Method for operating inductrial control with control program and I/O map by transmitting function key to particular module for comparison with function code before operating

A method of operating an industrial controller, the controller executing a control program to exchange data with a plurality of input/output modules, each input/output module having at least one self-contained function indicated by a function code stored in the input/output module, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) entering the control program into memory of the industrial controller, the control program designating an exchange of data with a particular input/output module in at least one program step of the control program;
• (b) entering an I/O map table into the memory of the industrial controller, the I/O map table providing a function key for the input/output module, the function key indicating a desired self-contained function to be performed by the input/output module in order that the control program be properly executed;
• (c) transmitting the function key from the industrial controller to the particular input/output module for comparison of the function code to the transmitted function key;
• (d) transmitting from the particular input/output module to the controller a message indicating whether the desired self-contained function can be performed by the particular input/output module;
• and
• (e) operating the particular input/output module to perform the desired self-contained function.