ControlNet, Rockwell, Allen-Bradley, EtherNet/IP, MicroLogix, SLC, DH485, Bridge, Gateway, 1756, 1769, PanelView, PanelView Plus, PV800, PLC5, Mapping, Tags, Direct-to-Tag, ControlNet Router

Overview

The ControlNet Router provides intelligent data routing between either EtherNet/IP or Modbus TCP/RTU and a ControlNet network. This allows the user to integrate ControlNet devices into a EtherNet/IP based Rockwell Logix platform (e.g., ControlLogix or CompactLogix) or any Modbus Master or Slave device with minimal effort.

The ControlNet Router also provides intelligent data routing between ControlNet and Ethernet PCCC (CSP). This will allow the user to connect new PanelView Plus devices (with no ControlNet interface) to existing ControlNet networks.

The ControlNet Mode can be configured to be either of the following two interface modes:

            Target

A Logix controller can own the ControlNet Router over ControlNet using a scheduled ControlNet connection when the ControlNet Router is operating as a ControlNet target. This will allow the ControlNet Router to exchange data with the Logix controller using the input and output assembly of the scheduled ControlNet connection. Data from EtherNet/IP or Modbus TCP devices can be mapped to the Logix controller over ControlNet.

            Originator

As a ControlNet originator, the module can use one of two methods to read and write data to and from ControlNet IO:

• Scheduled ControlNet

The ControlNet Router can be configured to own ControlNet IO by using the Slate software to configure the IO connections and schedule the ControlNet network. Data from the ControlNet IO (via the IO input and output assemblies) can be exchanged with any of the Ethernet mode interfaces (e.g. EtherNet/IP Target or Modbus TCP Slave).

• ControlNet Explicit Messaging

This allows the ControlNet Router to exchange data with up to 10 ControlNet devices using explicit messaging over ControlNet. The module can Get or Set data in the remote ControlNet devices with Custom Class, Instance, Attribute values.

The Ethernet Mode can be configure to be any of the following five interface modes:

PCCC Client

The support for Ethernet PCCC (CSP) allows the module to emulate a PLC5 or SLC providing a legacy interface for PanelViews and other devices over scheduled ControlNet. This will allow an Ethernet-only PanelView to exchange data with a Logix controller using an existing ControlNet connection.

EtherNet/IP Target

A Logix controller can own the ControlNet Router over EtherNet/IP using a class 1 connection when the ControlNet Router is operating as a EtherNet/IP Target. This will allow the ControlNet Router to exchange data with the Logix controller using the input and output assembly of the EtherNet/IP Class 1 connection. Data from ControlNet devices (when operating as a ControlNet Originator) or Controllers on ControlNet (when operating as a ControlNet Target) can be mapped to the Logix controller over EtherNet/IP.

            EtherNet/IP Originator

As an EtherNet/IP originator, the module can use one of three methods to read and write data to and from the EtherNet/IP network:

• EtherNet/IP Class 1 Connection

The ControlNet Router can be configured to own EtherNet/IP IO by using the Slate software to configure the Class 1 connections. Each ControlNet Router can own up to 16 EtherNet/IP devices. Data from the EtherNet/IP IO (via the input and output assemblies) can be exchanged with the ControlNet network (when operating as either a ControlNet Target or Originator).

• EtherNet/IP Explicit Messaging

This allows the ControlNet Router to exchange data with up to 10 EtherNet/IP devices using explicit messaging over EtherNet/IP. The module can use either Class 3, Unconnected Messaging (UCMM), or Logix Tag to Get and Set data in the remote EtherNet/IP devices with configurable Class, Instance, Attribute values (when using UCMM or Class 3). Logix Tag messages are used to exchange data with a Logix controller by directly writing to or reading from Logix tags. The user can browse to the Logix controller (using the Slate Target Browser) as well as browse the Logix Controller Tag list (using the Slate Tag Browser) to select the desired destination Tag.

            Modbus TCP Master

The data from either ControlNet IO (when operating as a ControlNet originator) or ControlNet input and output assemblies (when operating as a ControlNet Target) will be written to, or read from, the module’s internal Modbus Registers. The Modbus Auxiliary Map can then be used to configure the Modbus data exchange between multiple remote Modbus Slave devices and the module’s internal Modbus registers. The Modbus communication utilizes Modbus TCP.

            Modbus TCP Slave

The data from either ControlNet IO (when operating as a ControlNet originator) or ControlNet input and output assemblies (when operating as a ControlNet Target) will be written to, or read from, the module’s internal Modbus Registers using the internal mapping functions. These Modbus registers can be accessed by a remote Modbus Master using Modbus TCP.

The ControlNet Router uses an internal mapping strategy allowing the user to map any data from any supported interface to any other supported interface. Slate provides an online import tool for existing Logix controllers with IO connections to assist with the setup and configure of originator connections (EtherNet/IP or ControlNet).

The ControlNet Router can also be used to go online and program a Logix controller over ControlNet using an Ethernet connection from the local PC.