Peer communication between modules in an industrial controller

An industrial controller having peer communications between at least two modules, the industrial controller comprising:

• a processor module comprising:
• a first memory device configured to store a control program;
• and
• a first processor in communication with the first memory device and operative to execute the stored control program;
• an input module comprising:
• a plurality of input terminals, each input terminal configured to receive an input signal from an input device;
• and
• a second processor operative to receive the input signal from each of the plurality of input terminals;
• an output module comprising:
• a plurality of output terminals, wherein each output terminal is configured to be connected to and to transmit an output signal from the output module to an output device;
• a first interface in communication with the processor module and operative to receive control data from the processor module;
• a second interface in communication with the input module and operative to receive a status of at least one input signal from the input module, wherein the second interface does not pass through the processor module;
• a third processor configured to generate the output signal for at least one of the plurality of output terminals as a function of the status of the at least one input signal from the input module.

An output module for an industrial controller, wherein the industrial controller includes a processor module, at least one output module, and at least one input module, and wherein the processor module is configured to execute a control program to control operation of an industrial machine or process, the output module comprising:

• a plurality of output terminals, wherein each output terminal is configured to be connected to and to transmit an output signal to an output device on the industrial machine or process;
• a first communication interface between the processor module and the output module;
• a backplane connector, operative to be connected to a backplane extending between the output module and the input module;
• a second communication interface between the input module and the output module, wherein the second communication interface is established via the backplane connector and the backplane extending between the input module and the output module;
• and
• a processor configured to receive data via the second communication interface and to generate the output signal as a function of the data received from the second communication interface, wherein the data from the second communication interface corresponds to an input signal received by the input module from an input device on the industrial machine or process.