A method for controlling a plurality of machines and at least a first assembly; the plurality of machines comprises at least a first machine and a second machine; the first assembly is associated with the first and second machines and is arranged to provide a first auxiliary function to the first and second machines; control is carried out by at least a first and a second controllers; the first and the second controllers are associated respectively to the first and second machines and are arranged to control a main function of each of the first and the second machines; the first and the second controllers are associated with the first assembly and are arranged to control an auxillary function of the first assembly; the first and the second controllers maintain a dialog between each other to assure that only one controller controls the first assembly at a time.

Provided herein is a method for automated control of the gas turbine fuel composition through automated modification of the ratio of fuel gas from multiple sources. The method includes providing first and second fuel sources. The method further includes sensing the operational parameters of a turbine and determining whether the operational parameters are within preset operational limits. The method also adjusting the ration of the first fuel source to the second fuel source, based on whether the operational parameters are within the preset operational limits.

A system for storing data in an industrial production environment includes a distributed database stored on a plurality of intelligent programmable logic controller devices. Each respective intelligent programmable logic controller device includes a volatile computer-readable storage medium containing a process image area; a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium; a control application; an input/output component; a historian component; and a distributed data management component. The control application is configured to provide operating instructions to a production unit. The input/output component is configured to update the process image area during each scan cycle with data associated with the production unit. The historian component is configured to store automation system data including the operating instructions and contents of the process image area on the non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. The distributed data management component is configured to facilitate distributed operations involving the automation system data by the plurality of intelligent programmable logic controller devices.

The present invention is applied to a distributed control system in which a plurality of control devices (a central control device, an individual control device, and the like) are connected via a network. For example, the central control device executes a start-up deadline determination processing for setting a start-up deadline in consideration of the performance of a device to be controlled, and communication processing for transmitting a packet including identification information of a command and information of the start-up deadline to the individual control device. For example, when receiving the packet transmitted from the central control device, the individual control device controls execution of the command on the device to be controlled on the basis of the start-up deadline included in the packet.

A modular control system includes a modular controller that implements control logic of the modular control system, where the controller is built natively on a platform of a distributed control system, equipment configured to perform a physical function in a process plant according to the control logic, and a configuration database storing configuration parameters of the modular control system. In a first mode of operation, the modular control system operates as a standalone module, and in a second mode of operation, the modular control system operates natively as one or several nodes of a distributed control system.

External programming of at least one processor (30) of a LED driver (10). In a normal operation mode a first control input (22B/22C) of the LED driver (10) may be provided to a first processor input of the processor and a second control input (22B/22C) of the LED driver may be provided to a second processor input of the processor (30). In a programming mode the first and second control inputs (22B, 22C) may be provided to programming inputs of the processor (30) to thereby enable programming of the processor (30) via the first and second control inputs (22B, 22C).

Third party developed control logic for automation controllers is provided to customers using a communication network. At least one tool is provided for a third party to develop control logic for an automation controller. The automation controller is remotely located from the communication network. A hardware platform on which to operate the control logic is selected. Once built, the control logic is linked to at least one operational characteristic of the hardware platform such that the control logic is operable to perform at least one predetermined function of the automation controller using the hardware platform.

A programmable logic controller for at least one field device in an industrial facility includes: a hardware platform on which an operating system runs, the operating system executing, in at least one process, at least one execution environment in which a control software containing the control logic of the programmable logic controller is runnable, the hardware platform including a main memory, a processor power, and communication resources; and a higher-level management system for running directly on the operating system and executing one or more execution environments in each case in its own sandbox, the management system including a resource manager for allocating to each sandbox access to the main memory, the processor power, and the communication resources of the hardware platform.

A method for operating a programmable logic control device to which a current input data set having state data regarding a peripheral component is provided cyclically by a communications bus after each bus cycle terminates. A first program instance of a control program is cyclically processed by a control device. The program cycle duration is longer than the bus cycle duration and, therefore, between the beginning and end of the program cycle, the communications bus provides at least one current data set that cannot be taken into account by the first program instance. To reduce the latency with which a control device reacts to a change in the input value of a peripheral component. at least one other program instance of the control program is cyclically processed so that it is temporally offset by less than one program cycle duration relative to the first program instance.

A distributed logic control apparatus is usable to control a system and includes a plurality of enhanced intelligent devices and a network protocol control that are connected with a data network. The intelligent devices each have a processor apparatus and an algorithm operable thereon that enables each intelligent device to control a corresponding part of the system. Other algorithms on the intelligent devices provide an advantageous setup operation that enables the intelligent devices to cooperate with one another in a self-setup operation.