Controller and control system that stores data in current control cycle for output in next control cycle

A control system comprising:

• a controller;
• and
• one or more devices that work in accordance with a control command from the controller, wherein
• the controller and the one or more devices have their respective timers that are time-synchronized with each other,
• the controller including:
• a processor;
• and
• a communication circuit that executes transmission of the control
• command to the one or more devices, and reception of input data from the one or more devices, wherein
• the controller controls the one or more devices by sequentially repeating, on a predetermined control cycle, the transmission of the control command, the reception of the input data, and execution of a control program for generating the control command using the input data,
• in the transmission of the control command, the processor executes
• storing the control command to be included in a frame, in a transmission buffer, the control command having been generated by the execution of the control program in a previous control cycle, and
• control of the communication circuit such that the frame including the control command is transmitted to the one or more devices, and
• the processor executes, in a current control cycle, at least a part of storing, in the transmission buffer, as control command to be included in a frame that is to be transmitted in a next control cycle.