Configuring a Time-Triggered Network for Time-Triggered Communication (RT Module)

Use the Network Configuration dialog box to configure the time-triggered network. You can configure the RT targets that share data on the network, the time-triggered shared variables, and the time-triggered network timing sources.

Complete the following steps to configure a network for time-triggered communication.

1. Select Tools»Real-Time Module»Configure Time-triggered Network to open the Network Configuration dialog box.
2. Click the Network node in the Network Configuration tree to display the Timed-triggered Network page. Use the Timed-triggered Network page to set the network speed, the cycle time, and the reflection time for time-triggered shared variables of shared memory block type. The Timed-triggered Network page displays the estimated transmission times for the shared memory blocks of each RT target.
3. Click a Target node in the Network Configuration tree to display the Target page. Use the Target page to set an id for an RT target, to specify the speed of the secondary Ethernet device for the target, and to specify the MAC address of the secondary Ethernet device.

The Network Configuration dialog box displays a timeline graph at the bottom of the window. The timeline shows the Cycle Start block and the time-triggered variable transmission blocks. The timeline graph displays the time-triggered shared variables that you configured as part of a shared memory block in blue and labeled by the name of the RT target. Time-triggered shared variables of dedicated slot type appear on the timeline graph in yellow. You can rearrange the blocks on the timeline by clicking the RT target label and then dragging across the timeline. The timeline displays conflicting blocks in red.

Note  You can set an offset only for the first shared memory block by dragging on the timeline. All other shared memory blocks for other RT targets transmit in order after the first block. Use time-triggered shared variables with a dedicated time slot type if you want to set offsets between the transmission of the shared variables or to rearrange the transmission order.

4. Drag the blocks in the timeline to resolve conflicts between different communication blocks and to configure the precise time for each communication block to transmit data.
5. Click the Check Configuration button to test the current configuration of the deterministic network. The Network Configuration dialog box returns error conditions or conflicts.
6. Click the OK button to save the time-triggered network settings and close the Network Configuration dialog box.