Systems and Methods for Supporting Two Different Protocols on a Same Physical Connection

• US 20130121346A1
• Filed: 11/11/2011
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kollmorgen Corporation (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Kollmorgen Corporation (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Judy Anne, Pearce, Robert, Cline, David, Yundt, George B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,634,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/465
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Systems and methods of supporting communications over a common network connection in a master-slave field bus network with a first type of packet formatted with a time-sensitive protocol and a second type of packet formatted with a non-time-sensitive protocol are provided. The slave devices are configured with filters to prevent the first type of packet from reaching a configurator and the second type from reaching a master device. The slave devices are also configured with arbitration logic so that the packets formatted with the time-sensitive protocol are provided with a priority over the packets formatted with the non-time-sensitive protocol.

Claims

1. A slave device, comprising:

an upstream network connection port;

a downstream network connection port;

a field bus logic module coupled to the upstream and downstream network connection ports;

a microcontroller coupled to the field bus logic module;

a first filter coupled between the field bus logic module and the upstream and downstream network connection ports, the first filter is configured to pass field bus packets received from the upstream network connection port to the field bus logic module and field bus packets received from the downstream network connection port to the field bus logic module; and

a second filter coupled between the downstream network connection port and the microcontroller, wherein the second filter is configured to pass a second type of packet received from the downstream network connection port to the microcontroller,

wherein, at a protocol layer above a physical protocol layer, the field bus packets are formatted with a time-sensitive protocol and the second type of packet is formatted with a non-time-sensitive protocol.

2. The slave device of claim 1, wherein the field bus packets received from the upstream network connection port originate from a master device.

3. The slave device of claim 2, wherein the second type of packet received from the downstream network connection port originate from a configurator device.

4. The slave device of claim 1, wherein the protocol of the second type of packet is transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP).

5. The slave device of claim 1, wherein the first and second filters are implemented in a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

6. The slave device of claim 1, wherein the first filter includes a filter coupled between the upstream network connection port and an upstream network connection port of the field bus logic module, and a filter coupled between the downstream network connection port and a downstream network connection port of the field bus logic module.

7. The slave device of claim 6, further comprising:

a first arbiter coupled between the upstream network connection port of the field bus logic module and the upstream network connection port of the slave device; and

a second arbiter coupled between the downstream network connection port of the field bus logic module and the downstream network connection port of the slave device.

8. The slave device of claim 7, wherein the first and second arbiters are configured to provide priority to field bus packets over the second type of packet, and wherein when the first or second arbiter receives a field bus packet while processing the second type of packet, the first or second arbiter drops the second type of packet.

9. The slave device of claim 8, wherein the second type of packet is re-sent after it is dropped by the first or second arbiter.

10. The slave device of claim 1, wherein the first and second filters are configured to filter packets based on a value in a header of the field bus packets or the second type of packet.

11. The slave device of claim 10, wherein the value is in an Ethertype field of the header of the field bus packets or the second type of packet.

12. The slave device of claim 1, wherein the first and second filters are configured to filter packets based on a value in a preamble of the field bus packets or the second type of packet.

13. The slave device of claim 12, further comprising:

a third filter coupled between the downstream and upstream network connection ports of the slave device, wherein the third filter is configured to modify the value in the preamble of the second type of packet received from the downstream network connection port of the slave device.

14. The slave device of claim 13, further comprising:

a fourth filter coupled between the downstream and upstream network connection ports of the slave device, wherein the fourth filter is configured to modify the value in the preamble of the second type of packet received from the upstream network connection port of the slave device.

15. A network, comprising:

a master device with a downstream network connection port;

a first slave device with an upstream network connection port coupled to the downstream network connection port of the master device;

an intermediate slave device with an upstream network connection port coupled to a downstream network connection port of the first slave device;

a final slave device with an upstream network connection port coupled to a downstream network connection port of the intermediate slave device; and

a configurator coupled to one of the upstream or downstream network connection ports of one of the first, intermediate or slave devices,

wherein the first, intermediate and final slave devices are configured to support field bus packets and a second type of packet over the network.

16. The network of claim 15, wherein the configurator is coupled to a downstream port of the final slave device.

17. The network of claim 15, further comprising:

a mixer coupled to one of the upstream or downstream network connection ports of one of the first, intermediate or slave devices.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein the mixer is coupled between the downstream network connection port of the master device and the upstream network connection port of the first slave device.

19. The network of claim 18, wherein the configurator is coupled to the mixer.

20. The network of claim 18, wherein the configurator is coupled to a downstream port of the final slave device.

21. The network of claim 17, wherein the mixer is coupled between the intermediate and final slave devices or between the first and intermediate slave devices.