Peer-to-Peer Communication Cycle

Peer-to-Peer communication functions as a master slave relationship, needing at least one master per network. Configure redundant masters to ensure subnets remain connected if the master peer goes offline. The masters arbitrate the control. Configure any Ethernet port as a master or slave.

The Peer-to-Peer network operates in a cycle. Each controller is asked in turn to send all the configured output data.

At the start of the communications cycle, the peer master issues an inquiry command to the first slave. If the master receives a response, the slave is registered as active and the master repeats the process with the next slave. The sequence continues until all slaved are polled.

The master then sends a transmit data command (token) instructing the first slave to send the output data to the configured peers. The first slave then returns the token to the master and the master repeats the process with the next slave. Once all slaves have been polled, the master transmits the output data. The transmit data cycle is then repeated with the first slave.

The master continuously repeats the communications cycle.

For redundant networks, data integrity is verified using the CRC of the data packet sent between systems.