EtherCAT Fieldbus Module Link Failure Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing EtherCAT network systems face challenges in maintaining synchronization and redundancy, particularly during link failures, which lead to increased latency, complexity, and limited support for complex network topologies due to the need for recalculating propagation delays and duplicating data packets.
Innovation Solution
A fieldbus module with configurable communication components that remap channels upon link failure, allowing the network to maintain synchronization and redundancy without recalculating propagation delays, and supporting various topologies by enabling loopback functionality and cut-through forwarding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the master device sends duplicate data packets in each direction around the ring for redundancy, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network is segmented into two independent line networks (140, 145) by integrating slave nodes (114, 116) within the master device. Each line network processes data packets independently in a single direction, eliminating the need for the master device to send duplicate packets in both directions. This segmentation reduces master device processing complexity while maintaining redundancy through the dual-line architecture.
2Measurement precision
If propagation delay recalculations are performed after link failure, then synchronization accuracy is improved, but recovery time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated slave nodes (114, 116) are pre-configured with propagation delay values for both line networks (140, 145) before any link failure occurs. Upon link failure, the system immediately switches to the appropriate pre-calculated propagation delay values without requiring recalculation. This preliminary preparation maintains synchronization accuracy while dramatically reducing recovery time from link failures.
3Reliability
If slave nodes process traffic in both directions around the ring, then redundancy is improved, but latency and jitter increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having slave nodes process traffic in both directions around the ring (which causes latency and jitter), the invention inverts the approach by configuring integrated slave nodes to process traffic in only one direction for each line network. The redundancy is achieved through the dual-line topology where each line processes packets unidirectionally, eliminating processing delays while maintaining network reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A real-time distributed network module arranged to provide an interface between at least one master application and at least one real-time distributed network. The real-time distributed network module comprises a first communications component arranged to transmit and receive real-time distributed network data over at least a first real-time distributed network connection, at least one further communications component arranged to transmit and receive real-time distributed network data over at least one further real-time distributed network connection at least one master application interface component arranged to provide an interface to the at least one master application, and at least one configuration component arranged to perform mapping of communication channels between the first communications component, the at least one further communications component and the at least one master application interface component. The at least one configuration component is further arranged to perform dynamic remapping of the communication channels between the first communications component, the at least one further communications component and the at least one master application interface, upon detection of a link failure within the real-time distributed network.