Method and system for coupling data networks
First Claim
1. An industrial control system for transmitting data by means of a first data network being an isochronous real-time Ethernet and comprisingmeans for transmitting data in at least one first transmission cycle within the first data network, said transmission cycle being subdivided into a first area for transmitting real-time-critical data at defined times between defined users and a second area for transmitting non-real-time-critical data,means of a second data network having a communication protocol different from that of the first data network and comprising means for transmitting data in at least one second transmission cycle, said transmission cycle being subdivided into a third area for transmitting real-time-critical data and into a fourth area for transmitting non-real-time-critical data,a switching unit coupling the first data network and the second data network, wherein the switching unit is operable to identify a next beginning of a second transmission cycle in the second data network for allocating real-time-critical data of the first area into the third area,a machine coupled with the second network and being controlled by loop control using said real-time-critical data;
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Abstract
A method and a system for transmitting data by means of a first data network (1) have first means for transmitting data in at least one first transmission cycle, the first transmission cycle being subdivided into a first area (4) for transmitting real-time-critical data and a second area (5) for transmitting non-real-time-critical data, and by means of a second data network (2) having second means for transmitting data in at least one second transmission cycle, the second transmission cycle being subdivided into a third area (7) for transmitting real-time-critical data and into a fourth area (8) for transmitting non-real-time-critical data, and with a switching unit (13) for transmitting real-time-critical data of the first area into the third area.
104 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An industrial control system for transmitting data by means of a first data network being an isochronous real-time Ethernet and comprising
means for transmitting data in at least one first transmission cycle within the first data network, said transmission cycle being subdivided into a first area for transmitting real-time-critical data at defined times between defined users and a second area for transmitting non-real-time-critical data, means of a second data network having a communication protocol different from that of the first data network and comprising means for transmitting data in at least one second transmission cycle, said transmission cycle being subdivided into a third area for transmitting real-time-critical data and into a fourth area for transmitting non-real-time-critical data, a switching unit coupling the first data network and the second data network, wherein the switching unit is operable to identify a next beginning of a second transmission cycle in the second data network for allocating real-time-critical data of the first area into the third area, a machine coupled with the second network and being controlled by loop control using said real-time-critical data; - and
a first master clock for the first data network for sending out real-time-critical cycle synchronization messages for synchronizing local relative clocks of users of the first data network, the switching unit transmitting the real-time-critical cycle synchronization messages from the first area of the one transmission cycle into the third area of the second transmission cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for transmitting data of a first user of a first data network being an isochronous real-time Ethernet to a machine coupled with a second data network having a communication protocol different from that of the first data network, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a loop control using real-time-critical data in the machine coupled with the second data network by transmitting data from the first data network in at least one first transmission cycle which is subdivided into a first area for transmitting real-time-critical data at defined times between the first user and the machine and a second area for transmitting non-real-time-critical data, to the second data network having means for transmitting data in at least one second transmission cycle which is subdivided into a third area for transmitting real-time-critical data and into a fourth area for transmifting non-real-time-critical data, transmitting real-time-critical data of the first area of the first transmission cycle to the machine in the third area of a second transmission cycle following the first transmission cycle, and synchronizing the second data network by means of a first master clock generated within the first data network, wherein the first data network sends out real-time-critical cycle synchronization messages for synchronizing local relative clocks of users of the first data network, and wherein the switching unit transmits the real-time-critical cycle synchronization messages from the first area of the one transmission cycle into the third area of the second transmission cycle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification