ethercat/FEATURES.md

This is the FEATURES file of the IgH EtherCAT Master.

vim: spelllang=en spell

General Features

• EtherCAT master implementation conforming to IEC/PAS 62407.

  • Runs as kernel module for Linux 2.6.
  • Multiple masters possible on one machine.

• Native EtherCAT-capable versions of standard Linux drivers for wide-spread
  Ethernet devices, as well as a generic driver for all chips supported by the
  Linux kernel.

  • Interrupt-less operation of Ethernet devices when using native drivers.
  • Easy implementation of additional native Ethernet drivers through common
    device interface.
  • Operation possible with any device supported by the standard drivers,
    including PCMCIA devices.
  • For any other hardware, the generic driver can be used. It uses the lower
    layers of the Linux network stack.

• Supports any realtime environment through independent architecture.

  • RTAI, Xenomai, RT-Preempt, etc.
  • RTDM Interface for userspace realtime environments
  • Operation possible without any realtime extension at all.

• 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 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) 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 "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.

• Implementation of the "File Access over EtherCAT" (FoE) mailbox protocol.

  • Loading and storing files via the command-line tool.
  • Updating a slave's firmware can be done easily.

• Userspace command-line tool ethercat.

  • Detailed information about master, slaves, domains and bus configuration.
  • Setting the master's debug level.
  • Reading/Writing alias addresses.
  • Listing slave configurations.
  • Viewing process data.
  • SDO download/upload; listing SDO dictionaries.
  • Loading and storing files via FoE.
  • Access to slave registers.
  • Slave SII (EEPROM) access.
  • 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.

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