A method for upgrading a portion of a process control system from a legacy programmable logic controller (PLC) to a non-PLC process controller is disclosed. A mounting rack sized to fit into a space occupied by legacy hardware is assembled and populated with replacement hardware that includes an I/O card, an I/O terminal block, and a custom interface module. The custom interface module is coupled to the I/O card via the I/O terminal block and to a plurality of process control field devices via a legacy wiring mechanism coupled to legacy wiring of the process control system, without requiring modification or re-termination of the legacy wiring. The legacy wiring mechanism is disconnected from the legacy hardware, the rack containing the legacy hardware is removed and replaced with the mounting rack, and the legacy wiring mechanism is coupled to the custom interface module.

A digital output module, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium provide for automatic handling of a lamp load on a digital output channel. The digital output module includes a digital output control switch and a processor operably connected to the digital output control switch. The digital output control switch opens and closes a circuit to a lamp load. The processor receives a readback of a current value applied to the lamp load attached to the digital output module, and controls the digital output control switch based on the readback current value.

An automation system includes a first control facility with a first fieldbus connection, a second control facility with a second fieldbus connection, a fieldbus, a peripheral board with at least one I/O peripheral module, wherein the peripheral board has an interface module with a third fieldbus connection, where the interface module has at least one I/O module which stores interconnection information featuring an assignment of input/outputs of the I/O peripheral module(s) to the control facilities, where the interface module additionally has a virtual I/O module, in which an output region is assigned to the first control facility, and furthermore an input region is assigned to the second controller, and where the virtual I/O module is configured such that the output data is copied from the output region of the first control facility into the input region as input data for the second control facility.

An abnormality determination system includes motor control circuitry that controls a motor of a motor-driven machine based on a motor control command, and compares operation data of the motor obtained in controlling the motor with reference data stored in a storage to determine whether the motor driven machine has an operation abnormality, upper-level control circuitry that transmits the motor control command to the motor control circuitry, and data transceiver circuitry that transmits and receives the reference data and the operation data to and from the motor control circuitry.

A method for upgrading a portion of a process control system from a legacy programmable logic controller (PLC) to a non-PLC process controller is disclosed. A mounting rack sized to fit into a space occupied by legacy hardware is assembled and populated with replacement hardware that includes an I/O card, an I/O terminal block, and a custom interface module. The custom interface module is coupled to the I/O card via the I/O terminal block and to a plurality of process control field devices via a legacy wiring mechanism coupled to legacy wiring of the process control system, without requiring modification or re-termination of the legacy wiring. The legacy wiring mechanism is disconnected from the legacy hardware, the rack containing the legacy hardware is removed and replaced with the mounting rack, and the legacy wiring mechanism is coupled to the custom interface module.

A bus coupler for coupling field devices to a superordinate bus system includes an impedance converter arranged in a series circuit with a terminating resistor between a signal input and a field device output to enable a comprehensive diagnosis option separately for each transmission line and the connected field device, wherein the terminating resistor assumes the function of a line terminating resistor and a current limitation, and where a controllable reference voltage source enables the maximum output current to be defined and the output shut off.

An environment for easily executing a plurality of types of programs in cooperation with each other is provided. A control device includes: a first program executing unit that executes a sequence program for each first control cycle and calculates a first instruction value; a second program executing unit that executes an application program which is described in codes which are sequentially interpreted and calculates a second instruction value for each first control cycle; and a shared memory configured to be accessible by both the first program executing unit and the second program executing unit. The second program executing unit executes the application program while referring to the first shared variable value stored in the shared memory in accordance with the codes described in the application program.

In a control device which can execute a first program entirely scanned in each control cycle to update a command value, and a sequentially interpreted second program, an environment for realizing higher control performance is provided. The control device includes a first program execution part scanning the entire first program in each control cycle to update a command value and a second program execution part updating the command value in each control cycle according to a sequentially interpreted second program. The second program execution part includes an interpreter generating an intermediate code and a command value operation part calculating the command value in each control cycle according to the intermediate code. The command value operation part outputs the command value in each control cycle so that the command value can be used in other processes.

In a real-time environment at least one task is executed with a pre-defined task run-time, wherein at least one auxiliary function with indeterminate function run-time is to be processed within the specified task run-time by means of a time monitoring function. The time monitoring function, which defines a termination time for the auxiliary function within the pre-defined task run-time, is started. Then the auxiliary function is executed, wherein the time monitoring function monitors the function run-time and a function abort is initiated if the pre-defined abort time point is exceeded. Finally, the time monitoring function is terminated.

A process calibrator is formed with functions of a fieldbus communicator. Preferably, functions of a fieldbus communicator support several fieldbus protocols, and it is provided such that the use of it does not hamper the functioning of a process calibrator. This has been achieved by providing the process calibrator with a pair of fieldbus connecting terminals for measuring of the fieldbus signal. The process calibrator comprises a processor, and the pair of fieldbus connecting terminals comprises a signal terminal and a ground terminal. The process calibrator further comprises at least two parallel fieldbus protocol units between the processor and the signal terminal of the pair of fieldbus connecting terminals. Each fieldbus protocol unit is dedicated to its respective fieldbus protocol. Further, the process calibrator comprises a selection unit for selecting a fieldbus protocol unit and a voltage unit for being between the terminals of said pair of fieldbus connecting terminals, which voltage unit is arranged to adjust the voltage and the impedance according to the selected fieldbus protocol unit. The selecting unit is controlled manually through the user interface. The user interface is realized by a touch screen or a combination of a touch screen and keyboard or only by a keyboard.