Fieldbus-Local Bus Coupling Circuit for Deterministic Data Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current fieldbus systems face challenges in efficiently coupling field buses and local buses due to differences in protocols and transmission methods, leading to inefficiencies in data transfer and processing.
Innovation Solution
A circuit is designed with a fieldbus controller, local bus controller, data management unit, and memory area, which converts fieldbus telegrams into local bus data packets and manages process data transfer independently of software programs, allowing for simultaneous and asynchronous operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If process data is transferred via software programs between field bus controller and local bus controller, then data transfer can be flexibly controlled, but processing latency increases and processor performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data transfer function from the processor by introducing a dedicated data management unit. This unit handles all process data transfers between the field bus controller and local bus controller independently, allowing the processor to focus on higher-level tasks. The segmentation eliminates processor bottlenecks and reduces latency by parallelizing data transfer operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The data management unit acts as an intermediary between the field bus controller and local bus controller. It receives process data from the field bus controller, manages the transfer to the local bus controller, and handles memory operations without involving the processor. This intermediary structure enables deterministic data transfer while freeing processor resources.
2Adaptability or versatility
If protocol conversion between field bus and local bus is implemented, then compatibility between different bus systems is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The data management unit serves as a protocol intermediary that translates between field bus protocols and local bus protocols. It receives telegrams from the field bus controller, extracts process data, and reformats it for the local bus controller. This intermediary approach enables protocol compatibility while keeping the complexity localized to a dedicated unit rather than distributed throughout the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the protocol conversion function from the general processor and concentrates it in the specialized data management unit. This extraction allows the protocol handling logic to be optimized independently and implemented in hardware or firmware, reducing the overall system complexity while maintaining adaptability to different protocols.
3Reliability
If process data is stored in memory area for asynchronous reading, then data availability is improved, but memory access overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The data management unit implements self-service by automatically managing the copying and storage of process data in the memory area. It handles the entire memory management process including allocation, copying, and organization of data without processor intervention. This self-service approach ensures data availability for asynchronous reading while keeping memory management operations simple and deterministic.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a circuit (10) for coupling a field bus (20) and a local bus (30), comprising: a field bus controller (200), designed for transmitting and receiving process data (PI) via the field bus (20); a local bus controller (300), designed for transmitting and receiving the process data (PI) via the local bus (30); a data management unit (100), the data management unit (100) being connected to the field bus controller (200) and to the local bus controller (300), and the data management unit (100) being designed to transfer the process data (PI) between the field bus controller (200) and the local bus controller (300); a memory area (400), the memory area (400) being connected to the data management unit (100) for the copying and storing of the process data (PI); and a processor (500), the processor (500) being connected to the data management unit (100), and the processor (500) being connected to the memory area (400), in which circuit the processor (500) is designed to set the data management unit (100) to copy the process data (PI) into the memory area (400) and the processor (500) is designed to read out process data (PI) copied into the memory area (400). The invention relates to a circuit (10) for coupling a field bus (20) and a local bus (30), comprising: a field bus controller (200), designed for transmitting and receiving process data (PI) via the field bus (20); a local bus controller (300), designed for transmitting and receiving the process data (PI) via the local bus (30); a data management unit (100), the data management unit (100) being connected to the field bus controller (200) and to the local bus controller (300), and the data management unit (100) being designed to transfer the process data (PI) between the field bus controller (200) and the local bus controller (300); a memory area (400), the memory area (400) being connected to the data management unit (100) for the copying and storing of the process data (PI); and a processor (500), the processor (500) being connected to the data management unit (100), and the processor (500) being connected to the memory area (400), in which circuit the processor (500) is designed to set the data management unit (100) to copy the process data (PI) into the memory area (400) and the processor (500) is designed to read out process data (PI) copied into the memory area (400).