Patent ID: 7868487

Claim:
A system for controlling a delivery of a first power from a power source to a load, the system comprising: a safety isolation system configured to receive the first power at a first input port and determine whether the first power is delivered to a first output port; and a first intermediate module connected with the safety isolation system, the first intermediate module being configured to receive first and second signals from an external control device and an additional control system, respectively, the first signal representing a command relating to the delivery of the first power and the second signal indicating whether a cessation of the delivery is acceptable to the additional control system; wherein the first intermediate module is substantially distinct from the safety isolation system and substantially distinct from the additional control system, wherein the intermediate module is configured to provide a first control signal and a second control signal to the safety isolation system that are configured to cause the cessation of the delivery of the first power to the first output port when the first signal from the external control device is commanding the cessation, if the second signal indicates that the cessation is acceptable to the additional control system, wherein the first and second control signals are redundant with respect to one another, wherein the intermediate module is further configured to receive a third signal from the external control device, the third signal being redundant with respect to the first signal, and wherein the intermediate module includes safety switching componentry that includes at least some redundant internal componentry so as to operate in a redundant manner.