Communication system and communication configuration method

Abstract

The application relates to a communication system and a communication configuration method. A plurality of mutually independent multi-point differential serial buses are arranged on a rack backboard, and a differential signal line with the same number of paths as the multi-point differential serial bus is arranged in each functional module. In combination with a configurable signal routing mechanism, the same hardware structure can be flexibly switched into a single-master communication mode, a multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode or a mixed communication mode according to configuration information. In this way, the problem that an existing bus architecture cannot simultaneously consider flexible deployment of single-controller and multi-controller scenes is solved, and the scene adaptability and deployment efficiency of the system are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of industrial control technology, and in particular to a communication system and communication configuration method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of science and technology, industrial control systems are increasingly widely used in complex industrial scenarios such as metallurgical cold rolling control, water treatment, and intelligent manufacturing. As the complexity of process control increases, traditional single-rack single-controller systems are insufficient to meet control requirements. Often, multiple controllers need to be deployed on a single rack to operate in coordination, that is, to achieve single-rack multi-controller collaborative control.

[0003] However, in related technologies, the bus architecture of industrial control systems cannot accommodate flexible deployment in both single-controller and multi-controller scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a communication system and communication configuration method to address the problem that the bus architecture of industrial control systems cannot accommodate flexible deployment in both single-controller and multi-controller scenarios.

[0005] This application provides a communication system including a rack backplane and multiple functional modules. The rack backplane includes multiple backplane connectors and multiple independent multi-point differential serial buses. Each backplane connector has multiple bus interfaces, and each bus interface is connected to one of the multi-point differential serial buses. Each functional module includes a processing component, differential signal lines with the same number of channels as the multi-point differential serial buses, and module connectors that are pluggable to the backplane connectors. Each module connector has multiple signal line interfaces, and each signal line interface is connected to one of the differential signal lines. Each differential signal line is connected to the processing component. At least one of the functional modules is used to receive configuration information and configure the signal routing between the differential signal lines and the multi-point differential serial buses according to the configuration information, so that the communication system can operate in any one of a single-master communication mode, a multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, and a hybrid communication mode.

[0006] The aforementioned communication system, by setting up multiple independent multi-point differential serial buses on the rack backplane and configuring the same number of differential signal lines as the multi-point differential serial buses in each functional module, combined with a configurable signal routing mechanism, allows the same hardware structure to flexibly switch between single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, or hybrid communication mode based on configuration information. This solves the problem of existing bus architectures being unable to flexibly deploy in both single-controller and multi-controller scenarios, improving the scenario adaptability and deployment efficiency of the communication system.

[0007] In some embodiments, the processing component includes a central processing unit and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) connected in communication, and each of the differential signal lines is connected to the FPGA.

[0008] The above solution establishes a communication connection between the central processing unit and the field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and the FPGA manages all differential signal lines in a unified manner. This enables flexible configuration and high-speed processing of signal routing, enhances the communication system's ability to respond quickly to communication modes in multiple scenarios, and ensures the reliability and real-time performance of communication under various modes.

[0009] In some embodiments, the processing component further includes a signal transceiver, and each of the differential signal lines is connected to the field-programmable gate array via the signal transceiver.

[0010] The above solution improves the anti-interference and driving capabilities of signal transmission by setting up a signal transceiver between the field-programmable gate array and the differential signal lines. Especially in high-bandwidth, multi-node concurrent scenarios, it ensures the integrity and stability of bus communication and further supports the reliable operation of the flexible configuration mechanism in complex industrial environments.

[0011] In some embodiments, the multi-point differential serial bus includes any one of the MLVDS bus, BLVDS bus, and CAN FD bus;

[0012] And / or, the differential signal lines include any one of MLVDS signal lines, BLVDS signal lines, and CAN FD signal lines.

[0013] The above scheme, by adopting multi-point differential serial buses such as MLVDS, BLVDS, or CAN FD and their corresponding signal lines, enables the communication system to have multi-master communication capabilities while being compatible with various bus-type physical media. This not only ensures high bandwidth and high real-time communication performance, but also provides optional solutions for scenarios with different cost and performance requirements, thereby enhancing the engineering adaptability and economy of the communication system.

[0014] In some embodiments, in the single-master communication mode, one of the functional modules acts as a master node, and the remaining functional modules act as slave nodes; a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as the master node's transmit bus, and a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as the master node's receive bus. The master node transmits data to one of the slave nodes through one of the transmit buses, and one of the slave nodes transmits data to the master node through one of the receive buses.

[0015] The above scheme, in single-master communication mode, achieves point-to-point full-duplex communication between the master node and each slave node by configuring part of the multi-point differential serial bus as the master node's transmitting bus and part as the receiving bus. This ensures high-bandwidth, high-deterministic communication of 100Mbps between each slave node and the master node, meeting the stringent requirements for real-time performance and bandwidth.

[0016] In some embodiments, in the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, each of the functional modules acts as a master node; at least one of the multi-point differential serial buses is configured as a shared bus, and any one of the master nodes sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus.

