Apparatus for unidirectionally interconnecting modules

摘要

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for interconnecting modules in an Industrial Process Control System. The invention provides an industrial process control apparatus comprising: a plurality of processors and a plurality of input/output modules in which: each processor has a unidirectional command line which is connected to a plurality of input/output modules; each input/output module has a unidirectional response line which is connected to a plurality of processors. In such an industrial process control apparatus the processors are arranged in operation to issue an identifier request to all of the input and output modules, and in which each input and output module is arranged to respond with a response comprising a unique identifier via its response line; such that each processor is able to identify the physical location of the input or output module having a particular unique identifier by identifying the response line upon which the response is received.