Distributed control system and an associated system component for the distributed control system

A system component for a distributed control system, the system component comprising:

• a memory to store component-specific data representing spatial coordinates of a position of the system component;
• and
• a communications device connected to a communications channel;
• wherein the system component is configured to transmit the position of the system component, as the component-specific data, to the communications device via the communications channel;
• and
• wherein the system component is configured to receive a unique physical address assigned by the configuration unit via the communications channel.

A method, comprising:

• determining positions of respective system components of a distributed control system;
• storing the positions in respective memories of the system components;
• transmitting the positions to a configuration unit of the distributed control system;
• generating a layout plan of the distributed control system, wherein the layout plan includes at least information on the respective positions of the system components within the distributed control system;
• and
• assigning and transmitting unique physical addresses on the communications channel to the system components such that a system component receive a unique physical address in response to a spatial position transmitted from the system component.