Patent ID: 7302301
Filing Date: 2007-11-27
Classification: G05B,H04Q,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for monitoring and determining preceding states of at least one terminal of an automation system, comprising: at least one terminal configured to assume at least two states and to output a monitoring message in accordance with the at least two states; and a control unit configured to read in the monitoring message from the at least one terminal, said method comprising: outputting a subsequent monitoring message from the at least one terminal only after the at least one terminal has received an acknowledgment message from the control unit, wherein the monitoring message comprises a state component, and at least one additional component; changing a value of the at least one additional component when a transition of a state of the at least one terminal occurs; and resetting the at least one additional component to an initial value when a monitoring message is output to the control unit.