Pluggable EtherCAT device and bus expansion system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of Ethernet, and relates to a pluggable EtherCAT device and a bus expansion system. The pluggable EtherCAT device comprises an EtherCAT coupler and an IO module group, the IO module group comprises at least one IO module, the EtherCAT coupler is used for being electrically connected with a master station module through a first bus, a signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler is connected with a signal input interface of a first IO module of the IO module group in a pluggable mode, when the IO module group comprises at least two IO modules, all the IO modules are arranged in a cascade mode, and the IO modules are connected with the signal input interface of the first IO module of the IO module group in a pluggable mode. The signal output interface of the previous IO module is in pluggable connection with the signal input interface of the next IO module, and the EtherCAT coupler is used for sequentially transmitting data frames through the cascaded IO modules. The IO module can be flexibly configured according to the requirements of an industrial site, and the expansibility is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of Ethernet technology, and in particular to a pluggable EtherCAT device and a bus expansion system. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the application scope of Ethernet technology is expanding day by day, and its application in various fields is becoming more and more extensive. From the initial LAN communication to today's industrial automation, smart home, smart city and other fields, Ethernet technology has become an important pillar of modern communication networks with its high reliability, high-speed transmission and flexibility.

[0003] EtherCAT bus IO modules are fieldbus modules based on real-time Ethernet technology, designed for connecting external devices or sensors to the EtherCAT network. Through high-speed data transmission technology, these modules enable low-latency, high-performance real-time communication and are suitable for a variety of industrial application environments. In complex industrial automation scenarios, existing EtherCAT bus IO modules often have limitations in scalability due to their fixed structure and standardized hardware interfaces. This makes it difficult for them to flexibly respond to diverse input and output requirements. When additional devices or sensors need to be connected, additional hardware needs to be added, which takes up more space and leads to increased costs. In addition, if the system needs to frequently adjust the configuration or add new devices, these fixed IO modules may limit the flexibility and scalability of the system, which in turn seriously affects the efficiency and convenience of users when implementing EtherCAT solutions. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide a pluggable EtherCAT device and a bus expansion system, which can effectively solve the problem that the EtherCAT bus IO modules in the prior art often have limitations in scalability due to their fixed structure and standardized hardware interface, making it difficult for them to flexibly respond to diverse input and output requirements, seriously affecting the efficiency and convenience of users when implementing EtherCAT solutions.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a pluggable EtherCAT device, comprising: an EtherCAT coupler and an IO module group, wherein the IO module group comprises at least one IO module;

[0006] The EtherCAT coupler is used to be electrically connected to the master station module through the first bus, and the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler is pluggably connected to the signal input interface of the first IO module of the IO module group;

[0007] When the IO module group includes at least two IO modules, the signal output interface of the previous IO module is pluggably connected to the signal input interface of the next IO module, and the EtherCAT coupler is used to transmit data in sequence through each of the cascaded IO modules.

[0008] In some embodiments, the EtherCAT coupler includes: a central logic control module and a data storage module, wherein the central logic control module is electrically connected to the data storage module and the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler respectively;

[0009] The central logic control module is used to send a data frame to the first IO module through the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler, so that the first IO module returns response data through the second bus; and send a data frame to the signal input interface of the second IO module in the IO module group through the signal output interface of the first IO module, so that the second IO module returns corresponding data through the second bus; and so on, until each IO module of the IO module group can return response data through the second bus respectively;

[0010] The central logic control module is also used to assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the IO module group according to the response data returned by the IO module group through the second bus, and control the operation of each IO module according to the communication identification code of each IO module.

[0011] In some embodiments, the EtherCAT coupler further includes a slave station controller, and the slave station controller is electrically connected to the central logic control module, the master station module and the data storage module respectively;

[0012] The slave station controller is used to establish communication with the central logic control module and the master station module respectively, so as to enable data transmission between the master station module and each of the IO modules.

