Patent ID: 7774074

Claim:
A distributed control system having redundant control, wherein the system operates responsive to a plurality of input control signals, wherein during operation the system generates a plurality of output status/control signals, comprising: a master controller having a first controller and a redundant, second controller, wherein the first controller outputs and inputs a first plurality of signals over a first communication path, wherein the redundant, second controller outputs and inputs the first plurality of signals over a second communication path, wherein the first and redundant, second controllers output signals based on input signals received over the first and second communication paths, respectively, and also based on stored control data; a plurality of input/output modules, wherein each of the input/output modules comprises a first slave controller and a redundant, second slave controller, wherein the first slave controller of each of the input/output modules inputs and outputs a second plurality of signals over the first communication path to the first controller, wherein the redundant, second slave controller outputs and inputs the second plurality of signals over the second communication path to the redundant, second controller, wherein each of the first slave controllers outputs and inputs a third plurality of signals to and from a first input/output circuit, wherein each of the second slave controllers outputs and inputs the third plurality of signals to and from a second input/output circuit, wherein each of the input/output modules further comprises a combiner circuit for outputting input control signals for controlling the system, wherein the combiner circuit generates the input control signals based on redundant signals output from both the first and second input/output circuits; wherein the output control signals for controlling the system are generated based on output status/control signals from the system that are coupled to each of the first and second input/output circuits of the input/output modules.