Priority-Based Program Sequencing for PLC Task Preemption

The patent implements dynamic priority-based preemption where the scheduling behavior of arithmetic logic units changes based on the priority of incoming events. When a high-priority event arrives, the system dynamically switches from cooperative multitasking to preemptive scheduling, allowing the high-priority task to immediately occupy the arithmetic logic unit regardless of ongoing low-priority operations. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by making resource allocation flexible rather than static.

The operating control acts as an intermediary between events and arithmetic logic units, managing the allocation and preemption of computational resources. It monitors the priority levels of pending events and intervenes to reassign arithmetic logic units from low-priority to high-priority tasks when needed. This intermediary mechanism enables the system to balance resource utilization with timely high-priority task execution.

The operating control serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as an event manager, a scheduler, a preemption controller, and a coordination hub for multiple arithmetic logic units. This multi-functional design allows the system to maintain parallel processing speed while consolidating coordination responsibilities in a single controlling entity, thereby managing complexity efficiently.

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the operating control continuously monitors the state of arithmetic logic units and the queue of pending events. Based on this feedback, it dynamically adjusts the allocation of computational resources, ensuring that parallel operations are coordinated efficiently and that high-priority tasks receive timely access to required arithmetic logic units.