diff -r 38da03647aee -r 9ddbfb2f284d FEATURES --- a/FEATURES Tue Nov 25 16:23:46 2008 +0000 +++ b/FEATURES Wed Nov 26 10:36:07 2008 +0000 @@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ Ethernet devices. - Interrupt-less operation of Ethernet devices. - Easy implementation of additional Ethernet drivers through common device - interface of the master. + interface. - 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. + - Operation possible without any realtime extension at all. * Common API for Realtime-Applications in kernel- and userspace. - Requesting and releasing masters. @@ -45,22 +45,24 @@ - 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. + - The same state machine runs both in idle mode and in realtime operation. + - Bus monitoring: Slave states are read cyclically. Automatic scanning of the + bus after a topology change. - Automatic configuration of slaves, if a application-layer state change is requested. -* Implementation of the CANopen-over-EtherCAT (CoE) protocol. +* Implementation of the CANopen-over-EtherCAT (CoE) mailbox protocol. - Configuration of CoE-capable slaves. - Sdo information service (dictionary listing). - - Sdo transfers via the application interface and the command-line tool. + - Sdo transfers both 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. +* Implementation of the Ethernet-over-EtherCAT (EoE) mailbox protocol. + - Virtual network interface for any EoE-capable slave. + - Both a switched and a routed EoE network architecture is natively supported + and configurable with standard tools. + +* Implementation of the Vendor-specific-over-EtherCAT (VoE) mailbox protocol. + - Communication with vendor-specific mailbox protocols via the API. * Userspace command-line tool 'ethercat'. - Detailed information about master, slaves, domains and bus configuration. @@ -70,12 +72,12 @@ - Sdo download/upload; listing Sdo dictionaries. - Access to slave registers. - Slave SII (EEPROM) access. - - Requesting application-layer states. + - Controlling application-layer states. - Generation of slave description XML from existing slaves. * Seamless integration in any GNU/Linux distribution. + - "Linux Standard Base"-compatible init script for master control. - 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.