Archive and restore system and methodology for on-line edits utilizing non-volatile buffering

A method to facilitate program storage and retrieval for an industrial controller, comprising:

• segmenting static portions of a program in a persistent memory, the static portion facilitates storage and retrieval of state of the program during power loss to the controller;
• loading an execution memory concurrently with the static portions of a program to enable on-line edits of the program during operation of the controller;
• and
• segmenting variable portions of the program in an auxiliary-powered memory, the variable portion facilitates storage and retrieval of state of variables that are affected or operated upon by the program, the segmentation of the static and variable portions of the program mitigates memory current requirements of the industrial controller during power loss to the controller.

A system to facilitate program storage and retrieval for an industrial controller, comprising:

• means for storing static portions of a program to be retrieved by the controller the static portion facilitates storage and retrieval of state of the program during power loss to the controller;
• means for storing variable portions of the program operable by the controller, the variable portion facilitates storage and retrieval of state of variables that are affected or operated upon by the program, the means for storing the static and variable portions of the program supplied by different storage means to mitigate memory current requirements of the industrial controller during power loss to the controller;
• means for loading execution memory concurrently with the static portions of a program;
• means for executing the static portion of the program that is retrieved by the controller;
• and
• means for enabling on-line edits of the program during operation of the controller.

An industrial controller, comprising:

• a first memory segment to provide persistent data storage to a first portion of a user program, the first memory segment provides persistent data storage without employing a battery power source to mitigate power supplied by the battery power source and returns state of the user's program in the event of a power loss;
• a second memory segment employs the battery power source to provide persistent data storage to a second portion of the user's program, the second memory portion returns state of variables that are affected or operated upon by the user's program;
• and
• an execution memory segment that loads an execution memory concurrently with the user program to facilitate program execution and to enable on-line edits of the user program during operation of the controller.