[0017] The above scheme, in the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, enables any master node to send data to other master nodes by configuring at least one multi-point differential serial bus as a shared bus, realizing peer-to-peer interaction between multi-functional modules. It meets the needs for status and control information interaction in collaborative scenarios of multi-functional modules such as metallurgical cold rolling and water treatment, and the communication bandwidth far exceeds the actual requirements of field applications.

[0018] In some embodiments, in the hybrid communication mode, two or more functional modules act as master nodes and two or more functional modules act as slave nodes; a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as a shared bus, and any one of the master nodes sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus; a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as the transmit bus of the master node, and a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as the receive bus of the master node, and a master node sends data to a slave node through one transmit bus, and a slave node sends data to a master node through one receive bus.

[0019] The above solution, in hybrid communication mode, enables multi-master peer-to-peer communication by configuring part of the bus as a shared bus, while configuring another part of the bus as a dedicated transmit / receive bus between master and slave nodes. This achieves parallel communication between multifunctional modules and between functional modules and their parent functional modules, ensuring both efficient collaboration between functional modules and high-bandwidth, high-real-time point-to-point communication between each parent functional module and its corresponding functional module, perfectly adapting to complex field deployment requirements.

[0020] This application provides a communication configuration method based on the above-mentioned communication system. The method includes: receiving configuration information; wherein the configuration information includes the communication affiliation of each of the functional modules; configuring the signal routing between the differential signal line and the multi-point differential serial bus according to the configuration information, so that the communication system can operate in any one of the following modes: single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, and hybrid communication mode.

[0021] The above solution, by receiving configuration information and configuring signal routing according to the communication affiliation, enables the communication system to dynamically adapt to single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode or hybrid communication mode in software. This achieves flexible scheduling of the bus architecture, allowing it to adapt to different application scenarios without hardware modifications, and significantly improves the ease of use and flexibility of industrial control systems in field deployment.

[0022] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the configuration information represents the single-master communication mode, designating one of the functional modules as a master node and the remaining functional modules as slave nodes; configuring a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus as the master node's transmit bus and a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus as the master node's receive bus; wherein the master node transmits data to one of the slave nodes through one of the transmit buses, and one of the slave nodes transmits data to the master node through one of the receive buses.

[0023] The above scheme, in single-master communication mode, clearly defines the roles of master and slave nodes, and configures part of the bus as a transmitting bus and part as a receiving bus, thus constructing a point-to-point full-duplex communication path between the master node and each slave node. This ensures high-bandwidth and highly deterministic data transmission, meeting the ultimate requirements for communication performance in single-controller scenarios.

[0024] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the configuration information represents the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, each of the functional modules is treated as a master node; at least one of the multi-point differential serial buses is configured as a shared bus; wherein any one of the master nodes sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus.

[0025] The above solution, in the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, enables peer-to-peer data interaction between multi-functional modules by configuring all functional modules as master nodes and setting at least one multi-point differential serial bus as a shared bus. The structure is simple, requires no additional expansion modules, reduces the complexity and deployment cost of the communication system, and meets the communication bandwidth requirements in multi-controller collaborative scenarios.

[0026] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the configuration information represents the hybrid communication mode, designating two or more functional modules as master nodes and two or more functional modules as slave nodes; configuring a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus as a shared bus; wherein any one of the master nodes sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus; configuring a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus as the transmit bus of the master node and a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus as the receive bus of the master node; wherein one master node sends data to one slave node through one transmit bus, and one slave node sends data to one master node through one receive bus.

[0027] The above solution, in the hybrid communication mode, achieves multi-master peer-to-peer communication by configuring a shared bus simultaneously and master-slave point-to-point communication by configuring dedicated transmit and receive buses. It constructs a parallel communication architecture between multiple controllers and their respective communicators, taking into account the dual requirements of inter-controller collaboration and module-level high-bandwidth communication, and solving the problems of communication path conflicts and resource competition in complex field deployments. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the communication system structure in one embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the communication system structure in another embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the communication system structure in another embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the communication system structure in another embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a hybrid communication mode in one embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication configuration method in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings. However, this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0036] The communication system provided in this application embodiment can be applied to any industrial control system that requires communication between multiple controllers. It can be a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) system or other types of control systems, and is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the application scenarios for industrial control systems are not unique; they can be applied to scenarios such as metallurgical cold rolling control and water treatment. The system can be selected based on actual needs, and is also not limited thereto.

[0037] Please see Figure 1 This application provides a communication system, including a rack backplane 100 and multiple functional modules 200. The rack backplane 100 includes multiple backplane connectors 102 and multiple (eight-channel example in the figure) multi-point differential serial buses 101. Each backplane connector 102 is provided with multiple bus interfaces, and each bus interface is connected to one multi-point differential serial bus 101. The functional modules 200 include a processing component 201, differential signal lines 202 with the same number of channels as the multi-point differential serial buses 101, and pluggable components to the backplane connectors 102. The module connector 203 is disconnected and has multiple signal line interfaces. Each signal line interface is connected to a differential signal line 202, and each differential signal line 202 is connected to the processing component 201. At least one functional module 200 is used to receive configuration information and configure the signal routing between the differential signal line 202 and the multi-point differential serial bus 101 according to the configuration information, so that the communication system can operate in any of the following modes: single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, and hybrid communication mode.

