EtherCAT TSN Communication Profile

Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) is a set of bridging standards that enable real time communication in a switched network. TSN can be used in heterogeneous networks and offers different functions such as

  • Time synchronization
  • Scheduled traffic with time slices reserved for real time traffic
  • Frame preemption (interruption of low priority frames with continuation after interrupting traffic is completed)
  • Stream reservation

All functions are based on a streaming concept with a talker sending not more as a specified amount of data to one or more listeners.

EtherCAT can use streams for the transport of data between Master and EtherCAT segments. No changes are required to support the TSN adaptation. The master can use TSN to run several applications and control multiple EtherCAT segments which allows a higher flexibility on a standard platform.

This draft is based on IEEE 802.1 TSN standards that are not published yet. The IEEE 802.1 Working Group is involved in the review of this draft as requested in the liaison response. This cooperation helps to build a stable platform for TSN use in combination with EtherCAT. The IEEE 802.1 draft specifications required for evaluation of this document are available to ETG members for review.

The ETG.1700 EtherCAT TSN Communication Profile is availble as draft for review within ETG for 6 weeks. Review period ends September 13, 2018. Please provide comments to Dr. Karl Weber directly by using the comment form below.

You may not copy, distribute or “mirror” the files or printed versions of the documents, or any part of it, without permission in writing from the ETG (EtherCAT Technology Group).

  Name Sprache Typ Datum Größe Ver. Status
Nur für Mitgliedermembers-yes ETG.1700 EtherCAT TSN Communication Profile EN PDF Aug 02, 2018 0,87 MB 0.9.1 Draft for Review 
Nur für Mitgliedermembers-yes ETG.1700 Comment Form EN  DOC  Aug 02, 2018  0,04 MB