PROGRAMMABLE CONTROLLER FOR EXECUTING A PLURALITY OF INDEPENDENT SEQUENCE PROGRAMS IN PARALLEL

A programmable controller which executes a plurality of independent sequence programs in parallel is provided with an ASIC, including a plurality of arithmetic-logic units and a plurality of arbitration circuits, and MPUs as many as the arbitration circuits. The entire execution time of the programmable controller is shortened by changing combinations (groups of arithmetic-logic units) of the MPUs (and the arbitration circuits as many as the MPUs) and the arithmetic-logic units, based on the ratios of MPU execution instructions and ASIC execution instructions included in those instructions which constitute the programs to be executed in parallel.