Method and system for capturing automation data

A system comprising:

• a controller configured as an automation controller;
• a plurality of sensors in communication with the controller;
• a computing device in communication with the controller;
• wherein the controller is programmed to:
• execute a scan cycle at a scan frequency;
• wherein the scan cycle is defined by a sequence of operations monitored by the controller;
• collect input data during the scan cycle from the plurality of sensors;
• wherein at least one operation of the sequence of operations corresponds to at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors;
• configure a multi-array including at least one member and a first element and a second element defined by the at least one member;
• wherein:
• the at least one member corresponds to the at least one operation;
• the first element has a first element value corresponding to a start time of the at least one operation, wherein the start time is detected by the controller using the input data;
• the second element has a second element value corresponding to an end time of the at least one operation, wherein the end time is detected by the controller using the input data;
• time stamp the start time of the at least one operation such that the first element value is a first time stamp generated by the controller at the start time of the at least one operation;
• time stamp the end time of the at least one operation such that the second element value is a second time stamp generated by the controller at the end time of the at least one operation;
• wherein configuring the multi-array includes:
• allocating a multi-array memory location in the controller;
• the multi-array memory location including a respective controller memory location for each of the first element and the second element defined by the at least one member;
• determine the first and second element values during the scan cycle using the controller;
• store the element value of each respective element defined by the at least one member for the scan cycle in the respective controller memory location in the multi-array;
• wherein the computing device is programmed to:
• configure a first data table using the computing device;
• wherein configuring the first data table includes storing the respective controller memory location for each respective element in the computing device such that each of the controller memory locations for each respective element is associated with a corresponding location in the first data table to provide a plurality of corresponding locations;
• execute a data capture cycle at a data capture frequency;
• read the multi-array memory location of the controller during the data capture cycle;
• and
• write each respective element value read from the multi-array memory location of the controller into the corresponding location of the first data table.