TMC8462 Datasheet • Document Revision V1.4 • 2018-May -09
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6 EtherCAT Slave Controller Description
6.1 General EtherCAT Information
TMC8462 contains a standard-conform EtherCAT Slave Controller (ESC) providing real-time EtherCAT
MAC layer functionality to EtherCAT slave devices. The ESC part of TMC8462 provides the following
EtherCAT-related features:
•
16 KByte of Process Data RAM (PDRAM): The PDRAM is a dual ported RAM, which allows exchange of
data between the EtherCAT master and the local application.
•
Eight Sync Managers (SM): Sync Managers are used to control and secure the data exchange via the
PDRAM in terms of data consistency, data security, and synchronized read/write operations on the
data objects. Two modes –buffered mode and mailbox mode – are available.
•
•
Eight Fieldbus Memory Management Units (FMMU): FMMUs are used for mapping of logical addresses
to physical addresses. The EtherCAT master uses logical addressing for data than spans multiple
slaves. An FMMU can map such a logical address range to a continuous local physical address range.
64 bit Distributed Clock support (DC): DC is the base of the real-time capability of EtherCAT. Their
underlying algorithms compute delay times between the master and the slaves and between slaves
and update a common time stamp in all slaves. This way, synchronized time stamps (LATCH0/1) and
synchronized trigger signals (SYNC0/1) are available in every slave and to the master.
•
•
IIC interface for external SII EEPROM for ESC configuration: After reset and at power up, the ESC
requires reading basic (and advanced) configuration data from an external SII EEPROM to properly
configure interfaces, operation modes, and and feature availability. The SII EEPROM may be read and
written by the master or the local application controller as well.
SPI Process Data Interface (PDI): The PDI is the interface between the local application controller
and the ESC. Application-specific process data and EtherCAT control and status information for the
EtherCAT State Machine (ESM) is exchanged via this interface.
• Device Emulation Mode: This mode is a special mode of operation where no ESM in the application
controller is required. The slave’s operation states are simply directly set by the master without
control of an ESM. This is beneficial for small and simple slaves, for example simple IO devices.
To manufacture own slaves devices, a registration with the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) is required.
More information and resources on the EtherCAT technology and the EtherCAT standard are available
here:
• EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) (http://www.ethercat.org/)
• EtherCAT is standardized by the IEC (http://www.iec.ch/) and filed as IEC-Standard 61158.
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