Every controller, one bus - INTERBUS

As with any other bus system - no matter whether it is in a normal PC or in industrial automation - INTERBUS also needs central intelligence. This "brain" can, however, be specially configured to suit the requirements. INTERBUS functions on the master-slave principle. This means that a master manages all the other devices within a network.

Lower-level subsystems are still possible. The sub master acts as a slave in the overall network and passes its control functions on to "its" devices. So-called coupling elements allow contact between two autonomous networks.

The functions of an INTERBUS master always depend on the automation task. All manufacturers do, however, guarantee that they will integrate certain functions in their masters. All INTERBUS masters provide fundamental diagnostic properties for simple troubleshooting and for integrating higher-level software and visualization systems. The master merely has the task of controlling the bus and thus monitoring the transmitted and received telegrams of the various automation components within the bus configuration. At the same time, it is the interface to the control program to be worked through, no matter what it is based on. We distinguish basically between the classical PLC program and the PC-based control systems.

For the hardware, this means either a connection for the PLC used, or a PC card for the host computer, with the corresponding drivers. The trend for future automation systems is definitely toward the PC. The PLC systems are becoming less and less important due to various disadvantages. The industrial PC builds the bridge between the hardware environment and the program platform. Devices that have been adapted to the harsh environmental conditions and have a proprietary programming language are a further step in guaranteeing decentralization in the automation process. The INTERBUS master functions are achieved with a corresponding interface. The scalable interface ranges from the simple PC dongle to a PC card with its own coprocessor system.