[0038] The rack backplane 100 refers to the physical structure board in an industrial control system used to mount functional modules 200. It typically integrates power distribution, signal routing, and a bus network, providing mechanical support and electrical connections for each module. The multi-point differential serial bus 101 refers to a differential signal transmission bus that supports multiple nodes mounted on the same bus. It features strong anti-interference capabilities and supports multi-master communication. Its type is not unique; selection should be based on actual needs. The backplane connector 102 refers to the interface device mounted on the rack backplane 100, used for pluggable connection with the module connector 203 of the functional module 200 to achieve signal and power transmission. The functional module 200 refers to various functional units inserted into slots in the rack backplane 100 and connected to the backplane connector 102 located in the slots. Its type is not unique and can include controller modules, communicators, etc., possessing independent processing capabilities or communication expansion capabilities. The processing component 201 refers to the components inside the functional module 200 used for performing data processing, protocol parsing, and signal control. Differential signal line 202 refers to a signal line consisting of two signal lines that transmit signals by voltage difference. It has common-mode rejection capability and is suitable for high-speed, long-distance, multi-node communication.

[0039] Configuration information refers to the hardware configuration data set by the user through a host computer (such as a personal computer) according to the field application requirements. It can usually include information such as the type of each module, the distribution of slots, and the communication affiliation. Signal routing refers to the communication mapping relationship between the differential signal line 202 and multiple independent multi-point differential serial buses 101. The dynamic configuration of the signal path is usually realized through the processing component 201.

[0040] Single-master communication mode refers to a communication mode in which one functional module 200 acts as the master node, and the remaining functional modules 200 act as slave nodes, with the master node controlling the bus communication scheduling. Multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode refers to a peer-to-peer communication mode in which multiple functional modules 200 act as master nodes, communicating directly with each other through a shared bus without the need for central scheduling. Hybrid communication mode refers to a communication mode that simultaneously includes multi-master peer-to-peer communication and master-slave point-to-point communication. Generally speaking, hybrid communication mode is suitable for complex scenarios where multiple controllers and their respective expansion modules coexist.

[0041] In this embodiment, the communication system uses a rack backplane 100 as its physical carrier and integrates multiple independent multi-point differential serial buses 101. Each bus can independently carry different communication relationships. Functional modules 200 are connected to backplane connectors 102 via module connectors 203. The processing components 201 inside functional modules 200 are connected to multiple differential signal lines 202 to form an electrical interface with the backplane buses, so that each differential signal line 202 in each functional module 200 can be connected to one multi-point differential serial bus 101.

[0042] During system operation, at least one functional module 200 receives configuration information from the host computer. This information defines the role of each module (i.e., whether it acts as a master or slave node) and the communication hierarchy between modules. The processing component 201 dynamically configures signal routing based on this configuration information, establishing communication between the differential signal lines 202 of the functional module 200 and specific paths on the backplane bus (i.e., the multi-channel multi-point differential serial bus 101). This allows the communication system to switch between single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, or hybrid communication mode as needed. This architecture implements a unified hardware and software-defined flexible communication mechanism, adapting to different application scenarios.

[0043] The aforementioned communication system, by setting up multiple independent multi-point differential serial buses 101 on the rack backplane 100, and configuring differential signal lines 202 in each functional module 200 with the same number of channels as the multi-point differential serial buses 101, combined with a configurable signal routing mechanism, allows the same hardware structure to flexibly switch between single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, or hybrid communication mode according to configuration information. This solves the problem that existing bus architectures cannot simultaneously accommodate flexible deployment in single-controller and multi-controller scenarios, improving the scenario adaptability and deployment efficiency of the communication system.

[0044] It should be noted that, please refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, matching resistors R0 are installed at both ends of each multi-point differential serial bus 101. The resistance value of the matching resistor R0 is usually designed to be consistent with the characteristic impedance of the bus, so that the multi-point differential serial bus 101 is in a matched state at the terminal, absorbing the signal energy arriving at the terminal, thereby eliminating reflections and ensuring signal integrity.

[0045] Please see Figure 3 In some embodiments, the processing component 201 includes a central processing unit 31 and a field-programmable gate array 32 connected in communication, and each differential signal line 202 is connected to the field-programmable gate array 32.

[0046] The Central Processing Unit (CPU) 31 is the core computing unit in functional module 200, responsible for executing user programs, protocol stack processing, data management, and other high-level logic. The Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) 32 is used to implement low-level hardware logic such as high-speed signal routing, bus protocol parsing, and timing control, and features low latency and reconfigurability.

