Method and apparatus for operating a programmable controller for controlling a technical process

A method of operating a programmable controller for controlling a technical process with a process interface system linked to the programmable controller, comprising the following cyclically executed steps:

• reading input signals supplied by the process interface system into the programmable controller;
• processing the input signals to thereby determine output signals for the process interface system from the input signals;
• and
• outputting the output signals to the process interface system,
• wherein the processing of the input signals of one cycle takes place, at least in part, simultaneously with the outputting of the output signals of the preceding cycle and with the reading in of the input signals of the subsequent cycle, and
• wherein the outputting of the output signals of the preceding cycle takes place at a different time than the inputting of the input signals of the subsequent cycle.