[0013] In some embodiments, the data storage module includes: a first memory and a second memory, the first memory is electrically connected to the slave station controller, and the first memory is used to store slave station information so that the slave station controller establishes a communication connection with the master station module after acquiring the stored slave station information;

[0014] The second memory is electrically connected to the central logic control module, and the second memory is used to store parameter information of the IO module group.

[0015] In some embodiments, the IO module group includes one or more of a digital output module, a digital input module, an analog output module, an analog input module, a PWM module, and an encoder module.

[0016] In some embodiments, each of the IO modules includes: an IO controller and an input-output unit, wherein the IO controller is electrically connected to the input-output unit, the signal output interface of the IO module, and the signal input interface of the IO module respectively;

[0017] The IO controller is used to establish communication with the EtherCAT coupler and then perform data exchange with an external circuit through the input and output unit.

[0018] In some embodiments, the first bus is an EtherCAT bus, and the second bus is an RDBUS bus.

[0019] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a bus expansion system, which includes a master station module and at least one pluggable EtherCAT device described in the first aspect above, wherein the EtherCAT coupler of the pluggable EtherCAT device transmits data in sequence through cascaded IO modules and communicates with the master station module through the first bus.

[0020] In some embodiments, the EtherCAT coupler is further used to assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the IO module group according to data transmitted by the IO module group through the second bus, and control the operation of each IO module according to the communication identification code of each IO module;

[0021] The EtherCAT coupler is also used to establish a communication connection with the master station module after acquiring and storing the slave station information;

[0022] The master station module controls the operation of each of the IO modules to achieve data transmission with each of the IO modules.

[0023] In some embodiments, when the number of IO modules in the IO module group changes, the EtherCAT coupler is also used to re-transmit data frames in sequence through the cascaded online IO modules, and re-assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the current IO module group based on the data re-transmitted by the IO module group through the second bus, and control the operation of each IO module according to the re-assigned communication identification code of each IO module.

[0024] The embodiments of the present application have the following beneficial effects:

[0025] The pluggable EtherCAT device of the present application includes an EtherCAT coupler and an IO module group, wherein the IO module group includes at least one IO module, the EtherCAT coupler is used to electrically connect to the master station module through the first bus, the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler is pluggable and connected to the signal input interface of the first IO module of the IO module group, when the IO module group includes at least two IO modules, the signal output interface of the previous IO module is pluggable and connected to the signal input interface of the next IO module, and the EtherCAT coupler is used to transmit data in sequence through each cascaded IO module. The present application sets a signal output interface in the EtherCAT coupler, and sets a signal input interface and a signal output interface on each IO module of the IO module group, and the signal input interface and the signal output interface can be arbitrarily combined to perform a pluggable connection, so that users can flexibly configure the IO module according to the needs of the industrial site, with strong scalability and high hardware utilization, while saving wiring space and greatly reducing costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a pluggable EtherCAT device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0028] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an EtherCAT coupler according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the IO module of an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0030] Description of main component symbols:

[0031] 10: EtherCAT coupler; 20: IO module group; 30: first bus; 40: master module; 50: second bus; 11: central logic control module; 12: data storage module; 13: slave controller; 21: first IO module; 22: second IO module; 121: first memory; 122: second memory; 211: IO controller; 212: input and output unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0033] The components of the embodiments of the present application generally described and shown in the drawings herein may be arranged and designed in various configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the application claimed for protection, but merely represents the selected embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0034] Hereinafter, the terms "including", "having" and their cognates that can be used in various embodiments of the present application are intended only to indicate specific features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or a combination of the foregoing items, and should not be understood as first excluding the existence of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or a combination of the foregoing items or increasing the possibility of one or more features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or a combination of the foregoing items. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third" and the like are only used to distinguish descriptions and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical terms and scientific terms) used herein have the same meanings as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the various embodiments of the present application belong. The terms (such as those defined in generally used dictionaries) will be interpreted as having the same meanings as the contextual meanings in the relevant technical field and will not be interpreted as having idealized meanings or overly formal meanings unless clearly defined in the various embodiments of the present application.