[0047] Within the functional module 200, the central processing unit 31 and the field-programmable gate array 32 communicate via an on-chip bus or high-speed interface, forming a clearly defined processing architecture. The CPU is responsible for tasks such as upper-layer protocol processing, configuration parsing, and application logic execution, while the FPGA focuses on lower-level signal routing, bus timing control, and input / output management of the differential signal lines 202. Each differential signal line 202 is directly connected to the FPGA pins, and the FPGA dynamically establishes the communication mapping relationship between the differential signal lines 202 and the backplane bus based on the configuration information. This CPU+FPGA heterogeneous architecture fully leverages the flexibility of the CPU in complex logic processing and the determinism of the FPGA in high-speed signal control, providing a hardware foundation for multi-mode switching, high-bandwidth communication, and low-latency response.

[0048] It is understood that the type of functional module 200 is not unique. In one embodiment, functional module 200 includes a controller and a communicator belonging to the controller. Accordingly, the controller may be built with a CPU and FPGA combination architecture, or both the controller and the communicator may be built with a CPU and FPGA combination architecture. There is no specific limitation, and the choice can be made according to actual needs.

[0049] The above solution establishes a communication connection between the central processing unit 31 and the field-programmable gate array 32, and the field-programmable gate array 32 manages all differential signal lines 202 in a unified manner. This enables flexible configuration and high-speed processing of signal routing, enhances the communication system's ability to respond quickly to communication modes in multiple scenarios, and ensures the reliability and real-time performance of communication under various modes.

[0050] Please see Figure 4 In some embodiments, the processing component 201 further includes a signal transceiver 41, and each differential signal line 202 is connected to the field programmable gate array 32 through the signal transceiver 41.

[0051] The signal transceiver 41 is a physical layer interface device used for differential signal driving and receiving. It is responsible for converting the single-ended or low-voltage signals output by the FPGA into differential signals that conform to the bus standard. It can also have functions such as bus conflict detection and hot-plug protection.

[0052] To further enhance the driving capability and anti-interference performance of the signal line interface, functional module 200 adds a signal transceiver 41 to the differential signal line 202 between the FPGA and the signal line interface. The control signals output by the FPGA are converted into differential signals conforming to the multi-point differential bus standard by the transceiver, and then transmitted to the backplane bus via the differential signal line 202. The signal transceiver 41 also performs signal receiving functions, converting the differential signals of the backplane bus into logic levels recognizable by the FPGA. This design enables functional module 200 to support hot-swapping operations, ensuring that the insertion or removal of functional module 200 does not affect the communication of other nodes on the bus. It also improves the signal integrity of the bus in complex electromagnetic environments in industrial settings, guaranteeing the reliability of multi-node, long-distance communication.

[0053] It is understood that in other embodiments, the signal transceiver 41 may not be configured, and the signal transmission and reception function may be implemented through FPGA. The specific choice can be made according to actual needs.

[0054] The above solution improves the anti-interference capability and driving capability of signal transmission by setting a signal transceiver 41 between the field programmable gate array 32 and the differential signal line 202. Especially in high bandwidth and multi-node concurrent scenarios, it ensures the integrity and stability of bus communication and further supports the reliable operation of the flexible configuration mechanism in complex industrial environments.

[0055] In some embodiments, the multipoint differential serial bus 101 includes any one of MLVDS (Multipoint Low Voltage Differential Signaling) bus, BLVDS (Bus Low Voltage Differential Signaling) bus, and CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-rate) bus; and / or, the differential signal line 202 includes any one of MLVDS signal line, BLVDS signal line, and CAN FD signal line.

[0056] MLVDS, or Multi-Point Low-Voltage Differential Signaling Bus, supports up to 32 nodes and features high interference immunity, low power consumption, and high speed, making it suitable for industrial backplane communication. BLVDS, or Bus-Type Low-Voltage Differential Signaling Bus, is similar to MLVDS but has slightly fewer nodes and is commonly used for backplane or board-to-board interconnection. CAN FD bus is a Flexible Data Rate Bus for Controller Area Networks, increasing the data segment rate based on traditional CAN and supporting multi-master communication.

[0057] In practical scenarios, communication systems are not limited to a single physical layer standard when choosing a backplane bus. Differential buses such as MLVDS, BLVDS, or CAN FD can be selected based on actual cost, speed, and node count requirements. For example, MLVDS is suitable for high-speed, multi-node scenarios, supporting transmission rates of up to 200Mbps; BLVDS reduces costs while maintaining differential characteristics; and CAN FD provides high data segment rates and a mature protocol ecosystem while maintaining multi-master communication capabilities.

[0058] Accordingly, the differential signal lines 202 of functional module 200 also adopt a type that matches the selected bus, ensuring physical layer compatibility. This flexible bus selection design enables the communication system to adapt to different application requirements, from high-performance computing to cost-sensitive control, further enhancing engineering adaptability.

