A scheduler causes a microprocessor to start execution of a first control program after a communication circuit transmits output data and receives input data in a control cycle following a control circle in which execution of the first control program has ended, and causes execution of an unexecuted portion of the first control program in a control cycle following a control cycle in which execution of the first control cycle has not ended.

A system for controlling automation includes a machine which collects data generated by performance of an operation by the machine. A user device displays a machine control interface (MCI) corresponding to the machine. The MCI displays the collected data to a touch interface of the user device, and defines at least one touch activated user interface element (UIE) for manipulating the data. The user device can be enabled as an automation human machine interface (HMI) device for controlling an operation performed by the machine, such that a touch action applied to a UIE of the MCI controls the operation. A prerequisite condition to enabling the user device as an automation HMI device can include activation of an enabling switch selectively connected to the user device. The MCI can be stored in a memory of the enabling switch and retrieved from the enabling switch by the user device.

Method for operating a segment of cycle-oriented control software, wherein to test, in a virtual control system, execution of a cold start mechanism, on a start-up of a runtime environment, a random number is generated, stored in a storage region and added to the storage region upon every further request for a safety time, where at the start of a new cycle, the deviation of the time differences is calculated and, in each cycle, the storage region is accessed and before calculation of the time differences, the random number is re-subtracted from the safety time, when a new start-up of the runtime environment has occurred, this is diagnosable via the tolerance being exceeded, because the second time difference now has an offset that results from the safety time with a new random number of the current cycle and the safety time with the old random number of the previous cycle.

A system and method for controlling automation includes a machine performing at least one operation and including a sensor for generating data in response to a performance of the operation by the machine. Data generated by the sensor is stored for retrieval by a server in data memory storage. The server includes at least one display template for displaying the data, and the server generates a data display by populating the at least one display template with the data. The data template can be populated with data in real time, to display the data display immediate to the generation of the data. The display template includes a data feature which is differentiated for displaying the data feature in a mode determined by the data populating the data display. The data display can be displayed in real time by a user device in communication with the server.

A control computation apparatus includes a first communicating unit that performs cyclic communication along a first path, the cyclic communication being communication on a regular cycle. The apparatus includes a second communicating unit that performs the cyclic communication along a second path. The apparatus includes a communication control unit that transmits a switching notice regarding switching between the first communicating unit and the second communicating unit by controlling the cyclic communication. The apparatus includes a time calculating unit that calculates a timeout period of the cyclic communication. The apparatus includes a control computation unit that performs control computations for controlled equipment based on sensor data received from a control apparatus and transmits results of the control computations for the controlled equipment to the control apparatus.