Programmable controller and system equipped with same

A programmable controller connected to another programmable controller and to a controller that controls the programmable controllers, via a communication network, comprising:

• a storage unit that stores a sequence program;
• and
• a control unit,
• wherein the control unit comprises:
• a sequence-program correcting unit that corrects the sequence program;
• a corrected-information obtaining unit that obtains a corrected portion and a corrected content from the corrected sequence program;
• a corresponding-circuit inquiring unit that extracts a circuit in a vicinity of the corrected portion from the sequence program before correction and that makes an inquiry to the controller about whether another circuit corresponding to the circuit is included in a sequence program of the other programmable controller;
• and
• a corrected-content transmitting unit that transmits, in response to the inquiry from the corresponding-circuit inquiring unit, the corrected content to the other programmable controller only when a reply is received from the controller indicating that the other circuit corresponding to the circuit is included in the sequence program of the other programmable controller,
• wherein the control unit further comprises
• a sequence-program transmitting unit that transmits, in response to a request from the controller, a copy of the sequence program to the controller, and
• a sequence-program updating unit that receives the corrected content from the other programmable controller and that updates the sequence program on the basis of the corrected content.

A system for automatically updating a programmable circuit in a second programmable controller connected, via a communication network, to a first programmable controller, comprising:

• a first memory associated with the first programmable controller, wherein the first memory stores a first sequence program comprising a first circuit;
• and
• a controller, comprising
• a sequence-program correcting processor to replace the first circuit with a corrected content, creating a first corrected sequence program;
• a corrected-information obtaining processor to obtain the corrected content from the sequence-program correcting processor;
• a corresponding-circuit inquiring processor
• to extract the first circuit from the first sequence program,
• to inquire of the second programmable controller if a second sequence program includes a circuit corresponding to the first circuit, and
• to generate an inquiry;
• a corrected-content transmitting processor to transmit, in response to the inquiry from the corresponding-circuit inquiring processor, the corrected content to the second programmable controller only when the second programmable controller transmits an indication that the circuit corresponding to the first circuit is included in the second sequence program;
• a corresponding-circuit searching processor to determine if the second sequence program includes the circuit corresponding to the first circuit and to transmit the indication to the corrected-content transmitting processor;
• and
• a sequence-program updating processor to receive the corrected content from the corrected-content transmitting processor and to modify the programmable circuit using the corrected content to create a second corrected sequence program.

A system for automatically updating a programmable circuit in a second programmable controller connected, via a communication network, to a first programmable controller, comprising:

• a controller connected, via the communication network, to the first programmable controller and the second programmable controller to control the first programmable controller and the second programmable controller;
• a first memory associated with the first programmable controller, wherein the first memory stores a first sequence program comprising a first circuit;
• a second memory associated with the second programmable controller, wherein the second memory stores a second sequence program comprising the programmable circuit;
• and
• a further controller, comprising
• a sequence-program correcting processor to correct the first circuit with a corrected content, creating a first corrected sequence program;
• a corrected-information obtaining processor to obtain the corrected content from the sequence-program correcting processor;
• a corresponding-circuit inquiring processor
• to extract the first circuit from the first sequence program,
• to inquire of the controller if the second sequence program includes a circuit corresponding to the first circuit, and
• to generate an inquiry;
• a corrected-content transmitting processor to transmit, in response to the inquiry from the corresponding-circuit inquiring processor, the corrected content to the second programmable controller only when the controller transmits an indication that the circuit corresponding to the first circuit is included in the second sequence program;
• a corresponding-circuit searching processor to determine if the second sequence program includes the circuit corresponding to the first circuit and to transmit the indication to the corrected-content transmitting processor;
• and
• a sequence-program updating processor to receive the corrected content from the corrected-content transmitting processor and to modify the programmable circuit using the corrected content to create a second corrected sequence program.