PLC Application Execution Across Task Cycles With Timed Interrupts

The patent applies periodic action by interrupting the application program execution at predetermined intervals within each task cycle. The execution is divided into multiple segments across consecutive task cycles, with each cycle executing a portion of the total processing required. This periodic interruption ensures that no single task cycle exceeds the preset time limit while still completing the full processing sequence over multiple cycles, thereby maintaining control performance.

The patent implements self-service by automatically generating the interrupted execution structure through the build process without requiring manual source code modification. The system automatically divides the application program into segments that can be executed across multiple task cycles, and automatically manages the state information persistence. This eliminates the need for programmers to manually modify source code to achieve periodic execution, significantly reducing modification work and debugging labor while maintaining control performance.

The patent uses state information as an intermediary mechanism to bridge between consecutive task cycles. When the application program is interrupted, the current execution state is automatically saved to persistent storage. Upon resumption in the next task cycle, this state information is automatically restored, allowing the program to continue from where it left off. This intermediary state management mechanism automates the complexity of tracking and preserving execution context, reducing the burden on programmers while enabling controlled execution time across multiple cycles.