Patent ID: 8688241

Claim:
A control system, comprising a plurality of control devices for controlling different control targets, respectively, the plurality of control devices each being connected to a network in which time synchronization is possible between nodes connected thereto, the plurality of control devices comprising a first control device and a second control device and subsequent control devices, wherein: the first control device and the second control device and the subsequent control devices each store a control amount calculating procedure for calculating a control amount regarding a significant control having a higher degree of significance than at least one other control among controls to be performed on the control target of the first control device; and the first control device compares a control amount regarding the significant control, which is calculated by the first control device, and a control amount regarding the significant control, which is calculated, after synchronization with the first control device, by one of the second control device and the subsequent control devices, to thereby control the control target of the first control device based on a result of the comparison, wherein the first control device and the one of the second and subsequent control devices calculate the respective control amounts simultaneously, and wherein the one of the second and subsequent control devices calculates the control amount based on data which is transmitted to it from the first control device.