signal associated with said third discrete signal set; wherein said lock-out state is selected by said second logic unit based on an internal error detected by the receiver, input conditions to the receiver equal an unrecognized state not matching one of said second identifiable states, or said discrete signal sets received by the transmitter via the control bus that do not transition between said second power-up safe state, said second ready to operate state, and said second operate state based on transition criteria stored or accessed by said receiver.