High Speed Embedded Protocol for Distributed Control Systems

摘要

A control network communication arrangement includes a second protocol embedded into a first protocol in a way that modules supporting the second protocol may be aware of and utilize the first protocol whereas modules supporting only the first protocol may not be aware of the second protocol. Operation of modules using the second protocol does not disturb operation of the modules not configured to use or understand the second protocol. By one approach, the messages sent using the second protocol will be seen as messages sent using the first protocol but not having a message necessary to understand or as needing a particular response. In another approach, modules using the second protocol can be configured to send messages within a CAN message frame without being compatible with CAN.

主权项

1. A method of communication among two or more modules over a common control network, the method comprising:
sending from a communication device over a control network a Controller Area Network (CAN) message packet the CAN message packet defined by bits having a plurality of bit quanta, wherein data for the CAN message packet is defined by a signal level at defined bit quanta of a bit, the defined bit quanta being less than every bit quanta of a bit; sending additional information within the CAN message packet using bit quanta of Prop-Seg bits of the CAN message packet other than the defined bit quanta; during an idle status of the control network, transmitting from a dedicated communication module connected to communicate on the control network a synchronization pulse overlay configured to synchronize other modules on the control network to the dedicated communication module.