Foundation Fieldbus Microcontrollers

[Anand P. Paralkar]

Hi Everybody,

I am trying to build a positioner with Foundation Fieldbus support.

The system architecture would consist of:

a. Analog In (4 - 20 mA for position set-point input in manual mode).

b. Analog Out (4 - 20 mA position output to the pneumatic block).

c. Microcontroller to implement the PID control loop with support for
Foundation Fieldbus. (The primary role of the Foundation Fieldbus
interface is to accept the position set-point and to provide the
current position feedback in auto mode.)

I would like to know of any popular/standard microcontroller that offers:

1. The required peripherals to implement a Foundation Fieldbus
solution. (Preferably a dedicated peripheral such as a serial
port for Foundation Fieldbus.)

2. The complete Foundation Fieldbus software stack.

2. A reference design showing how the microcontroller that implements
the PID loop is interfaced to the physical layer.

I have tried searching for these type of microcontrollers on the
internet with few meaningful results.

I observe that there are some "ASICs" offered by a few not-so-popular
vendors that contain:

1. The dedicated Foundation Fieldbus controller.
2. Microcontroller interface.
3. The MAU or PHY interface.

Any comments on why the big players do not offer something similar or a
full-fledged solution?

Thank you for you for your help.

Thanks,
Anand

 

[Jamie]

Hi Everybody,

I am trying to build a positioner with Foundation Fieldbus support.

The system architecture would consist of:

a. Analog In (4 - 20 mA for position set-point input in manual mode).

b. Analog Out (4 - 20 mA position output to the pneumatic block).

c. Microcontroller to implement the PID control loop with support for
Foundation Fieldbus. (The primary role of the Foundation Fieldbus
interface is to accept the position set-point and to provide the
current position feedback in auto mode.)

I would like to know of any popular/standard microcontroller that offers:

1. The required peripherals to implement a Foundation Fieldbus
solution. (Preferably a dedicated peripheral such as a serial
port for Foundation Fieldbus.)

2. The complete Foundation Fieldbus software stack.

2. A reference design showing how the microcontroller that implements
the PID loop is interfaced to the physical layer.

I have tried searching for these type of microcontrollers on the
internet with few meaningful results.

I observe that there are some "ASICs" offered by a few not-so-popular
vendors that contain:

1. The dedicated Foundation Fieldbus controller.
2. Microcontroller interface.
3. The MAU or PHY interface.

Any comments on why the big players do not offer something similar or a
full-fledged solution?

Thank you for you for your help.

Thanks,
Anand

FF is just a descriptive pipe dream, putting it bluntly that is.

If you want to do some research on bus type systems look at these.

ModBus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modbus

That is a very common protocol these days, even if it is old.

DeviceNet:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeviceNet

This uses the CAN system originally done years ago by Bosch and
maybe closer to what you're looking for. This is, the layer is done
on the same type of physical transport but the protocols are more
advanced.


ControlNet:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ControlNet

THis is closer to what you're looking at but is old, if you use the
Device net, it springs from the COntrolNet which started from the
FieldBus. You may not like this one because it uses a single line. You
do see this in cases of fiber use.


Allen Bradley has a DH and DH+ (data highway) that is done over a few
busses, it is more of a protocol than anything else.

If you look at PLC's for automation, you'll find a lot more

Jamie