Bus Coupler Telegram Segmentation for Bandwidth and Jitter Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ethernet-based fieldbus systems face issues with data overhead, bandwidth wastage, and jitter, which limit real-time performance and increase costs due to the need for physical Ethernet interfaces even for short distances, and existing solutions do not enable decentralized and autonomous monitoring of subordinate bus systems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A bus coupler that converts network-specific telegrams into internal data telegrams without control data, allowing for decentralized monitoring and error detection by generating internal control telegrams for communication between bus users, and using status information fields for internal control information to reduce processing time and jitter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If Ethernet-based fieldbus systems are used to connect bus users, then network communication capability is improved, but data overhead increases and transmission bandwidth is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The Ethernet telegram is segmented into control data and user data. Only the user data is extracted and transmitted via the subordinate bus system, while the control data is discarded. This segmentation eliminates the bandwidth waste caused by transmitting unnecessary Ethernet control overhead through the real-time bus system.
Solution Approach 2:
The conversion device extracts only the user data from the Ethernet telegram and removes the control data. This extraction process creates an optimized internal data telegram that contains only the essential information needed for subordinate bus system communication, thereby reducing transmission bandwidth consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If Ethernet telegrams are transmitted through the ring-shaped transmission path, then network integration is improved, but jitter increases and real-time performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control data causing jitter is extracted and removed from the transmission path. By transmitting only the essential user data through the ring-shaped transmission path, the transmission time is reduced and jitter is minimized, thereby improving real-time performance while maintaining network integration capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The telegram structure is changed from the original Ethernet format to an optimized internal data telegram format. This parameter change in the data structure eliminates unnecessary control information, reducing the transmission time and jitter on the real-time bus system while preserving the essential network integration functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If physical Ethernet interfaces are equipped at each bus participant, then network communication capability is improved, but device costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bus coupler is designed as a multi-functional device that performs both Ethernet communication and subordinate bus system management. By centralizing the Ethernet interface functionality in the bus coupler rather than requiring it at each bus participant, the system achieves network communication capability while reducing the need for additional Ethernet interfaces at individual devices, thereby lowering overall system costs.
4Extent of automation
If internal control telegrams are transmitted through the subordinate bus system, then decentralized monitoring capability is improved, but transmission bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Internal control telegrams are transmitted periodically through the subordinate bus system using independent communication cycles. This periodic transmission allows bus participants to monitor system status decentralized while optimizing bandwidth usage by sending control information only when necessary, rather than continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication traffic is segmented into user data telegrams and internal control telegrams that operate independently. This segmentation allows control telegrams for decentralized monitoring to be transmitted separately from user data, enabling efficient bandwidth management where control traffic uses minimal bandwidth while maintaining autonomous monitoring capabilities.
Data Source
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Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
The invention relates to a bus coupler (30) which converts a network-specific telegram coming from an external network (20) to an internal data telegram which transmits only the useful data from the network-specific telegram. The internal data telegram further contains at least one status information field for internal control information. The internal data telegram is handed over by the bus coupler (30) to an internal bus system (15) to which a plurality of bus stations (40-70) are connected in series. Every bus station connected to the internal bus system (15) can monitor the communication quality of the underlay bus system and especially the communication with its adjacent bus stations in a decentralized and preferably self-sufficient manner using the internal control information received by the bus coupler (30), using the internal control information generated by the respective bus station and/or using the internal control information received by the directly adjacent bus stations, and can trigger actions depending on the implementation. The decentralized monitoring by the bus stations is carried out during the transmission of useful data and without reducing the transmission bandwidth.