[0059] The above scheme, by adopting multi-point differential serial buses 101 such as MLVDS, BLVDS or CAN FD and their corresponding signal lines, enables the communication system to have multi-master communication capabilities while being compatible with various bus-type physical media. This not only ensures high bandwidth and high real-time communication performance, but also provides optional solutions for scenarios with different cost and performance requirements, thereby enhancing the engineering adaptability and economy of the communication system.

[0060] It is understood that the multi-point differential serial bus 101 of this application is not limited to the MLVDS bus, BLVDS bus, and CAN FD bus of the above embodiments. In other embodiments, other types of buses can also be used, as long as they can support multiple nodes to be connected on the same bus for differential signal transmission. For example, RS-485 bus, LVDM (Low Voltage Differential Multipoint) bus, etc. can also be used, and are not limited here.

[0061] In some embodiments, in the single-master communication mode, one functional module 200 acts as the master node, and the remaining functional modules 200 act as slave nodes; a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as the master node's transmit bus, and a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as the master node's receive bus. The master node transmits data to a slave node through one transmit bus, and a slave node transmits data to the master node through one receive bus.

[0062] The master node refers to the functional module 200 responsible for initiating communication, allocating bus resources, or acting as a data source in the communication relationship. The slave node is the functional module 200 that passively sends and receives data in response to requests from the master node. The transmit bus is configured as a dedicated bus path for the master node to send data to the slave node. The receive bus is configured as a dedicated bus path for the slave node to send data to the master node.

[0063] In single-master communication mode, a functional module 200 is designated as the master node based on the configuration information, typically located in the first slot, while the remaining modules are slave nodes. Multiple independent multi-point differential serial buses 101 are divided into two groups: one group serves as the transmitting bus, exclusively used by the master node's transmitter, and the other group serves as the receiving bus, shared or used in time-sharing mode by the transmitters of each slave node. The master node sends data to a slave node via one transmitting bus, and the slave node replies to the master node via one receiving bus, forming a point-to-point full-duplex communication link. Because the transmitting and receiving buses are physically separated, bus conflicts and arbitration delays are avoided, enabling 100Mbps full-duplex high-bandwidth communication between the master node and each slave node, meeting the stringent requirements for high real-time performance and high determinism in single-controller, multi-extension-module scenarios.

[0064] The above scheme, in single-master communication mode, by configuring part of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 as the master node's transmitting bus and part as the receiving bus, realizes point-to-point full-duplex communication between the master node and each slave node, ensuring high bandwidth and high deterministic communication of 100Mbps between each slave node and the master node, and meeting the stringent requirements for real-time performance and bandwidth.

[0065] It is understood that in practical scenarios, the number of backplane connectors 102, the number of multi-point differential serial buses 101, and the number of differential signal lines 202 are not unique; they can be configured according to actual needs. In some embodiments, more than four backplane connectors 102 can be configured for the rack backplane 100, thus allowing more than four functional modules 200 to be configured on the rack backplane 100, enabling single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, and hybrid communication mode. The number of multi-point differential serial buses 101 and differential signal lines 202 is the same and can be adaptively configured based on the number of backplane connectors 102, and is not limited here.

[0066] For example, in one embodiment, the number of backplane connectors 102 is five (correspondingly including five functional modules 200), the number of channels of multi-point differential serial bus 101 and differential signal line 202 are both eight (one channel includes two signal lines to realize differential signal transmission), and both adopt MLVDS.

[0067] Correspondingly, in single-master communication mode, functional module 200 includes one controller and four communicators. The controller acts as the master node, and the communicators act as slave nodes. Communication is established between the controller's first MLVDS signal line and the first MLVDS bus. The first slave node also establishes communication between its first MLVDS signal line and the first MLVDS bus, sending data to the first slave node via the first MLVDS bus. Communication is also established between the controller's sixth MLVDS signal line and the sixth MLVDS bus. Similarly, the second slave node establishes communication between its sixth MLVDS signal line and the sixth MLVDS bus, sending data to the second slave node via the sixth MLVDS bus. Finally, communication is established between the controller's seventh MLVDS signal line and the seventh MLVDS bus. The third slave node also establishes communication between its seventh MLVDS signal line and the seventh MLVDS bus, sending data to the third slave node via the seventh MLVDS bus. The controller establishes communication between its eighth MLVDS signal line and the eighth MLVDS bus, and the fourth slave node establishes communication between its eighth MLVDS signal line and the eighth MLVDS bus, sending data to the fourth slave node through the eighth MLVDS bus.

[0068] Based on the similar communication establishment method described above, the controller can also receive data sent by the first slave node via the second MLVDS signal line via the second MLVDS signal line and the second MLVDS bus; receive data sent by the second slave node via the third MLVDS signal line via the third MLVDS signal line and the third MLVDS bus; receive data sent by the third slave node via the fourth MLVDS signal line via the fourth MLVDS signal line and the fourth MLVDS bus; and receive data sent by the fourth slave node via the fifth MLVDS signal line via the fifth MLVDS signal line and the fifth MLVDS bus.

[0069] In some embodiments, in the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, each functional module 200 acts as a master node; at least one multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as a shared bus, and any master node can send data to the other master nodes through the shared bus.

