Method for operating a fieldbus system

Abstract

Method for operating a fieldbus system (100), wherein the fieldbus system (100) comprises a master (1) and a plurality of slaves (2_1 to 2_n), wherein the master (1) and the plurality of slaves (2_1 to 2_n) are connected to each other in a logical and / or physical line topology for data exchange, wherein the following steps are performed to update a respective firmware of the slaves (2_1 to 2_n): - Loading the respective firmware (3) into a respective first memory (4) of the slaves to be updated (2_1 to 2_n), and - Subsequently, initiating the process of storing the firmware (3) loaded into the respective first memory (4) into a respective second, non-volatile firmware memory (5) of the slaves (2_1 to 2_n) to be updated, with the initiation starting with the slave (2_n) that is furthest from the master (1) in the logical and / or physical line topology, and then proceeding sequentially for the other slaves to be updated (2_n-1 to 2_1) in decreasing distance to the master (1) in the logical and / or physical line topology.

Description

[0001] DE 10 2011 086 570 A1 discloses a method for mass data transmission in a fieldbus system comprising a master and a plurality of field devices, wherein the master and the field devices are connected to a fieldbus. The method comprises the following steps: selecting at least two field devices that participate as selected field devices in an upcoming mass data transmission, either by the master or by the field devices themselves; sending data packets by the master via the fieldbus; and receiving the data packets simultaneously by the selected field devices.

[0002] DE 10 2022 133 145 A1 discloses a method for determining the sequence of software updates and / or boot commands to network participants, preferably switches, wherein an update station, multiple network participants, and at least one switch, preferably multiple switches, can communicate with each other in a network. Using LLDP, information about the network devices, preferably the switches, in the network is collected. The distance of at least one switch, preferably of the multiple switches, from the update station is determined by the information, and the sequence of updates and / or boot commands to the network participants, preferably the multiple switches, is determined by the distance.

[0003] The invention is based on the object of providing a method for operating a fieldbus system that enables the most efficient possible firmware update of fieldbus participants.

[0004] The method according to the invention is used to operate a fieldbus system. The fieldbus system has a (fieldbus) master and a plurality of (fieldbus) slaves. Regarding the terminology "master" and "slave," reference is made to the relevant fieldbus literature. The master and the plurality of slaves are connected to each other in a logical and / or physical line topology for data exchange. Regarding the terminology "logical and / or physical topology," reference is also made to the relevant fieldbus literature.

[0005] The following steps are carried out to update the respective firmware of the slaves. The new firmware to be loaded is loaded into a respective first memory of the slaves to be updated via the fieldbus, for example initiated and controlled by the master. The master then initiates, for example, that the firmware loaded into the respective first memory is saved in a respective second, non-volatile firmware memory of the slaves to be updated. According to the invention, the initiation begins with the slave that is furthest away from the master in the logical and / or physical line topology. This is followed by the slave that is second furthest away from the master in the logical and / or physical line topology, and so on, i.e. sequentially in decreasing distance to / from the master in the line topology.

[0006] A considerable amount of time can elapse between initiating the save and completing the save of the firmware to the firmware memory. During this time, the respective slave is not "accessible," meaning it does not forward data to a subsequent slave. Due to the sequence according to the invention, the impact of this effect remains minimal, as the slaves remain accessible "before" the currently loading slave.

[0007] In one embodiment, the fieldbus system is an EtherCAT-based fieldbus system.

[0008] The firmware is loaded sequentially in several consecutive cycles. A portion of the firmware to be loaded is transferred per cycle until the firmware is completely loaded. The time interval between two consecutive cycles can be configured.

[0009] The time between two consecutive cycles can be set in a time range between 0.1 ms and 10 ms.

[0010] In one embodiment, the respective first memories are volatile memories, for example embodied as RAM.

[0011] In one embodiment, at least one of the slaves is a drive controller and / or a frequency converter.

