Patent ID: 8005553

Claim:
A system operable on a processor for automatically assigning function blocks of a control module to be executed in devices within a process control network, the process control network having a process controller communicatively coupled to an input/output device which is connected to one or more field devices via a data bus, the system comprising: a computer-readable memory; a routine stored on the computer-readable memory for execution on the processor, wherein the routine, when executed on the processor; determines a set of function blocks disposed on a forward flow path of the control module, the set of function blocks including an input function block, an output function block and one or more intermediate function blocks; determines if each of the input function block and the output function block on the forward flow path of the control module is assigned to execute in the one or more field devices on the data bus; and assigns the one or more intermediate function blocks on the forward flow path of the control module to execute in the input/output device if both the input function block and the output function block on the forward flow path of the control module are assigned to execute in the one or more field devices on the data bus.