[0070] A shared bus refers to a bus path used by multiple master nodes. Any master node can send data through this bus, and conflicts are resolved using bus arbitration mechanisms (such as carrier sensing, priority arbitration, etc.).

[0071] In the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, all functional modules 200 are controllers. All functional modules 200 on the rack backplane 100 are configured as master nodes, eliminating the master-slave relationship. At least one multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as a shared bus, and the transmitting ends of all master nodes are connected to this bus. Ordered data transmission is achieved through a multi-master bus arbitration mechanism. After gaining bus access, any master node can broadcast or unicast data to all other master nodes via the shared bus, enabling peer-to-peer interaction between multifunctional modules (usually controllers).

[0072] This mode eliminates the need for a central scheduling node, allowing controllers to directly exchange status information and control commands. The bus bandwidth (e.g., 25Mbps full-duplex) is sufficient to meet the data interaction requirements (typically 1kB / ms) in multi-controller collaborative scenarios. This significantly reduces the number of signal lines, lowering hardware costs and design complexity.

[0073] The above scheme, in the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, enables any master node to send data to other master nodes by configuring at least one multi-point differential serial bus 101 as a shared bus, thus realizing peer-to-peer interaction between multi-functional modules. This meets the needs for status and control information interaction in collaborative scenarios of multi-functional modules such as metallurgical cold rolling and water treatment, and the communication bandwidth far exceeds the actual requirements of field applications.

[0074] For example, in one embodiment, the number of backplane connectors 102 is five, and the number of channels for the multi-point differential serial bus 101 and differential signal lines 202 are both eight, and both use MLVDS. In this scenario, the five MLVDS signal lines of all functional modules 200 are respectively connected to the five MLVDS buses. At this time, the various functional modules 200 achieve multi-master peer-to-peer communication through the first MLVDS bus, the second MLVDS bus, the third MLVDS bus, the fourth MLVDS bus, and the fifth MLVDS bus.

[0075] In some embodiments, in the hybrid communication mode, two or more functional modules 200 act as master nodes and two or more functional modules 200 act as slave nodes; a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as a shared bus, and any master node sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus; a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as the transmitting bus of the master node and a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as the receiving bus of the master node, and a master node sends data to a slave node through a transmitting bus and a slave node sends data to a master node through a receiving bus.

[0076] In hybrid communication mode, the communication system simultaneously has multiple master nodes and multiple slave nodes, which can also be understood as multiple controllers and multiple communicators. The configuration information first defines two or more functional modules 200 as master nodes and two or more functional modules 200 as slave nodes, and specifies the master node to which each slave node belongs.

[0077] Then, a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as a shared bus, connecting all master nodes for peer-to-peer data exchange between them. Another portion of the bus is configured as the transmit and receive buses for each master node (each master node is configured separately). Each master node sends data to its assigned slave node via its dedicated transmit bus, and its assigned slave node returns data to the master node via its corresponding receive bus.

[0078] This configuration enables parallel operation of two types of communication relationships: peer-to-peer communication via a shared bus between master nodes, and point-to-point full-duplex communication between a master node and its slave nodes. These two types of communication are physically isolated on the bus and do not interfere with each other. This mode perfectly adapts to complex field deployments with multiple controllers and their respective expansion modules, ensuring both collaborative control capabilities between controllers and high-bandwidth, high-real-time communication between each controller and its communicator.

[0079] The above solution, in the hybrid communication mode, enables multi-master peer-to-peer communication by configuring part of the bus as a shared bus, while configuring another part of the bus as a dedicated transmit / receive bus between master and slave nodes. This achieves parallel communication between multi-functional modules and between functional module 200 and its parent functional module 200, ensuring both efficient collaboration between functional modules 200 and high-bandwidth, high-real-time point-to-point communication between each parent functional module 200 and its corresponding functional module 200, perfectly adapting to complex field deployment requirements.

[0080] For example, in one embodiment, the number of backplane connectors 102 is five, the number of multi-point differential serial buses 101 and differential signal lines 202 are both eight, and both use MLVDS as an example.

[0081] In this embodiment, the master node includes controller A and controller B, and the slave node includes communicator A0 belonging to controller A and communicator B0 belonging to controller B.

[0082] For further reference Figure 5By configuring the first MLVDS bus and the second MLVDS bus as a shared bus, the first MLVDS signal lines of controller A and controller B establish communication with the first MLVDS bus, and the second MLVDS signal lines of controller A and controller B establish communication with the second MLVDS bus, thus achieving peer-to-peer communication through the first MLVDS bus and the second MLVDS bus.

[0083] Controller A and its connected communicator A0 communicate at 100Mbps via a sixth MLVDS bus for transmitting and a second MLVDS bus for receiving. Specifically, the sixth MLVDS signal lines of both controller A and communicator A0 communicate with the sixth MLVDS bus, and the second MLVDS signal lines of both controller A and communicator A0 communicate with the second MLVDS bus.

