Patent ID: 7987305
Filing Date: 2011-07-26
Classification: G05B,G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A system for configuring a process image in an automation network having one or more optionally uninstalled modules comprising: an island having a network interface module, the island further including a plurality of connections for I/O modules; and configuration software run by the network interface module that provides for each one of the plurality I/O modules whether or not physically present; and means for modifying the I/O module configuration remotely using remote virtual placeholder objects, wherein said configuration software is configured to create a logical island model of said plurality of I/O modules comprising the I/O island, and generate a translation table that provides a correlation between the node addresses of the physical island and the node addresses of the logical island model, wherein said translation table is configured using virtual placeholder objects such that an I/O module in a physical slot X having node ID X appears in the logical island model as if that I/O module were located in slot Y, such that said configuration software maintains a consistent process image for various physical distributed I/O configurations having one or more I/O modules physically removed from the system.