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PROFIBUS DP Network configuration
Section 1-2
master exits its OPERATE state, switches the outputs of all assigned slaves
to the fail-safe status and changes to the CLEAR state.
Monitoring at the Slave Slave devices use a watchdog to detect failures of the master or the bus. If
data communication with the master does not occur within the set watchdog
time interval, a slave automatically switches its outputs to the fail-safe mode.
Also, access protection is provided for the inputs and outputs of the slaves
operating in multi-master systems. Only authorized masters can access their
slaves.
1-1-7 Network Operation Modes
PROFIBUS DP distinguishes four different network operation modes:
OFF-LINE Communication with all PROFIBUS DP participants (masters and slaves) is
stopped. The Master ceases to access the PROFIBUS network.
STOP Communication between the master and its slaves is stopped. Only communi-
cation between the master and other masters is still possible.
CLEAR The master tries to set parameters, check the configuration, and perform data
exchange with its associated slaves. Data exchange involves reading the
inputs of the PROFIBUS DP slaves and writing zeros to the outputs of the
slaves.
OPERATE The master exchanges data with its assigned slaves, inputs are read and out-
puts are written. Also, the master cyclically sends its local status to all its
assigned PROFIBUS DP slaves (using a broadcast message).
Auto-CLEAR
Fail-safe State
If an error occurs during the data exchange phase of the master, the ‘AutoCLEAR’ function determines the subsequent actions. If this function has been
disabled, the master remains in the OPERATE mode. If the function has been
enabled, the master automatically changes the network to the CLEAR mode,
in which the outputs of the assigned PROFIBUS DP slaves are switched to
zero, i.e. the ‘fail-safe’ state. The master continues to read the inputs of the
slaves.
1-2 PROFIBUS DP Network configuration
In order to operate a PROFIBUS network, each master in the network needs
to be configured. This process of PROFIBUS Master configuration involves:
• setting up the network topology, i.e. assigning the slave devices with
which the master will be exchanging data,
• defining the parameterization data, which the master will send to each of
the slave devices, before process data exchange can commence
• defining the configuration data, i.e. defining the process data, which will
be exchanged,
• setting up the bus parameters, which define the baud rate and the bus
timing parameters.
• downloading the configuration setup to the master device.
Configuration Technology The configuration process is usually facilitated by a special Computer based
program, often referred to as a Configurator. The Configurator requires special configuration files, defining the configuration options for each device,
which is to participate in data exchange. The files must be provided by the
manufacturer of the device.