[0036] In conjunction with the accompanying drawings, some embodiments of the present application are described in detail below. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0037] Taking into account that the EtherCAT bus IO modules in the existing solutions often have limitations in scalability due to their fixed structure and standardized hardware interface, making it difficult for them to flexibly respond to diverse input and output requirements, seriously affecting the efficiency and convenience of users when implementing EtherCAT solutions, etc., the present application provides a pluggable EtherCAT device and a bus expansion system. The present application sets a signal output interface in the EtherCAT coupler, and sets a signal input interface and a signal output interface on each IO module of the IO module group. The signal input interface and the signal output interface can be arbitrarily combined to perform a pluggable connection, so that users can flexibly configure the IO modules according to the needs of the industrial site. It has strong scalability and high hardware utilization. At the same time, it can save wiring space and greatly reduce costs.

[0038] The pluggable EtherCAT device is described below in conjunction with some specific embodiments.

[0039] Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of a pluggable EtherCAT device of an embodiment of the present application is shown. Exemplarily, the pluggable EtherCAT device includes: an EtherCAT coupler 10 and an IO module group 20, the IO module group 20 includes at least one IO module, the EtherCAT coupler 10 is used to be electrically connected to the master station module 40 through the first bus 30, the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler 10 is pluggable connected to the signal input interface of the first IO module 21 in the IO module group 20, when the IO module group includes at least two IO modules, the signal output interface of the previous IO module is pluggable connected to the signal input interface of the next IO module, and the EtherCAT coupler is used to transmit data in sequence through the cascaded IO modules.

[0040] It is understandable that the first bus 30 is an EtherCAT bus, and the master station module 40 is connected to the EtherCAT coupler 10 using the EtherCAT bus. The EtherCAT coupler 10 should be provided with a slave station that establishes data communication with the master station module 40 so that the master station module 40 can control the IO module group 20. The IO modules in the IO module can be set according to actual application conditions. The IO module group 20 may include a digital output module, the IO module group 20 may also include a digital input module, the IO module group 20 may also include an analog input module, the IO module may also include an analog output module, the IO module group 20 may also include a PWM module, the IO module group 20 may also include an encoder module, etc. The IO modules are used to collect information of various devices in the industrial automation scenario or to control various devices.

[0041] Specifically, the EtherCAT coupler 10 establishes data communication with the master station module 40 through the EtherCAT bus, and uses its signal output interface to send data frames to the first IO module 21 of the IO module group 20, so that the first IO module 21 establishes communication with the EtherCAT coupler 10, and sends data frames to the signal output interface of the second IO module 22 through the signal output interface of the first IO module 21, so that the second IO module 22 establishes communication with the EtherCAT coupler 10, and so on, until the IO modules in the IO module group 20 establish communication with the EtherCAT coupler 10, and the master station module 40 controls each IO module of the IO module group 20 through the EtherCAT coupler 10. It can be understood that the communication between the EtherCAT coupler 10 and the IO module can be implemented using the Ethernet bus or other communication buses.

[0042] It is understandable that the signal output interface can be any type of output terminal, and the signal input interface can be any type of input terminal. Exemplarily, the signal output interface and the signal input interface are electromagnetic spring terminals, and the IO module is added or removed by inserting and removing actions.

[0043] Specifically, the data frame transmission interface, the power interface and the communication interface can be set in the same interface module, or the data frame transmission interface, the power interface and the communication interface can be set in different interface modules. For example, three signal interface modules are set on the EtherCAT coupler 10, the first signal interface is the data frame transmission interface, the second signal interface is the power interface, and the third signal interface module is the communication interface. Schematically, a single signal interface module is set on the EtherCAT coupler 10, and the data frame transmission interface, the power interface and the communication interface are all set on the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler 10.

[0044] The pluggable EtherCAT device of the present embodiment is provided with an EtherCAT coupler 10 and an IO module group 20. The EtherCAT coupler 10 is connected to a master station module 40 via a first bus 30 and establishes communication with the master station module 40, so that the master station module 40 can control the IO module group 20 via the EtherCAT coupler 10. The EtherCAT coupler 10 is provided with a signal output interface. Each IO module in the IO module group 20 is provided with a signal input interface and a signal output interface. By using the signal input interface and the signal output interface, the IO module can be added or removed by simple plugging and unplugging, which improves the convenience of installation. At the same time, it can meet different industrial application environments, realize diversified input and output requirements, and greatly improve the flexibility and scalability of the EtherCAT bus.

