Direct Control of Devices Through a Programmable Controller Using Internet Protocol

Abstract

Aspects of the invention support direct communication between a low-level device and a programmable controller over an automation bus in an industrial automation system for controlling and monitoring an industrial process. A leaf node device may include a low-level device. The leaf node device communicates directly with the programmable controller at the network layer, e.g., Internet Protocol (IP) based on an IP address contained in a signal so that the programmable controller may control the low-level device or receive status information about the low-level device. The industrial automation system may support a plurality of leaf node devices, which may be associated with different automation buses having different communication media. Signals between the programmable controller and the leaf node device may be directed with or without a switching element.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.