Programmable logic controller and method of operation thereof

Claim 1

A method for configuring a module adapted for connection to a programmable logic controller, the controller including a memory and being capable of executing a control program to control a process, the controller including an initial configuration file which specifies an initial configuration for the module, a programming unit being connected to the controller and including a keyboard for inputting manual commands to the controller and a display for displaying configuration data, said method comprising the steps of: determining if a particular module is coupled to the controller; transmitting an initial configuration file from the controller to the particular module and designating the initial configuration file as a current configuration file in the module, said transmitting step being performed only if said determining step confirms that the particular module is coupled to the controller; displaying module specific information stored in memory in the particular module on the programming unit display; inputting commands from the programming unit keyboard for modifying the current configuration file in response to the module specific information displayed in said displaying step for providing module specific control data to the controller for enabling control of the module by the controller; and if the step of determining confirms that a particular module is not coupled to the controller, establishing a configuration file in the controller for the missing particular module and allowing entry of data into the configuration file from the programming unit so that the controller can exercise control programs for operation testing without the missing module.

Claim 2

A method for configuring a module which is coupled to a programmable logic controller, the controller including a memory and being capable of executing a control program to control a process, the controller including an initial configuration file which specifies an initial configuration for the module, a programming unit being connected to the controller and including a keyboard for inputting manual commands to the controller and a display for displaying configuration data, said method comprising the steps of: transmitting the initial configuration file from the controller to the module and designating the initial configuration file as a current configuration file; displaying on the programming unit display module specific information stored in memory in the module, the module specific information comprising data required for configuring the module; and modifying with programming unit keyboard the current configuration file in accordance with the module specific information displayed in said displaying step.

Claim 3

A method for configuring a module which is coupled to a programmable logic controller, the controller including a memory and being capable of executing a control program to control a process, a programming unit being connected to the controller and including a keyboard for inputting manual commands to the controller and a display for displaying configuration data, said method comprising the steps of: storing module specific information in the module; and displaying the module specific information on the programming unit display whereby the module can be configured by commands from the programming unit keyboard to enable operation with the controller.

Claim 4

A system comprising: a programmable logic controller; a module coupled to the controller, and including a memory; the controller including a memory and being capable of executing a control program to control a process, the controller including an initial configuration file which specifies an initial configuration for the module; and a programming unit connected to the controller, the unit including a keyboard for inputting manual commands to the controller and a display for displaying configuration data; the system being arranged so that to configure the module the initial configuration file is transmitted from the controller to the module and the initial configuration file is designated as a current configuration file; module specific information stored in memory in the module is displayed on the display, the module specific information comprising data required for configuring the module; and the current configuration file is modified by use of the keyboard in accordance with the module specific information displayed by said display.

Claim 5

A system comprising: a programmable logic controller; a module coupled to a programmable logic controller and including means for storing module specific information in the module; the controller including a memory and being capable of executing a control program to control a process; and a programming unit connected to the controller and including means for displaying module specific information and a keyboard whereby the module can be configured in response to the displayed information by commands from the keyboard to enable operation with the controller.