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Distributed Computing for the Factory-floor: a Real-Time Approach Using WorldFIP Networks Outdated
Ref: HURRAY-TR-9908       Publication Date: 1, Mar, 1999

Abstract:
WorldFIP is normalised as European standard EN 50170 - General Purpose Field Communication System. Field communication systems (fieldbuses) started to be widely used as the communication support for distributed computer-controlled systems (DCCS), and are being used in all sorts of process control and manufacturing applications within different types of industries. There are several advantages in the use of fieldbuses as a replacement for the traditional point-to-point links between sensors/actuators and computer-based control systems. Besides economical reasons (cable savings), fieldbuses allow an increased decentralisation and distribution of the processing power over the field. Using fieldbuses to support DCCS, an important issue is "how to schedule real-time traffic in order to guarantee its timing requirements"?. WorldFIP has very interesting mechanisms to schedule data transfers, since it explicitly distinguishes two types of traffic: periodic and aperiodic. In this paper we describe how WorldFIP handles these two types of traffic, and more importantly, we provide a comprehensive analysis for guaranteeing the real-time requirements of both periodic and aperiodic traffic.

Eduardo Tovar

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Francisco Vasques