Renesas Electronics has announced the development of its new two-channel single-chip IO-Link solution for IO-Link master applications, based on cooperation with its business partners ELMOS Semiconductor and TMG-Karlsruhe. The IO-Link combines Renesas' 78K0R-based 16bit microcontroller and the two-channel Elmos IO-Link transceiver in a small 9x9mm QFN package.
IO-Link is the new standard serial digital communications protocol used for sensors and actuators in industrial automation systems. IO-Link offers compatible integration into existing fieldbus or Industrial Ethernet environments; process, parameter and diagnostics data in one cable; and compatible cabling to existing sensor communication.
The master solution is a single chip device, which integrates a complete two-channel master transceiver along with the master software stack operating on the 78K0R CPU core. As a result, it reduces the required board space. The concept allows development of a scalable solution with up to 32 channels when combining several of the IO-link master chips via a single SPI-based sum protocol. Alternatively, system designers can connect an upper layer device through the UART protocol. The key benefit for the system designer is the offload of the master -related stack functions from a central controller that usually operates the application software of an IO module or IO box and the uplink protocol such as PROFINET or Ethernet/IP.
The master stack will support IO-Link version 1.1. Alternatively, system designers can develop and maintain their own software stacks. The transceiver integrates analogue components, which enable system designers to eliminate the use of additional external components and develop a complete IO-Link master product at low cost. To support system designers in using the IO-Link, the company provides a development kit at a low cost.
