System and method for automatically updating the memory map of a programmable controller to customized hardware

A programmable controller, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory medium coupled to the processor, comprising program instructions executable by the processor to:
• automatically detect at least one programmable hardware element (PHE) coupled to the programmable controller, wherein the at least one PHE provides a customizable interface between one or more devices and one or more programs executing on the programmable controller, and wherein the at least one PHE comprises a programmable logic device (PLD);
• automatically update a memory map based on a hardware I/O interface of the at least one programmable hardware element, wherein the memory map facilitates communications between the one or more programs executing on the programmable controller and the at least one PHE;
• and
• retrieve and store information from and to the memory map a plurality of times to update information to and from the at least one PHE, wherein said retrieving and storing comprises the programmable controller utilizing a scanning architecture.

A computer-accessible memory medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to:

• automatically detect at least one programmable hardware element (PHE) coupled to a programmable controller, wherein the at least one PHE provides a customizable interface between one or more devices and one or more programs executing on the programmable controller, wherein the at least one PHE comprises a programmable logic device (PLD);
• automatically update a memory map based on a hardware I/O interface of the at least one programmable hardware element, wherein the memory map facilitates communications between the one or more programs executing on the programmable controller and the at least one PHE;
• and
• retrieve and store information from and to the memory map a plurality of times to update information to and from the at least one PHE, wherein said retrieving and storing comprises the programmable controller utilizing a scanning architecture.

A system, comprising:

• means for automatically detecting at least one programmable hardware element (PHE) coupled to a programmable controller, wherein the at least one PHE provides a customizable interface between one or more devices and one or more programs executing on the programmable controller wherein the at least one PHE comprises a programmable logic device (PLD);
• means for automatically updating a memory map based on a hardware I/O interface of the at least one PHE, wherein the memory map facilitates communications between the one or more programs executing on the programmable controller and the at least one PHE;
• and
• means for retrieving and storing information from and to the memory map a plurality of times to update information to and from the at least one PHE, wherein said retrieving and storing comprises the programmable controller utilizing a scanning architecture.