[0045] As an optional solution, Figure 2 Shown is a schematic structural diagram of an EtherCAT coupler according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0046] In one embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, based on the above embodiment, the EtherCAT coupler 10 further includes: a central logic control module 11 and a data storage module 12, and the central logic control module 11 is electrically connected to the data storage module 12 and the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler 10 respectively.

[0047] Specifically, the data storage module 12 may be used to store parameter information of the IO module group 20 .

[0048] The central logic control module 11 is used to send a data frame to the first IO module 21 through the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler 10, so that the first IO module 21 returns response data through the second bus 50; and send a data frame to the signal input interface of the second IO module 22 in the IO module group 20 through the signal output interface of the first IO module 21, so that the second IO module 22 returns response data through the second bus 50; and so on, until each IO module of the IO module group 20 can return response data through the second bus 50 respectively.

[0049] Exemplarily, the second bus 50 is a RDBUS bus.

[0050] The central logic control module 11 is also used to assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the IO module group 20 according to the response data returned by the IO module group 20 through the second bus 50, and control the operation of each IO module according to the communication identification code of each IO module.

[0051] Specifically, the central logic control module 11 obtains the type and order of each IO module in the IO module group 20 based on the data from the IO module group 20, establishes a corresponding mapping locally based on the type and order of the IO modules, and assigns a unique communication identification code to each IO module. Exemplarily, the communication identification code is the ID station number, and then establishes communication with the IO module to process the data of the IO module.

[0052] In the pluggable EtherCAT device of this embodiment, a central logic control module 11 and a data storage module 12 are set in the EtherCAT coupler 10. The data storage module 12 is used to store parameter information of the IO module group 20. The central logic control module 11 sends a data frame to the first IO module 21 through the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler 10, and sends a data frame to the signal input interface of the second IO module 22 of the IO module group 20 through the signal output interface of the first IO module 21, so as to realize serial communication, thereby simplifying the wiring structure, reducing the number of cables, further reducing the cost of the system, avoiding the inconvenience of troubleshooting caused by the fixed wiring of the EtherCAT bus, and reducing the complexity of the system.

[0053] In addition, the central logic control module 11 of this embodiment obtains the type and order of each IO module in the IO module group 20 based on the data from the IO module group 20, establishes a corresponding mapping locally based on the type and order of the IO modules, and assigns a unique communication identification code to each IO module, and then establishes communication with the IO module to process the data of the IO module without manually setting the parameters of each module, thereby simplifying the installation of the system. In addition, a unique communication identification code is assigned to each IO module so that the master station can accurately identify and manage each module, ensuring the correctness and reliability of data transmission; after establishing the local mapping, the master station can quickly locate and process data from a specific IO module based on the mapping relationship. The speed and efficiency of data processing are improved. When IO modules need to be added or removed, the system can adapt to the new hardware layout by reconfiguring the mapping and identification code. This dynamic adjustment capability further enhances the flexibility and scalability of the system.

[0054] In one embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, based on the above embodiment, the EtherCAT coupler 10 further includes a slave controller 13, which is electrically connected to the central logic control module 11, the master module 40 and the data storage module 12. The slave controller 13 is used to establish communication with the central logic control module 11 and the master module 40 respectively, so as to enable data transmission between the master module 40 and each IO module.

[0055] Specifically, the slave station controller 13 establishes a communication connection with the master station module 40 by acquiring the slave station information of the data storage module 12 .

[0056] The pluggable EtherCAT device of this embodiment is provided with a slave controller 13 in the EtherCAT coupler 10, and the slave controller 13 establishes communication with the central logic control module 11 and the master module 40 respectively, so as to realize data transmission between the master module 40 and each IO module, ensure the high efficiency of data transmission, realize low-latency and high-bandwidth data exchange, meet the requirements of real-time control, and the slave controller 13 can perform preliminary processing and filtering on the data, and only transmit necessary information to the central logic control module 11 and the master module 40, thereby reducing the burden of the master module 40 and optimizing the use of resources. At the same time, fault isolation can be performed to improve the reliability of the system.

