Motion controller

A motion controller comprising a master controller and at least one slave controller interconnected to each other via a network so as to perform input/output operation or control processing on a plurality of control target apparatuses;

• wherein the master controller includes:
• a program analysis means which inputs a control program with a tolerable delay time designated therein for operation of the control target apparatuses, separates from the control program a slave use program to be executed by the slave controller in a manner not to exceed the delay time, and generates slave-to-slave communication setting information needed by the slave controller to execute the separated slave use program;
• a master use program execution means which executes a master use program left after the slave use program is separated from the control program;
• a slave use program transfer means which transfers the slave use program to the slave controller via the network;
• a slave-to-slave communication setting means which transfers master-to-slave communication setting information and the slave-to-slave communication setting information to the slave controller via the network, and
• a master use communication means which performs communication control between the master controller and the slave controller via the network, and
• wherein the slave controller includes:
• a slave use program execution means which executes the slave use program transferred from the master controller;
• a slave use command execution means which executes a slave use command transmitted from the master controller via the network and received by the slave controller and a slave use command issued by the slave use program execution means;
• a slave use communication setting means which stores the master-to-slave communication setting information and the slave-to-slave communication setting information, and
• a slave use communication means which, based on the master-to-slave communication setting information and the slave-to-slave communication setting information, performs communication control between the slave controller and the master controller as well as between the slave controller and another slave controller via the network.