FEATURES
author Florian Pose <fp@igh-essen.com>
Thu, 06 Sep 2012 20:22:24 +0200
branchstable-1.5
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parent 1590 fc0754d91316
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This is the FEATURES file of the IgH EtherCAT Master.
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$Id$
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vim: spelllang=en spell
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General Features:
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* EtherCAT master implementation conforming to IEC/PAS 62407.
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  - Runs as kernel module for Linux 2.6.
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  - Multiple masters possible on one machine.
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* Native EtherCAT-capable versions of standard Linux drivers for wide-spread
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  Ethernet devices, as well as a generic driver for all chips supported by the
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  Linux kernel.
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  - Interrupt-less operation of Ethernet devices when using native drivers.
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  - Easy implementation of additional native Ethernet drivers through common
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    device interface.
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  - Operation possible with any device supported by the standard drivers,
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    including PCMCIA devices.
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  - For any other hardware, the generic driver can be used. It uses the lower
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    layers of the Linux network stack.
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* Supports any realtime environment through independent architecture.
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  - RTAI, Xenomai, RT-Preempt, etc.
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  - Operation possible without any realtime extension at all.
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* Common API for Realtime-Applications in kernel- and userspace.
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  - Requesting and releasing masters.
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  - Dynamic slave configuration, even for slaves that are offline.
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  - Detailed configuration of the slaves' PDOs and SDOs.
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  - Creation of process data domains (see below). Registration of PDO entries
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    for exchange within a domain.
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  - Monitoring the states of masters, slave configurations and domains.
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  - SDO handlers for application-triggered CoE transfers (see below).
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  - VoE handlers for Vendor-specific mailbox protocols (see below).
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  - Similar userspace implementation of the kernel API via a C-library.
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  - Avoidance of unnecessary copy operations for process data.
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* Separating slave groups through domains.
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  - Handling of multiple slave groups with different sampling rates.
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  - Automatic calculation of process data mapping, FMMU- and sync manager
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    configuration within the domains.
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  - Process data exchange can be monitored via a per-domain mechanism.
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* Master finite state machine (FSM).
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  - The same state machine runs both in idle mode and in realtime operation.
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  - Bus monitoring: Slave states are read cyclically. Automatic scanning of the
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    bus after a topology change.
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  - Automatic configuration of slaves, if a application-layer state change is
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    requested.
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* Implementation of the "CANopen over EtherCAT" (CoE) mailbox protocol.
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  - Configuration of CoE-capable slaves.
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  - SDO information service (dictionary listing).
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  - SDO transfers both via the application interface and the command-line tool.
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* Implementation of the "Ethernet over EtherCAT" (EoE) mailbox protocol.
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  - Virtual network interface for any EoE-capable slave.
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  - Both a switched and a routed EoE network architecture is natively supported
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    and configurable with standard tools.
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* Implementation of the "Vendor-specific over EtherCAT" (VoE) mailbox protocol.
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  - Communication with vendor-specific mailbox protocols via the API.
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* Implementation of the "File Access over EtherCAT" (FoE) mailbox protocol.
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  - Loading and storing files via the command-line tool.
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  - Updating a slave's firmware can be done easily.
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* Userspace command-line tool 'ethercat'.
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  - Detailed information about master, slaves, domains and bus configuration.
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  - Setting the master's debug level.
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  - Reading/Writing alias addresses.
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  - Listing slave configurations.
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  - Viewing process data.
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  - SDO download/upload; listing SDO dictionaries.
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  - Loading and storing files via FoE.
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  - Access to slave registers.
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  - Slave SII (EEPROM) access.
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  - Controlling application-layer states.
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  - Generation of slave description XML from existing slaves.
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* Seamless integration in any GNU/Linux distribution.
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  - "Linux Standard Base"-compatible init script for master control.
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  - Master and Ethernet device configuration via sysconfig file.
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* Virtual read-only network interface for debugging and traffic monitoring
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  purposes (using Wireshark, etc.). No additional hardware necessary.
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