[0057] In one embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, based on the above embodiment, the data storage module 12 includes: a first memory 121 and a second memory 122, the first memory 121 is electrically connected to the slave station controller 13, and the first memory 121 is used to store slave station information so that the slave station controller 13 can establish a communication connection with the master station module 40 after obtaining the stored slave station information.

[0058] Specifically, the first memory 121 can be a flash memory, or an EEPROM. The slave information includes all necessary configuration information of the slave controller 13, such as device identification, physical layer information, communication parameters, and function description, etc. The slave controller 13 parses the file, extracts the configuration information, initializes according to the configuration information, and reports its existence and configuration information to the main controller through the EtherCAT bus. The main controller performs network configuration, establishes a communication connection with the slave controller 13, and exchanges data.

[0059] The second memory 122 is electrically connected to the central logic control module 11 , and is used to store parameter information of the IO module group 20 .

[0060] Specifically, the second memory 122 may be a FRAM. Furthermore, the second memory 122 also stores the upgrade information of the EtherCAT coupler 10 .

[0061] The pluggable EtherCAT device of this embodiment is provided with two memories in the data storage module 12, wherein the first memory 121 is used to store slave information, and the second memory 122 is used to store parameter information of the IO module group 20, and different types of information are stored separately to reduce data confusion and conflict, further improve the reliability of the system, and by selecting a suitable memory, the reading and writing speed and data access efficiency can be optimized.

[0062] In one embodiment, based on the above embodiment, the IO module group 20 includes one or more of a digital output module, a digital input module, an analog output module, an analog input module, a PWM module and an encoder module.

[0063] Exemplarily, the digital output module and the digital input module are used to connect the switch device, the analog output module is used to connect the frequency converter or the analog controller, the analog input module is used to connect the sensor, the PWM module is used to connect the motor, and the encoder module is used to connect the encoder device. The IO module group 20 can be set according to the actual application situation.

[0064] The pluggable EtherCAT device of this embodiment is provided with a variety of input and output units in the IO module group 20, so that the bus expansion system can adapt to different signal types and build a highly customized control system.

[0065] In one embodiment, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the IO module of the embodiment of the present application is shown. On the basis of the above embodiment, each IO module includes: an IO controller 211 and an input-output unit 212. The IO controller 211 is electrically connected to the input-output unit 212, the signal output interface of the IO module, and the signal input interface of the IO module. The IO controller 211 is used to establish communication with the EtherCAT coupler 10 and exchange data with the external circuit through the input-output unit 212. Figure 3 Take the first IO module 21 as an example.

[0066] Specifically, the input-output unit 212 of the present embodiment is an input circuit in the input module or an output circuit in the output module. For example, the input-output unit 212 of the analog output module is an output circuit electrically connected to an external frequency converter or analog controller, and the input-output unit 212 of the analog input module is an input circuit electrically connected to an external sensor. Furthermore, a signal processing module may be provided in the IO module, and the signal processing module is provided between the IO controller 211 and the input-output unit 212, for performing preliminary processing on the signal of the input-output unit 212 or the signal of the IO controller 211.

[0067] The pluggable EtherCAT device of this embodiment is provided with an IO controller 211 in the IO module. The IO controller 211 receives instructions from the master station module 40 and controls the operation of the input and output unit 212 according to the instructions to collect, process and transmit data, thereby further improving the reliability of the system.

[0068] In one embodiment, based on the above embodiment, the first bus 30 is an EtherCAT bus, and the second bus 50 is an RDBUS bus.

[0069] Specifically, RDBUS uses differential signals for data transmission, and has built-in device management and network management functions, such as node monitoring, status detection and abdominal distension processing, etc., and supports automatic retransmission and node monitoring.

