The invention provides a control device capable of preventing unnecessary stop in the control device including a programmable circuit unit and an arithmetic processing unit, and a method of controlling the control device. In the invention, an abnormality determination unit determines a correspondence between a position of a soft error detected by an error detection unit and a functional unit based on map information including position information (position number) in the FPGA unit corresponding to a functional unit in an FPGA unit. Further, a processor unit continues operating the control device when the abnormality determination unit determines the position of the soft error corresponds to an unused portion of the functional unit, and executes a predetermined process when the abnormality determination unit determines the position of the soft error corresponds to a used portion (e.g. a majority circuit unit or a used circuit unit) of the functional unit.

The purpose of the invention is the simplification of a task of changing a control program upon a control device which is in use. A support device comprises: a computing part computing, for each unit program which configures a control program, identification information according to the content of each of the unit programs; a first transferring part transferring the unit programs and the identification information which is associated with the unit programs to a control device; a generating part generating changed unit programs according to a change operation upon any of the unit programs which configure the control program; and a second transferring part transferring the changed unit programs to a control device which is in use on condition that identification information is present on the control device which is identical to the identification information which is associated with the unit programs which configure the control program.

A controller includes a feature quantity generation unit that generates, from data associated with a control target, a feature quantity appropriate for detecting an abnormality in the control target, a machine learning unit that performs machine learning using the feature quantity, an abnormality detection unit that detects the abnormality based on an abnormality detection parameter determined from a learning result of the machine learning, and the feature quantity, an instruction unit that instructs the abnormality detection unit to detect the abnormality, and a data compression unit that compresses data about the feature quantity and provides the compressed data to the machine learning unit and the abnormality detection unit. The instruction unit transmits a request for detecting the abnormality to the abnormality detection unit. The abnormality detection unit detects the abnormality without returning a response to the request.

A ladder-program managing device includes: a database that has a ladder-program-storing region in which ladder program for individually controlling a plurality of pieces of machinery are stored, and that contains ladder-program-history information storing, in association with each other, identification information for identifying contents of alterations that have already been applied to the plurality of pieces of machinery and correction programs required to perform the alterations; and a database managing portion that manages the database, wherein the database managing portion is provided with an identification-information-searching portion that searches for, in the ladder-program-history information, identification information corresponding to an alteration content to be applied to an alteration-target machinery, and a merging portion that identifies the correction program corresponding to the searched identification information in the ladder-program-history information, and that merges the correction program with the ladder program for the alteration-target machinery.

This disclosure provides an automation controller method, system and apparatus including a redundant watchdog utilizing a safety partner controller. According to an exemplary controller, the controller includes a first processing unit, a second processing unit, and an integrated circuit configured to receive as inputs fault indicator signals from the first and second processing units, and the integrated circuit configured to disable I/O communications for a fault condition detected by the first or second processing units.

An industrial automation input/output module includes a housing, a power supply, and a network adapter. A plurality of I/O sockets are located in the housing, each comprising an socket contacts for power and data. A plurality of I/O segments are located in the housing, and each includes a segment housing that contains an I/O circuit for processing data associated with a controlled system and for communicating said data between to/from the network adapter. Each I/O segment further includes segment power/data contacts connected to the I/O circuit. Each I/O segment is received in one of the I/O sockets such that the segment contacts operably mate with the socket contacts for transmission of power and data and power between the socket contacts and the segment contacts. A plurality of field connectors are connected to the module housing and adapted for operably connecting with the associated controlled system.

Apparatus, systems, and methods for communicating data between a controller and a multiplicity of field devices operating in a process plant are provided. The system includes distributed marshaling modules coupled by a head-end unit to I/O cards in communication with the controller. The distributed marshaling modules communicate with the field devices via respective electronic marshaling components converting signals between the field devices and the I/O cards. The distributed marshaling modules are coupled to the head-end unit by a ring communication architecture, such that the distributed marshaling modules may each be located relatively proximate to the field devices to which they are coupled.

A programmable display device connectable to a programmable logic controller in a communicable manner includes a sightline estimate unit, which estimates a direction of a sightline using image data obtained by capturing an image of a person, a display control unit, which displays a screen including an object on a display, a measurement unit, which measures a time period for which the sightline is directed to the object when the sightline is determined to be directed to the object through the estimation, and a storage unit, which stores image identification information identifying the object and time information indicating the measured time period in association with each other. This allows a third person to determine a time period for which a user has gazed at an object.

The present technology provides for an IO module system (e.g., an industrial control system) that can provide multiple-channel analog and digital interfaces to a number of sensor devices of different types, where each channel of the IO module is programmably configurable as a digital input, a digital output, an analog input, and an analog output. Each sensor interface is implemented on an individual channel basis using discrete components in communication with a microcontroller. The present technology enables the rapid implementation of an IO channel operable in a wide range of voltage and current modes needed for common sensor interfaces.

A PLC system includes a plurality of I/O devices each connecting a control target of each of a plurality of PLCs to each of the plurality of PLCs, and a PC. Each one of the plurality of PLCs stores first output data obtained by executing a self-assigned program to control the control target connected to each PLC, and stores second output data obtained when the PC or another PLC executes another program allocated to the PC or the other PLC to control the control target connected to the one PLC. Each of the plurality of PLCs outputs one of the first output data and the second output data to the I/O device connected to each PLC based on selection information transmitted from the PC.