Ethernet/IP Device - Real-time Simulation for Windows
With the Ethernet/IP Device Stack for Windows, a complete system can be simulated at real-time
with a PC. The stack offers the option of reading existing EDS files from real devices and configuring
them for simulation. So the simulated devices behave like in the real world. In combination with the
"X - Realtime Engine" from SYBERA, the realtime simulation behaves like the real system.
The device simulation is carried out directly from the PC using standard Ethernet adapters.
The physical connection to the PLC is made using commercially available INTEL or REALTEK PCI (e)
adapters. A corresponding PCMCIA or ExpressCard (PDF) adapter is also possible. This means that
no additional hardware is required and there is no need for separate Ethernet/IP hardware.
The basis of the programming library is the Ethernet/IP device stack with the "X - Realtime"
technology. The software runs under Windows and enables the simulation of several Ethernet/IP
devices simultaneously at real-time. Depending on the PC hardware and application, telegram update
times of up to 250 μsec can be implemented.
Ethernet/IP Device - Functionality
With the integrated station management of the Ethernet/IP device stack, the devices can be
managed and operated almost completely implicitly. Each individual function step (Ethernet/IP service)
can also be controlled in a targeted manner. SYBERA has also developed the comprehensive
test software EIPCONFIG. This software enables the developer to test the simulated Ethernet/IP devices
and carry out the parameterization. The developer is guided interactively through the individual
function groups and states. All information is visualized in detail.
Ethernet/IP Device - Technology
Here, not only the sending and receiving of industrial Ethernet protocols according to the
Ethernet/IP specification is realized in real time. The interface also enables the functional
processing of the Ethernet/IP telegrams in a separate real-time task. The system is based
on 4 real-time tasks: sending and receiving Ethernet frames, processing user data and error
handling. The tasks are functionally synchronized via a STATE machine. A real-time task detects
frame errors and hardware latencies. It is also checked whether a reply telegram has been received
for a sent Ethernet/IP telegram (e.g. in the event of a timeout), whether the working counter
of the reply telegram has been increased and whether the index fields of the send and receive
telegrams match. With a frame filter, the Ethernet/IP telegrams are separated from the Ethernet
frame in real time and transferred to a telegram stack. The developer has the option of
implementing the functional processing (e.g. Realtime Level2) in a real-time task at the system
or application level.