[0070] The pluggable EtherCAT device of this embodiment sets the first bus 30 to the EtherCAT bus. The EtherCAT bus has the characteristics of low latency and high bandwidth, realizes high-speed data transmission, and can communicate in real time, improves the accuracy of the system. At the same time, EtherCAT is an open standard that can improve the compatibility of the system. The second bus 50 is set to the RDBUS bus, and the RDBUS bus is used to transmit device status information, diagnostic data, log records, etc., which can simplify wiring, reduce costs, and improve the reliability and flexibility of the system. Differential signals are used for data transmission to reduce electromagnetic interference and common mode noise, thereby improving the anti-interference ability of the system.

[0071] An embodiment of the present application also provides a bus extension system, which includes: a master station module 40 and a pluggable EtherCAT device mentioned in any of the above embodiments, the EtherCAT coupler 10 of the pluggable EtherCAT device transmits data in sequence through cascaded IO modules and communicates with the master station module 40 through the first bus 30.

[0072] In one embodiment, based on the above embodiment, the EtherCAT coupler 10 is also used to assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the IO module group 20 according to the data transmitted by the IO module group 20 through the second bus, and control the operation of each IO module according to the communication identification code of each IO module.

[0073] Specifically, the central logic control module 11 obtains the type and order of each IO module in the IO module group 20 based on the data from the IO module group 20, establishes a corresponding mapping locally based on the type and order of the IO modules, and assigns a unique communication identification code to each IO module. Demonstratively, the communication identification code is an ID station number, and the communication identification code of each IO module can form a specific time sequence, and the operation of each IO module is controlled according to the specific time sequence.

[0074] The EtherCAT coupler 10 is also used to establish a communication connection with the master station module 40 after acquiring the stored slave station information. The slave station information includes all necessary configuration information of the slave station controller 13, such as device identification, physical layer information, communication parameters and function description, etc. The slave station controller 13 parses the file, extracts the configuration information, initializes according to the configuration information, and reports its existence and configuration information to the main controller through the EtherCAT bus. The main controller performs network configuration, establishes a communication connection with the slave station controller 13, and exchanges data.

[0075] The master station module 40 controls the operation of each IO module to achieve data transmission with each IO module.

[0076] The bus extension system of this embodiment first transmits data frames through the signal interface module, so that the IO module can use the second bus 50 to transmit data, and obtains the type and order of each IO module in the IO module group 20 according to the data from the IO module group 20, establishes a corresponding mapping locally according to the type and order of the IO modules, and assigns a unique communication identification code to each IO module, and then establishes communication with the IO module to process the data of the IO module, without manually setting the parameters of each module, simplifying the installation of the system, and assigning a unique communication identification code to each IO module so that the master station can accurately identify and manage each module, ensuring the correctness and reliability of data transmission.

[0077] In one embodiment, based on the above embodiment, when the number of IO modules in the IO module group 20 changes, the EtherCAT coupler 10 is also used to re-transmit data frames in sequence through the cascaded online IO modules, and re-assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the current IO module group 20 according to the data re-transmitted by the IO module group 20 through the second bus 50, and control the operation of each IO module according to the re-assigned communication identification code of each IO module.

[0078] Specifically, when the user adds or removes IO modules by plugging and unplugging, the number of IO module groups will increase or decrease, and the EtherCAT coupler 10 will re-transmit data frames in sequence through the cascaded IO modules whose number has changed, and re-assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the IO module group whose number has changed according to the data re-transmitted through the second bus 50 by the IO module group whose number has changed, and control the operation of each IO module of the IO module group 20 according to the re-assigned communication identification code of each IO module.

[0079] The bus expansion system of this embodiment can adapt to the new hardware layout by reconfiguring the mapping and identification code when adding or removing IO modules. This dynamic adjustment capability further enhances the flexibility and scalability of the system.

