Patent ID: 7860874

Claim:
A method, comprising: via a PLC network interface of a non-PLC information device: presenting, to the non-PLC information device, a PLC network as a namespace shell extension of a running operating system of the non-PLC information device, wherein the PLC network is one of a Profibus network and a Point to Point Interface network; receiving at least one search parameter at the PLC network interface of the non-PLC information device, said at least one search parameter specified by a user of the non-PLC information device; searching, in response to receiving said at least one search parameter, the PLC network for at least one item corresponding to said at least one search parameter specified by a said user of the non-PLC information device; rendering to the user of the non-PLC information device said at least one item corresponding to said at least one search parameter wherein at least a portion of said at least one item is identified as conforming to said at least one search parameter; and rendering said at least one item in an order based on a rank of the at least one item; wherein the non-PLC information device is adapted to poll all possible network addresses of the PLC network to identify PLC devices coupled to the PLC network.