Patent ID: 6993765

Claim:
A controller comprising: a memory for storing a plurality of tasks and a program including an operating system for controlling the execution of the tasks; an I/O interface for transferring information with a target to be monitorially controlled; a network control circuit for transferring information with a network communication system; a microprocessor for processing either of the information in accordance with the program stored in the memory; and task switching means for managing the plurality of tasks stored in the memory by classifying them into a communication task group for performing network communications and a control task group for monitorially controlling the target, and for switching an execution order of the plurality of tasks by a group unit, wherein: said task switching means switches the execution order of the plurality of tasks by the group unit in accordance with priority in response to a switching command, said task switching means switches the execution order of the plurality of tasks by the group unit in accordance with an execution mode for giving priority to communications with the network communication system over control of the target, or an execution mode for giving priority to the control of the target over the communications with the network communication system, and said task switching means manages operation patterns including the execution mode giving priority to the communications and the execution mode giving priority to the control by classifying them into a plurality of operation patterns, switches the plurality of operation patterns in response to an operation pattern switching command, manages execution time of each execution mode for the switched operation pattern, and instructs switching to the other execution mode after a passage of each execution time.