[0084] Controller B communicates with its connected communicators B0 and B1 via the seventh and eighth MLVDS buses, respectively, and receives via the fourth and fifth MLVDS buses. Specifically, the seventh MLVDS signal line of controller B and communicator B0 establishes communication with the seventh MLVDS bus, and the eighth MLVDS signal line of controller B and communicator B1 establishes communication with the eighth MLVDS bus; the fourth MLVDS signal line of controller B and communicator B0 establishes communication with the fourth MLVDS bus, and the fifth MLVDS signal line of controller B and communicator B1 establishes communication with the fifth MLVDS bus.

[0085] Please see Figure 6 This application provides a communication configuration method based on the above-mentioned communication system, the method including steps 602 and 604.

[0086] Step 602: Receive configuration information.

[0087] Step 604: Configure the signal routing between the differential signal lines and the multi-point differential serial bus according to the configuration information, so that the communication system can operate in any of the following modes: single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, and hybrid communication mode.

[0088] The configuration information includes the communication affiliation of each functional module. The structure and implementation of the communication system are shown in the above embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0089] The communication system of this application achieves dynamic adaptation of the bus structure through software. The system first receives configuration information from the user, which at least describes the communication affiliation of each functional module 200. Based on this information, the processing component 201 in each functional module 200 calculates and executes signal routing configuration operations, dynamically mapping the differential signal lines 202 of each functional module 200 to specific paths on the backplane bus, thereby adapting to the required communication mode. The advantage of this method is that the hardware architecture remains unchanged; the system can operate in single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, or hybrid communication mode simply through software configuration. This greatly improves the flexibility and ease of use of the PLC system in field deployment and reduces the hardware modification costs caused by changes in the application environment.

[0090] The above solution, by receiving configuration information and configuring signal routing according to the communication affiliation, enables the communication system to dynamically adapt to single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode or hybrid communication mode in software. This achieves flexible scheduling of the bus architecture, allowing it to adapt to different application scenarios without hardware modifications, and significantly improves the ease of use and flexibility of industrial control systems in field deployment.

[0091] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the configuration information represents a single master communication mode, designating one functional module 200 as a master node and the remaining functional modules 200 as slave nodes; configuring a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 as the master node's transmit bus and a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 as the master node's receive bus; wherein the master node transmits data to a slave node through one transmit bus, and a slave node transmits data to the master node through one receive bus.

[0092] When the configuration information represents a single-master communication mode, this method first identifies and designates one functional module 200 as the master node, and the remaining modules as slave nodes. Subsequently, the multiple independent multi-point differential serial buses 101 are divided into a transmit bus set and a receive bus set. Each bus in the transmit bus set is configured as a dedicated channel for the master node to send data to a specific slave node, and each bus in the receive bus set is configured as a dedicated channel for the corresponding slave node to send data to the master node. Through this one-to-one transmit-to-one receive binding mechanism, an independent, physically isolated full-duplex communication link is established between the master node and each slave node. The communication process requires no arbitration, has a fixed latency, and achieves high-bandwidth, highly deterministic data transmission, meeting the stringent requirements of real-time communication between the controller and expansion modules in industrial settings.

[0093] The above scheme, in single-master communication mode, clearly defines the roles of master and slave nodes, and configures part of the bus as a transmitting bus and part as a receiving bus, thus constructing a point-to-point full-duplex communication path between the master node and each slave node. This ensures high-bandwidth and highly deterministic data transmission, meeting the ultimate requirements for communication performance in single-controller scenarios.

[0094] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the configuration information represents a multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, each functional module 200 is treated as a master node; at least one multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as a shared bus; wherein any master node sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus.

[0095] When the configuration information represents a multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, this method configures all functional modules 200 as master nodes, eliminating any master-slave relationship. At least one of the multiple independent multi-point differential serial buses 101 is selected as a shared bus, and the transmitting ends of all master nodes are connected to this bus, enabling a multi-master bus arbitration mechanism. After any master node obtains bus access, it can send data to other master nodes through the shared bus, achieving peer-to-peer communication between multiple controllers. This mode avoids complex point-to-point wiring, utilizing a single shared bus to complete data interaction between multiple nodes. It features a simple structure, convenient expansion, and is particularly suitable for multi-controller collaborative control scenarios. Furthermore, the communication bandwidth far exceeds actual application requirements, ensuring future functional expansion capabilities.

[0096] The above scheme, in the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, enables peer-to-peer data interaction between multi-functional modules by configuring all functional modules 200 as master nodes and setting at least one multi-point differential serial bus 101 as a shared bus. The structure is simple, no additional expansion modules are required, the complexity and deployment cost of the communication system are reduced, and the communication bandwidth requirements in multi-controller collaborative scenarios are met.

[0097] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the configuration information represents a hybrid communication mode, designating two or more functional modules 200 as master nodes and two or more functional modules 200 as slave nodes; configuring a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 as a shared bus; wherein any master node sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus; configuring a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 as the transmitting bus of the master node and a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 as the receiving bus of the master node; wherein a master node sends data to a slave node through a transmitting bus and a slave node sends data to a master node through a receiving bus.

