A new programming method, named cell control language (CCL), for factory-automation systems has been developed. In CCL programming, an action sequence of each functional unit in each operation mode is described as a net module. This net module is a subclass of Petri nets, and this subclass is equivalent to a state transition diagram, which is a conventional design method. Moreover, several net modules are merged and translated into an internal code program, which is executed in a cell controller.An efficient method to describe a high-speed program, which needs a quick response to a short-cycle state change, and to execute the program by using an interruption process was developed. Applying this method to an actual cell controller, we confirmed that it can increase the ability to respond to the state change without reducing total control performance.