Patent ID: 6964045

Claim:
A method for storage and retrieval of programs and data within a PLC system, the PLC system including a plurality of modules including a memory host module including a CPU and memory, at least one option module including a CPU and memory, the at least one option module including a first option module and a second option module, the first module including a memory, a backplane interconnecting the memory host module and the at least one option module, the memory host module coupled to an external device, said method comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of operating programs and data including a first and a second operating program and data in the external device coupled to the memory host module, wherein the first operating program and data corresponds to the first option module and the second operating program and data corresponds to the second option module; retrieving the first operating program and data; retaining the second operating program and data; and transmitting the first operating program and data to the first option module.