System for monitoring status of modules in an industrial controller

A module for an industrial controller, comprising:

• a plurality of terminals, each terminal configured to transfer a signal between the terminal and a remote device, wherein the signal is in one of a first state and a second state;
• a clock circuit generating a time signal;
• a memory device configured to store at least one first buffer corresponding to one of the terminals and at least one second buffer corresponding to one of the terminals;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• detect a transition between the first state and the second state for the signal at each of the terminals;
• store the time signal in the first buffer corresponding to the terminal on which the transition was detected when the signal on the corresponding terminal transitions between the first state and the second state;
• and
• store the time signal in the second buffer corresponding to the terminal on which the transition was detected when the signal on the corresponding terminal transitions between the second state and the first state.

A system for monitoring an industrial controller, comprising:

• a plurality of modules, each module including;
• a plurality of terminals, each terminal configured to transfer a signal between the terminal and a remote device, wherein the signal is in one of a first state and a second state;
• a clock circuit generating a time signal;
• a memory device configured to store a series of instructions, at least one first register corresponding to each of the terminals, and at least one second register corresponding to each of the terminals;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the series of instructions to:
• detect a trigger signal corresponding to each terminal,
• store the time signal in the first register corresponding to the terminal for which the trigger signal was detected when the signal at the terminal is in the first state;
• and
• store the time signal in the second register corresponding to the terminal for which the trigger signal was detected when the signal at the terminal is in the second state;
• and
• a remote processing unit in communication with each of the plurality of modules.