Real-time communication, workload consolidation, high-speed networking and more! TQ highlights at embedded world 2020

Real-time communication

A new era has dawned in the field of real-time communication. A new standard helps to simplify the design of real-time capable networks, which until now rely on IEEE 1588 in combination with a real-time protocol. Time Sensitive Networking (TSN/IEEE 802.1) makes controllers with real-time requirements accessible in the medium term using web-based technology.

Parallel to the general data traffic in existing IT networks, TSN enables time-synchronous and deterministic communication for controllers by means of network convergence. TSN can be used, for example, for the transmission of real-time video and audio streams, for the control of industrial plants and for control systems in cars and airplanes. For this area, TQ presents new solutions based on different CPU architectures and processor platforms.

Fieldbuses

Many industrial automation tasks are solved using fieldbuses and are an integral part of machines. The most common fieldbuses include Profibus/Profinet, Modbus, DeviceNet, EtherCat and CANopen. Different physical interfaces such as RS485, Ethernet or CAN bus are required for implementation. The challenge in the implementation lies especially with the slave devices, which must meet the hard real-time requirements.

The selection of the respective fieldbus system does not depend on technical requirements, but mostly on the area of use and the application used. This includes industrial or building automation, for example, whereby each fieldbus technology thus addresses industry-specific requirements. After comprehensive analysis and permanent consideration of these requirements, TQ has expanded the product portfolio with corresponding new products.

Highspeed networking

TQ-Embedded has many years of experience in the area of fast networks. Some time ago, the maximum network speed was 100 Mbit, although this is still relevant for many projects today. In the age of digitalization, however, a rapid development happens. Industrial plants and systems are processing growing data sets due to Industry 4.0 and IIoT. This requires faster and more powerful networks.

10 Gigabit Ethernet is already finding its way into industry. The network technology’s main areas of applications are larger gateways, routers and edge servers. TQ-Embedded presents its roadmap to 100 Gigabit technology for this purpose.

Workload Consolidation

In an industry 4.0 architecture, distributed tasks can be migrated to a common hardware platform using new multi-core processors. In doing so, several operating systems can run simultaneously in each application. This creates a layer of separate virtual machines on the hardware platform, which work with their own network interfaces and storage media.

This so-called workload consolidation decouples the hardware from the software. At the same time, the software enables numerous new functionalities. TQ presents suitable COM Express modules based on Intel Core processors of the 8th generation.

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