[0098] When the configuration information represents a hybrid communication mode, this method first determines two or more master nodes and two or more slave nodes based on the configuration information, and clarifies the master node to which each slave node belongs. A portion of the multi-point differential serial bus 101 is configured as a shared bus, connecting all master nodes for peer-to-peer data exchange between them. Simultaneously, each master node is allocated an independent transmit bus and receive bus, used respectively for sending data to its assigned slave nodes and receiving data from slave nodes.

[0099] This method enables multi-master peer-to-peer communication and master-slave point-to-point communication to run in parallel on the same backplane by dividing and isolating physical bus resources. This not only ensures the collaborative capabilities between multiple controllers, but also ensures high-bandwidth and high-real-time communication between each controller and its expansion modules, solving the practical problems of diverse communication needs and difficult resource conflict resolution in complex industrial scenarios.

[0100] The above solution, in the hybrid communication mode, achieves multi-master peer-to-peer communication by configuring a shared bus simultaneously and master-slave point-to-point communication by configuring dedicated transmit and receive buses. It constructs a parallel communication architecture between multiple controllers and their respective communicators, taking into account the dual requirements of inter-controller collaboration and module-level high-bandwidth communication, and solving the problems of communication path conflicts and resource competition in complex field deployments.

[0101] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0102] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A communication system, characterized in that, include: The rack backplane includes multiple backplane connectors and multiple independent multi-point differential serial buses. Each backplane connector is provided with multiple bus interfaces, and each bus interface is connected to one of the multi-point differential serial buses. Multiple functional modules, each functional module including a processing component, differential signal lines with the same number of paths as the multi-point differential serial bus, and a module connector that can be plugged into and connected to the backplane connector. The module connector is provided with multiple signal line interfaces, one of the signal line interfaces is connected to one of the differential signal lines, and each of the differential signal lines is connected to the processing component. At least one of the functional modules is used to receive configuration information and configure the signal routing between the differential signal line and the multi-point differential serial bus according to the configuration information, so that the communication system can operate in any one of the single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode and hybrid communication mode.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing component includes a central processing unit and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) connected in communication, and each of the differential signal lines is connected to the FPGA.

3. The communication system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The processing component also includes a signal transceiver, and each of the differential signal lines is connected to the field-programmable gate array through the signal transceiver.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-point differential serial bus includes any one of the following: MLVDS bus, BLVDS bus, and CAN FD bus; And / or, the differential signal lines include any one of MLVDS signal lines, BLVDS signal lines, and CAN FD signal lines.

5. The communication system according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, In the single-master communication mode, one of the functional modules acts as the master node, and the remaining functional modules act as slave nodes. Part of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as the transmitting bus of the master node, and part of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as the receiving bus of the master node. The master node sends data to one of the slave nodes through one of the transmitting buses, and one of the slave nodes sends data to the master node through one of the receiving buses.

6. The communication system according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, In the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, each of the functional modules acts as a master node; at least one of the multi-point differential serial buses is configured as a shared bus, and any one of the master nodes sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus.

7. The communication system according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, In the hybrid communication mode, two or more of the functional modules act as master nodes and two or more of the functional modules act as slave nodes; some of the multi-point differential serial buses are configured as shared buses, and any one of the master nodes sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus; A portion of the multipoint differential serial bus is configured as the transmit bus of the master node, and a portion of the multipoint differential serial bus is configured as the receive bus of the master node. A master node transmits data to a slave node through one of the transmit buses, and a slave node transmits data to a master node through one of the receive buses.

8. A communication configuration method based on the communication system according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The method includes: Receive configuration information; wherein, the configuration information includes the communication affiliation of each of the functional modules; Configure the signal routing between the differential signal line and the multi-point differential serial bus according to the configuration information, so that the communication system can operate in any one of the single-master communication mode, multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode and hybrid communication mode.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the configuration information represents the single master communication mode, one of the functional modules is used as the master node and the remaining functional modules are used as slave nodes. A portion of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as the transmitting bus of the master node, and a portion of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as the receiving bus of the master node; The master node sends data to a slave node through one of the transmit buses, and the slave node sends data to the master node through one of the receive buses.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the configuration information represents the multi-master peer-to-peer communication mode, each of the functional modules is treated as a master node. At least one of the multi-point differential serial buses is configured as a shared bus; wherein any one of the master nodes sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus.

11. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the configuration information represents the hybrid communication mode, two or more of the functional modules are used as master nodes and two or more of the functional modules are used as slave nodes. A portion of the multi-point differential serial bus is configured as a shared bus; wherein any one of the master nodes sends data to the other master nodes through the shared bus; A portion of the multipoint differential serial bus is configured as the transmit bus of the master node, and a portion of the multipoint differential serial bus is configured as the receive bus of the master node; wherein, a master node transmits data to a slave node through one of the transmit buses, and a slave node transmits data to a master node through one of the receive buses.

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