A motion controller device and a communication method for the motion controller device are provided to reduce the large number of man-hours that are required for making communication settings and wiring design in large-scale systems. The motion controller device and communication method improve the degree of freedom for communication line connections by switching the two transmission paths on the transmitting and receiving sides of the communication ports contained within a central communication device and a terminal communication devices for full duplex communications. The motion controller device and communication also ensure the response performance required in the devices being controlled by way of the terminal communication device that autonomously and dynamically switches the communication paths according to the volume of communication data on the communication line along this type of network.

An industrial control system providing security against tampering or modification generates periodic state thumbprints defining a state of control elements that may be forwarded to a security or safety appliance for comparison to a benchmark thumbprint indicating no tampering. The transmitted state thumbprint may capture not only programs but also configuration and environmental states of the control element.

A maintenance support system includes a numerical controller that controls the drive of an operating mechanism of an industrial machine and a server that is a support device capable of communicating with the numerical controller, and the maintenance support system supports maintenance of the industrial machine. The numerical controller includes a first information generating unit that acquires, from among data related to a state of operation of the operating mechanism, data related to the state of operation of the operating mechanism when an anomaly is found in an operation of the operating mechanism, and generates first information including the data acquired. The server includes a second information generating unit that generates second information to be proposed to the numerical controller for the maintenance on the basis of the content of the first information.

A maintenance support system includes a numerical controller that controls the drive of an operating mechanism of an industrial machine and a server that is a support device capable of communicating with the numerical controller, and the maintenance support system supports maintenance of the industrial machine. The numerical controller includes a first information generating unit that acquires, from among data related to a state of operation of the operating mechanism, data related to the state of operation of the operating mechanism when an anomaly is found in an operation of the operating mechanism, and generates first information including the data acquired. The server includes a second information generating unit that generates second information to be proposed to the numerical controller for the maintenance on the basis of the content of the first information.

It is desired to be able to easily identify a cause of a communication abnormality in an industrial machine. A controller of an industrial machine which communicates with an external device through a network includes: a plurality of communication units which respectively correspond to a plurality of communication protocols; and a diagnosis unit which starts up the communication units in a predetermined order and attempts communication using the communication protocols corresponding to each communication unit that is started up so as to diagnose the conditions of communication step by step.

There is provided a numerical controller that automatically acquires detailed information on a wired device prior to connection setting. The numerical controller is connectable to a plurality of devices, and includes a connection information acquisition unit that acquires connection information on each of the devices, including information indicating a connection order and a kind of each of the devices by communicating with each of the devices in a hardware level, a connecting data creation unit that creates connecting data using the connection information, a connection processing execution unit that executes connection processing with each of the devices in a software level using the connecting data, and a detailed information acquisition unit that acquires detailed information from each of the devices subjected to the connection processing.

Method for operating an industrial automation system communication network that includes a plurality of communication devices, and control unit, wherein at least one control unit controls functions of a plurality of assigned communication devices and is assigned to at least one partition of the communication network in order to operate an industrial automation system communication network comprising a plurality of communication devices, where partitions each include predefinable parts of communication devices assigned to system resources for predefinable resource periods of use, access periods and repetition cycles for transmit queues are set by the control unit according to the resource periods of use for the partitions in the assigned communication devices, where possible partitions are determined for the path reservation requests based on matching classifications of access periods and repetition cycles, and where the particular path reservation request is assigned to a determined partition when sufficient system resources exist.

It is desired to be able to easily identify a cause of a communication abnormality in an industrial machine. A controller of an industrial machine which communicates with an external device through a network includes: a plurality of communication units which respectively correspond to a plurality of communication protocols; and a diagnosis unit which starts up the communication units in a predetermined order and attempts communication using the communication protocols corresponding to each communication unit that is started up so as to diagnose the conditions of communication step by step.

Method for operating an industrial automation system communication network that includes a plurality of communication devices, and control unit, wherein at least one control unit controls functions of a plurality of assigned communication devices and is assigned to at least one partition of the communication network in order to operate an industrial automation system communication network comprising a plurality of communication devices, where partitions each include predefinable parts of communication devices assigned to system resources for predefinable resource periods of use, access periods and repetition cycles for transmit queues are set by the control unit according to the resource periods of use for the partitions in the assigned communication devices, where possible partitions are determined for the path reservation requests based on matching classifications of access periods and repetition cycles, and where the particular path reservation request is assigned to a determined partition when sufficient system resources exist.

There is provided a numerical controller that automatically acquires detailed information on a wired device prior to connection setting.

The numerical controller is connectable to a plurality of devices, and includes a connection information acquisition unit that acquires connection information on each of the devices, including information indicating a connection order and a kind of each of the devices by communicating with each of the devices in a hardware level, a connecting data creation unit that creates connecting data using the connection information, a connection processing execution unit that executes connection processing with each of the devices in a software level using the connecting data, and a detailed information acquisition unit that acquires detailed information from each of the devices subjected to the connection processing.