[0012] Due to increasingly large firmware files, larger systems, and increasingly shorter update cycles, download times and thus the time required to commission a system are increasing significantly. The method according to the invention reduces these times and minimizes the factors influencing them, for example, the number of slaves.

[0013] According to the invention, the saving of the loaded firmware to the firmware memory is initiated or triggered in an optimized manner for the slaves. This takes advantage of the fact that the slaves behind the master form a logical topological sequence. The EtherCAT master communicates this sequence, for example, to a download service, where appropriate, in the network or

[0014] Fieldbus junctions are taken into account. Using this list, the master or download service determines the order in which the slaves should be initiated to save the loaded firmware to the firmware memory – always the slave further down the list, i.e., the one further away from the master. Only a short wait time of a few milliseconds is required between initiating the save process for two neighboring slaves. This ensures that all relevant slaves are accessible from the master, allowing the firmware update to occur virtually in parallel.

[0015] The invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 schematically shows a block diagram of a fieldbus system with a master and a plurality of slaves whose firmware is updated by means of a method according to the invention.

[0016] Fig. 1 shows a highly schematic block diagram of an EtherCAT-based fieldbus system 100 with a (fieldbus) master 1 and a plurality of (fieldbus) slaves 2_1 to 2_n, where n = 2, 3, .... At least one of the slaves 2_1 to 2_n can form a drive controller and / or a frequency converter.

[0017] A respective slave 2_1 to 2_n has a first, volatile memory 4 and a non-volatile firmware memory 5 in which the respective firmware 3 of the slave 2_1 to 2_n is stored.

[0018] Updating the respective firmware 3 of the slaves 2_1 to 2_n proceeds as follows.

[0019] First, the respective updated firmware 3 is loaded via the fieldbus into the respective first memory 4 of the slaves 2_1 to 2_n to be updated.

[0020] Subsequently, the saving of the updated firmware 3 loaded into the respective first memory 4 into the respective second, non-volatile firmware memory 5 of the slaves 2_1 to 2_n to be updated is initiated in the order described below.

[0021] Initiation begins with the slave 2_n that is furthest away from Master 1 in the logical and / or physical line topology. Then, the slaves with the indices "n-1", "n-2" to "1" follow sequentially, i.e., sequentially in decreasing distance from Master 1 in the line topology.

[0022] The loading of firmware 3 can be performed in several consecutive cycles Z_1 to Z_m, where n = 2, 3, .... A time period T between two consecutive cycles Z_1 to Z_m can be set, for example, in a time period range between 0.1 ms and 10 ms.

Claims

[1] Method for operating a fieldbus system (100), wherein the fieldbus system (100) has a master (1) and a plurality of slaves (2_1 to 2_n), wherein the master (1) and the plurality of slaves (2_1 to 2_n) are connected to one another in a logical and / or physical line topology for data exchange, - where the following steps are carried out to update the respective firmware of the slaves (2_1 to 2_n): - Loading the respective firmware (3) into a respective first memory (4) of the slaves (2_1 to 2_n) to be updated, and - subsequently, initiating that the firmware (3) loaded into the respective first memory (4) is stored in a respective second, non-volatile firmware memory (5) of the slaves (2_1 to 2_n) to be updated, wherein the initiation begins with the slave (2_n) that is furthest away from the master (1) in the logical and / or physical line topology, and then takes place sequentially for the other slaves (2_n-1 to 2_1) to be updated in decreasing distance from the master (1) in the logical and / or physical line topology, - wherein the loading of the firmware (3) takes place in several consecutive cycles (Z_1 to Z_m), wherein a time period (T) between two consecutive cycles (Z_1 to Z_m) can be set in a time period range between 0.1 ms and 10 ms. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that - the fieldbus system (100) is an EtherCAT-based fieldbus system. [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the respective first memories are volatile memories (4). [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - at least one of the slaves (2_1 to 2_n) forms a drive controller and / or a frequency converter.

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