Slave unit, node unit, controllers and network system

A slave to which a control unit is connected, said slave configured to communicate input or output information of said control unit with a controller via a remote circuit, said slave comprising:

• a measuring means for measuring a physical quantity related to said control unit or said slave itself to provide a measured value;
• a determining means for comparing the measured value with a reference value to provide determination result information;
• and
• an output means for outputting the determination result information to said remote circuit,
• wherein said physical quantity related to said control unit is a supply voltage to be incorporated by a slave and supplied to said control unit by way of the slave, and
• wherein said physical quantity related to said slave itself is a voltage of a network power source supplied to the slave itself by way of said remote circuit.

A slave to which a control unit is connected, said slave configured to communicate input or output information of said control unit with a controller via a remote circuit, said slave comprising:

• a measuring means for measuring a physical quantity related to said control unit or said slave itself to provide a measured value;
• a determining means for comparing the measured value with a reference value to provide determination result information;
• and
• an output means for outputting both the measured value and the determination result information to said remote circuit,
• wherein said physical quantity related to said control unit is a supply voltage to be incorporated by a slave and supplied to said control unit by way of the slave, and
• wherein said physical quantity related to said slave itself is a voltage of a network power source supplied to the slave itself by way of said remote circuit.

A node device configured to be connected to a network for factory automation (FA), comprising

• a means for obtaining from a first slave connected to the network, information on a start time when a control device attached to the first slave starts operating;
• a means for obtaining from a second slave connected to the network, information on an elapsed time when said control device enters into a predetermined state, based on a detection signal generated when said control device enters the predetermined state and provided to said second slave connected to the network;
• and
• a computing unit that computes an operating time of said control device based on the said start time information and said elapsed time information.

A processing method of a slave that determines operating time of a control device which is connected to the slave, the slave configured to communicate input or output information of said control device with a controller via network for factory automation (PA), the method comprising:

• (a) obtaining start time information of when said control device starts operating, based on an output signal to the control device;
• (b) obtaining elapsed time information of when said control device enters into a predetermined state, based on a detection signal that detects said control device has entered into a predetermined state;
• and
• (c) computing operating time of said control device, based on said start time information and said elapsed time information, and
• wherein the steps (a) through (c) are executed independent of a communications process that communicates input or output information with said controller.

A processing method of a slave to which a control device is connected, the slave configured to communicate input or output information of said control device with a controller via a remote circuit, the method comprising:

• (a) measuring, in the slave, a physical quantity related to said control device or said slave itself to provide a measured value;
• (b) comparing, in the slave, the measured value with a reference value to provide comparison result information;
• (c) outputting the comparison result information to said remote circuit, and
• wherein the steps (a) through (c) are executed independent of a communications process that communicates input or output information with said controller.

A processing unit that is incorporated in slaves or a monitor connected to a network for factory automation (FA) and that determines operating time of a predetermined apparatus, comprising:

• a means for obtaining information on a start time when a signal state of an IN terminal of a first slave, to which is connected a first input device monitoring conditions of said predetermined apparatus, has changed;
• a means for obtaining information on elapsed time when a signal state of an IN terminal of a second slave, to which is connected a second input device monitoring conditions of said predetermined apparatus, has changed;
• and
• a means for computing operating time of said predetermined apparatus based on said start time information and said elapsed time information.

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

• communicating, via said slave, input or output information of said control unit via said network;
• monitoring, via said slave, a state of said power supply;
• outputting, via said slave, information on a monitored state monitored by a power supply monitoring means to the network;
• and
• communicating, via said monitoring unit with an output means of the slave via said network,
• collecting state information monitored by said power supply monitoring means through the process of communicating, and
• 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 a network, comprising:

• measuring, via said slave, a physical quantity related to said control device or said slave itself;
• comparing, via said slave, a measured value with a reference value to provide comparison result information;
• outputting, via said slave, the comparison result information to the network, while said slave executes the process of communicating input or output information of said control device with a controller via the network;
• receiving, via at least either one of said controller or monitoring unit, the comparison result information of the slave;
• and
• managing the received comparison result information.

A slave to which a control unit is connected, said slave configured to communicate input or output information of said control unit with a controller via a remote circuit, said slave comprising:

• a measuring unit which measures physical quantity related to said control unit or said slave itself to provide a measured value;
• a determining unit which compares the measured value with a reference value to provide determination result information;
• and
• an output which outputs the determination result information to said remote circuit,
• wherein said physical quantity related to said control unit is a supply voltage to be incorporated by a slave and supplied to said control unit by way of the slave, and
• wherein said physical quantity related to said slave itself is a voltage of a network power source supplied to the slave itself by way of said remote circuit.

A slave to which a control unit is connected, said slave configured to communicate input or output information of said control unit with a controller via a remote circuit, said slave comprising:

• a measuring means for measuring a physical quantity related to said control unit or said slave itself to provide a measured value;
• a determining means for comparing the measured value with a reference value to provide determination result information;
• and
• an output means for outputting the determination result information to said remote circuit,
• wherein said physical quantity related to said control unit is energized time of said control unit, and
• wherein said physical quantity related to said slave itself is energized time of said slave itself.

A slave to which a control unit is connected, said slave configured to communicate input or output information of said control unit with a controller via a remote circuit, said slave comprising:

• a measuring means for measuring a physical quantity related to said control unit or said slave itself to provide a measured value;
• a determining means for comparing the measured value with a reference value to provide determination result information;
• and
• an output means for outputting the determination result information to said remote circuit,
• wherein said physical quantity related to said control unit is the number of operations of said control unit, and
• wherein said physical quantity related to said slave itself is the number of communication errors or abnormal communications which occur in said slave itself.