SYS TEC electronic’s POWERLINK software solution from Embedded Logic Solutions
Embedded Logic Solutions is a distributor of SYS TEC electronic’s automation solutions. SYS TEC electronic, a member of the Ethernet POWERLINK Standardization Group (EPSG), has released a POWERLINK solution under the BSD Open Source license. The openPOWERLINK software package is a sample implementation for Linux systems.
The openPOWERLINK software package available from Embedded Logic Solutions contains the protocol stack for the managing node (master) and controlled nodes (clients). POWERLINK, which operates with standard, on-board Ethernet controllers, reaches cycle times up to 0.5 milliseconds in this Open Source implementation while ensuring high synchronicity. Supported by co-processors, POWERLINK even ensures cycle times up to 0.1 ms.
The BSD license allows anyone to use, distribute and modify the openPOWERLINK software and to add development enhancements free of charge. Any user may integrate the openPOWERLINK software into products and sell these. As long as they do not remove the copyright notice from the underlying source code, users are not required to disclose the source code of their own adaptations to the stack.
The openPOWERLINK software package enables the users and manufacturers alike to closely analyze the Ethernet-based real-time protocol and to adapt it to their own applications without license obstacles.
"Through the Open Source release, users gain complete independence in handling the network and are free to adapt it to their own applications. We are thereby aiming at increasing their confidence in this fully developed technology", explains Siegmar Schmidt, Managing Director of SYS TEC electronic.
"We offer services to customers and provide professional support, i.e. in adaptations for specific operating systems or development of customer-specific extensions. Based on our know-how regarding the stack, we are an ideal partner for all requirements."
SYS TEC electronic also offers a POWERLINK Starter Kit which helps the customer to start the development of Ethernet POWERLINK device quickly. At the core of every kit is a fast freescale MCF5484 single board computer. It is preprogrammed with a Linux-OS, a fully functional EPL stack, as well as sample application code.
24-Jun-2008