Slave unit, node unit, controllers and network system

A processing method that determines operating time of a control device in a slave to which A control device is connected, and that communicates input or output information of the said control device with a controller via network for FA, the method executes the following as processes independent of communications process that communicates input or output information with the said controller:

• (a) obtaining start time information of when the said control device starts operating, based on output signal to the control device:
• (b) obtaining elapsed time information of when the said control device enters into a predetermined state, based on a detection signal that detects the said control device has entered into a predetermined state;
• (c) computing operating time of the said control device, based on the said start time information and the said elapsed time information.

A processing method of a slave to which a control device is connected and that communicates input or output information of the said control device with a controller via remote circuit, the method executing the following as processes independent of communications process that communicates input or output information with the said controller:

• (a) measuring, in the slave, physical volume related to the said control device or the said slave itself;
• (b) comparing, in the slave, a measured value with a reference value;
• (c) outputting the comparison result information to a circuit.

A monitoring system of a power supply that connects a controller. a slave and a monitoring unit via network, and that supplies power source to the said slave and a control unit connected to the slave, characterized in that it comprises:

• in the said slave. a communicating means that communicates input or output information of a control device via network, a power supply monitoring means that monitors a state of the said power supply, and an output means that outputs to the network information on a monitoring state with the power supply monitoring means, and that the said monitoring unit is provided with a means of collecting state information monitored with the said power supply monitoring means, by communicating with the output means of the slave via the said network, and a means of managing collected power supply states in a unified way.

A method of monitoring a power supply that connects a controller, a slave and a monitoring unit via network, and supplies power source to the said slave and a control unit connected to the slave, characterized in that:

• Besides the process of communicating input or output information of a control device via network, the said slave executes the process of monitoring a state of the said power supply and the process of outputting to the network information on a monitored state by the power supply monitoring means;
• and
• the said monitoring unit executes the process of communicating with the output means of the slave via the said network, the process of collecting state information monitored by the said power supply monitoring means through the process of communicating, and the process of managing collected power supply states.

A method of monitoring a network system that connects a controller, a slave to which a control device is connected, and a monitoring unit via network, characterized in that:

• a slave executes the process of measuring physical volume related to the said control device or the said slave itself, the process of comparing a measured value with a reference value, and outputs the comparison result information to a circuit, while it executes the process of communicating input or output information of the said control device with a controller via a remote circuit;
• and at least either a controller or monitor executes the process of receiving the comparison result information of the slave, and the process of managing the received comparison result information.