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This is the FEATURES file of the IgH EtherCAT Master.

$Id$

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General Features:

* EtherCAT master implementation conforming to IEC/PAS 62407.
  - Runs as kernel module for Linux 2.6.
  - Multiple masters possible on one machine.

* EtherCAT-capable versions of standard Linux drivers for wide-spread
  Ethernet devices.
  - Interrupt-less operation of Ethernet devices.
  - Easy implementation of additional Ethernet drivers through common device
    interface of the master.
  - Operation possible with any device supported by the standard drivers,
    including PCMCIA devices.

* Supports any realtime environment through independent architecture.
  - RTAI, Xenomai, RT-Preempt, etc.
  - Operation possible even without any realtime extension.

* Common API for Realtime-Applications in kernel- and userspace.
  - Requesting and releasing masters.
  - Dynamic slave configuration, even for slaves that are offline.
  - Detailed configuration of the slaves' Pdos and Sdos.
  - Creation of process data domains (see below). Registration of Pdo entries
    for exchange within a domain.
  - Monitoring the states of masters, slave configurations and domains.
  - Sdo handlers for application-triggered CoE transfers (see below).
  - VoE handlers for Vendor-specific mailbox protocols (see below).
  - Similar userspace implementation of the kernel API via a C-library.
  - Avoidance of unnecessary copy operations for process data.

* Separating slave groups through domains.
  - Handling of multiple slave groups with different sampling rates.
  - Automatic calculation of process data mapping, FMMU- and sync manager
    configuration within the domains.
  - Process data exchange can be monitored via a per-domain mechanism.

* Master finite state machine (FSM).
  - The same state machine runs when the master is idle and also when an
    application is connected.
  - Bus monitoring. Slave states are read cyclically. Automatic scanning of the
    bus on a topology change.
  - Automatic configuration of slaves, if a application-layer state change is
    requested.

* Implementation of the CANopen-over-EtherCAT (CoE) protocol.
  - Configuration of CoE-capable slaves.
  - Sdo information service (dictionary listing).
  - Sdo transfers via the application interface and the command-line tool.

* Implementation of the Ethernet-over-EtherCAT (EoE) protocol.
  - Creates a virtual network interface for any EoE-capable	slave.
  - Natively supports either a switched or a routed EoE network
    architecture.

* Userspace command-line tool 'ethercat'.
  - Detailed information about master, slaves, domains and bus configuration.
  - Reading/Writing alias addresses.
  - Listing slave configurations.
  - Viewing process data.
  - Sdo download/upload; listing Sdo dictionaries.
  - Access to slave registers.
  - Slave SII (EEPROM) access.
  - Requesting application-layer states.
  - Generation of slave description XML from existing slaves.

* Seamless integration in any GNU/Linux distribution.
  - Master and Ethernet device configuration via sysconfig file.
  - "Linux standard base"-compatible init script for master control.

* Virtual read-only network interface for debugging and traffic monitoring
  purposes (using Wireshark, etc.). No additional hardware necessary.

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