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.