[0080] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can also be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the flowcharts and structure diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, functions and operations of the devices, methods and computer program products according to multiple embodiments of the present application. In this regard, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a program segment or a part of a code, and the module, a program segment or a part of a code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. It should also be noted that in an alternative implementation, the functions marked in the box can also occur in a different order from the order marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the structure diagram and / or the flow diagram, and the combination of boxes in the structure diagram and / or the flow diagram, can be implemented with a dedicated hardware-based system that performs a specified function or action, or can be implemented with a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0081] In addition, the functional modules or units in the various embodiments of the present application may be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module may exist separately, or two or more modules may be integrated to form an independent part.

[0082] If the functions are implemented in the form of software function modules and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or the part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for a computer device (which can be a smart phone, a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present application.

[0083] The above description is only a specific implementation manner of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A pluggable EtherCAT device, characterized in that: include: An EtherCAT coupler and an IO module group, wherein the IO module group includes at least one IO module; The EtherCAT coupler is used to be electrically connected to the master station module through the first bus, and the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler is pluggably connected to the signal input interface of the first IO module of the IO module group; When the IO module group includes at least two IO modules, the signal output interface of the previous IO module is pluggably connected to the signal input interface of the next IO module, and the EtherCAT coupler is used to transmit data in sequence through each of the cascaded IO modules.

2. The pluggable EtherCAT device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The EtherCAT coupler comprises: a central logic control module and a data storage module, wherein the central logic control module is electrically connected to the data storage module and the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler respectively; The central logic control module is used to send a data frame to the first IO module through the signal output interface of the EtherCAT coupler, so that the first IO module returns response data through the second bus; and send a data frame to the signal input interface of the second IO module in the IO module group through the signal output interface of the first IO module, so that the second IO module returns response data through the second bus; and so on, until each IO module of the IO module group can return response data through the second bus respectively; The central logic control module is also used to assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the IO module group according to the response data returned by the IO module group through the second bus, and control the operation of each IO module according to the communication identification code of each IO module.

3. The pluggable EtherCAT device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The EtherCAT coupler further comprises a slave station controller, which is electrically connected to the central logic control module, the master station module and the data storage module respectively; The slave station controller is used to establish communication with the central logic control module and the master station module respectively, so as to enable data transmission between the master station module and each of the IO modules.

4. The pluggable EtherCAT device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The data storage module includes: a first memory and a second memory, the first memory is electrically connected to the slave station controller, and the first memory is used to store slave station information so that the slave station controller establishes a communication connection with the master station module after acquiring the stored slave station information; The second memory is electrically connected to the central logic control module, and the second memory is used to store parameter information of the IO module group.

5. The pluggable EtherCAT device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The IO module group includes one or more of a digital output module, a digital input module, an analog output module, an analog input module, a PWM module and an encoder module.

6. The pluggable EtherCAT device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the IO modules comprises: an IO controller and an input-output unit, wherein the IO controller is electrically connected to the input-output unit, the signal output interface of the IO module and the signal input interface of the IO module respectively; The IO controller is used to establish communication with the EtherCAT coupler and then perform data exchange with an external circuit through the input and output unit.

7. The pluggable EtherCAT device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first bus is an EtherCAT bus, and the second bus is an RDBUS bus.

8. A bus expansion system, characterized in that: The bus expansion system comprises: the master station module and at least one pluggable EtherCAT device according to any one of claims 1 to 7; The EtherCAT coupler in the pluggable EtherCAT device transmits data in sequence through cascaded IO modules and communicates with the master station module through the first bus.

9. The bus expansion system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The EtherCAT coupler is also used to assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the IO module group according to the data transmitted by the IO module group through the second bus, and control the operation of each IO module according to the communication identification code of each IO module; The EtherCAT coupler is also used to establish a communication connection with the master station module after acquiring and storing the slave station information; The master station module controls the operation of each of the IO modules to achieve data transmission with each of the IO modules.

10. The bus expansion system according to claim 9, characterized in that: When the number of IO modules in the IO module group changes, the EtherCAT coupler is also used to re-transmit data frames in sequence through the cascaded online IO modules, and re-assign a unique communication identification code to each IO module in the current IO module group according to the data re-transmitted by the IO module group through the second bus, and control the operation of each IO module according to the re-assigned communication identification code of each IO module.

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