# HG changeset patch # User Florian Pose # Date 1227695743 0 # Node ID c9abd45c7472d32d41b5f3ca43ee51b9d97f40f5 # Parent 8bcf058035db8b03ab4fa00e385cd0c50cef740f FEATURES. diff -r 8bcf058035db -r c9abd45c7472 FEATURES --- a/FEATURES Tue Nov 25 13:32:20 2008 +0000 +++ b/FEATURES Wed Nov 26 10:35:43 2008 +0000 @@ -4,64 +4,76 @@ $Id$ +vim: spelllang=en spell + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- General Features: -* Runs as kernel module for Linux 2.6. +* EtherCAT master implementation conforming to IEC/PAS 62407. + - Runs as kernel module for Linux 2.6. + - Multiple masters possible on one machine. -* Comes with EtherCAT-capable network driver for serveral network interface - cards. - - Interrupt-less network driver operation. - - Easy implementation of additional network drivers through common device - interface of the master. - - Runs even with PCMCIA cards. +* 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. + - Operation possible with any device supported by the standard drivers, + including PCMCIA devices. -* Supports multiple EtherCAT masters on one machine. +* Supports any realtime environment through independent architecture. + - RTAI, Xenomai, RT-Preempt, etc. + - Operation possible without any realtime extension at all. -* Supports any realtime extension through independent architecture. - - RTAI, IPIPE, ADEOS, etc. - - Runs well even without realtime extension. - -* Common kernel interface for realtime modules using EtherCAT functionality. - - Synchronous transmission and reception of EtherCAT frames. +* 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). - 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). - - Bus monitoring during realtime operation. - - Automatic reconfiguration of slaves on bus power failure during realtime - operation. - - Setting slave states during realtime operation. + - 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. -* Special IDLE mode, when master is not in use. - - Automatic scanning of slaves upon topology changes. - - Bus visualisation and EoE processing without realtime process connected. +* Implementation of the CANopen-over-EtherCAT (CoE) mailbox protocol. + - Configuration of CoE-capable slaves. + - Sdo information service (dictionary listing). + - Sdo transfers both via the application interface and the command-line tool. -* Implementation of the CANopen-over-EtherCAT (CoE) protocol. - - Configuration of CoE-capable slaves via Sdo interface. - - Sdo information service (dictionary listing). - - Sdo access via the realtime interface. +* 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 Ethernet-over-EtherCAT (EoE) protocol. - - Creates virtual network devices that are automatically coupled to - EoE-capable slaves. - - Thus natively supports either a switched or a routed EoE network - architecture with standard GNU/Linux tools. +* 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. + - Slave SII (EEPROM) access. + - Controlling application-layer states. + - Generation of slave description XML from existing slaves. -* User space interface via a command-line tool 'ethercat'. - - Detailed information about master, slaves and the bus configuration. - - Slave SII reading and writing. +* Seamless integration in any GNU/Linux distribution. + - "Linux Standard Base"-compatible init script for master control. + - Master and Ethernet device configuration via sysconfig file. -* Seamless integration in your favourite GNU/Linux distibution. - - Master and network device configuration via sysconfig files. - - "Linux standard base"-compatible init script for master control. - -* Virtual read-only network interface for debugging purposes and for - monitoring the EtherCAT traffic (through Wireshark, or others). +* Virtual read-only network interface for debugging and traffic monitoring + purposes (using Wireshark, etc.). No additional hardware necessary. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------