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News Release from: EPSG (Ethernet Powerlink Standardization Group)
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 01 March 2005
Standard silicon is key to industrial
Ethernet
More and more embedded devices are networked using the widely deployed and cost-effective Ethernet technology and its accompanying IP-based protocols.
More and more embedded devices are being networked using the widely deployed and cost-effective Ethernet technology and its accompanying IP-based protocols With the introduction of Ethernet Powerlink (EPL) even real-time data with microsecond precision can be transferred via standard Ethernet
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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"Ethernet has succeeded in the IT world due to its openness", says Andreas Pfeiffer, Member of the EPSG board.
"It is only consequent to continue with this openness when introducing Ethernet to real-time systems".
Therefore EPL can be implemented with any Ethernet chip on the market.
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"Proprietary, ASIC-based approaches may probably be a few nanoseconds faster", continues Pfeiffer: "However, past experience with proprietary fieldbuses show that being tied to one single chip vendor, restrictive licence or patent issues and availability issues may sooner or later lead to severe trouble".
One of Ethernet Powerlink's major advantages is that the protocol can be implemented on any standard Ethernet hardware and chip.
Ethernet Powerlink is the only real-time industrial Ethernet solution with microsecond speed and precision which doesn't need support through proprietary hardware components like ASICs.
Nowadays more than 50,000 EPL-enabled devices are already in use predominantly in demanding applications of the automation industry.
These devices are based on various chip architectures, ranging from ARM-based designs to programmable FPGA hardware.
It's up to the device vendor and implementer to decide what silicon suits their needs best.
Market driven solutions and healthy competition keep the price-per-node low.
Upgrading existing devices with EPL connectivity is an easy task as long as there is an Ethernet peripheral available.
Experienced implementation service companies complement the offering as it can be seen at this year's Embedded World show in Nuremberg.
Intel, the world's largest semiconductor vendor, has added EPL optimisations in the network processing engine (NPE) of its Intel IXP 42X processor family of scalable network processors.
The optimisation code is available for free through the EPSG website.
Hirschmann Electronics has already implemented its EPL gateway based on the new Intel code.
The EPL-enabled Intel XScale architecture is the perfect choice for high performance control systems and network infrastructure.
An optimised, licence-free Ethernet Powerlink interface, hub logic and a processor core can be realised on one single Altera Cyclone FPGA.
With this solution, the cost per node has been reduced significantly below the US $10 boundary, including the necessary processing infrastructure for the application.
Vendors of price-sensitive devices such as small sensors, now have access to a universal, flexible architecture which adapts to the needs of the application.
Very few device manufacturers have the time and in-house resources needed to obtain the knowhow to set up and completely implement a communication protocol like EPL.
More often, it's better to concentrate on the main areas of expertise in the device function and ensure a fast and high-quality network connection.
For EPL, well-known organisations offer customised services and components to put designers on the fast track to implementing Ethernet Powerlink.
Companies like Ixxat, SND, port, Hilscher and others have turnkey software stacks and reference boards for various chip architectures.
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