Communication

COMMUNICATION
Between people

Voice
Language

COMMUNICATION
Between machines

Physical
Layer
Communication
Protocols

General Review
Physical layer
Unitronics PLCs support several
physical layers:

RS232

(2 units; up to 16 meters)

RS485

(up to 32 units; up to 1200 meters daisy chain)

CANbus (up to 64 units; up to 1000 meters daisy chain)

Ethernet (up to 100 meters from device to HUB Star(

General Review
Protocols
Unitronics PLCs support
several Protocols:

Pcom (Unitronics private protocol)

MODBUS
CANbus (Unitronics ISC, UniCAN, CANOpen)
MODBUS IP
Option to implement third party protocols
(RS232/485 and Ethernet)

Hardware Review

Serial

M90

M91/91-2
Jazz
(option)

V120

port, 1
RS232

port, 1
RS232/485

, ports 2
RS232/485

ports, RS232 2
optional port,
1
RS232/485

Some
models

Some
models

All
models

None

None

Ethernet card
(optional)

CANbus Some
models

Ethernet None

V230/260/280/290

V570

, isolated ports 2
RS232/485

Yes

Ethernet card
(optional)

Protocol Review
M90

M91/91-2

V120

V230/260/280/290
/V570

RS232
RS485

Pcom

Pcom
Pcom
Pcom
MODBUS
MODBUS
MODBUS
User defined User defined User defined

CANbus

ISC

ISC

ISC
UniCAN
CANOpen

ISC
UniCAN
CANOpen

Ethernet

None

None

None

Pcom over IP
MODBUS IP
User defined

Physical Layers
RS232

Communication parameters

Baud rate:

300 ~ 115200 bps

Start bit:

always 1bit

Data bits:

7 or 8 data bits

Parity check:

Even, Odd, None 1 bit

Stop bits:

1, 1.5 or 2 bits

Communication word can be only 10 or 11 bits

All communication parameters in both sides must be exactly the same!
M90/91 & Jazz default parameters: 9600, 7, Even, 1
Vision default parameters:
57600/115200, 8, None, 1

Physical Layers
RS485
Communication in daisy chain network up to 32 devices
Balanced half duplex signal (RS485)
Two wires A (Rx/Tx+) and B (Rx/Tx-);
Up to 1200 meters - twisted shielded pair cable;
Supported by Jazz (optional) M91-2-xx, V120, V2xx (optional) controllers, V570

Physical Layers
RS485
Communication parameters same as in RS232
Addressing (Unitronics OPLC) ID 65 ~ 254

Protocol Review
The Pcom Protocol
All Unitronics PLC operating systems are embedded with
the Pcom protocol. Pcom enables Unitronics PLCs as slave
devices, enabling them to be accessed by incoming
communications via all ports.
The Pcom protocol is also the protocol that we use for
programming, remote access, and data acquisition
The Pcom protocol is addressable by nature (part of the
protocol) and so it can work over a network as well.
The Pcom protocol is given free as a DLL with all
documentation and help for people to implement inside their
software.

Protocol review
The Pcom protocol
Two other implementations of the Pcom protocol are the
DDEserver and the OPCserver.
DDEserver and OPCserver are PC based applications that
can, on one hand, take information from our PLCs and on the
other give out this information in a format that other Windows
based applications can understand (like SCADA systems for
example).
Our DDE and OPC server are given free on the installation
CD of both U90Ladder and VisiLogic, or can be downloaded
from our website.

Protocol Review
The MODBUS protocol
One of the most common protocols in the market is the
MODBUS protocol.
The MODBUS protocol, originally made for Modicon PLCs,
is shared by many SCADA applications, drives and other
equipment.
In order to support MODBUS, the PLC has to conform with
the MODBUS addressing structure.
MODBUS is a master-slave protocol, and can run over
RS232/485 as well as Ethernet.
There are different versions of Modbus. We support
Modbus RTU (binary) over RS232/485 and Modbus IP over
Ethernet

? What do you think

Lets make a small application that

implements MODBUS communication
between two PLCs.
One PLC will act as master PLC, and the
second will act as slave.

Physical Layers
CANbus
Unitronics CANbus runs on the same physical layer as
A.B.s DeviceNet, but uses a different protocols.

A CANbus network can include up to 63 PLCs and mix

different models of M90/91as well as Vision.

CAN bus wiring Specifications

CAN bus Cable Lookout

Protocol Review
CANbus as Bridge
A PC can talk to a Vision via the RS232 serial port.
The PLC can act as a bridge between RS232 and CANbus.
Up to 63 PLCs can be connected in a CANbus net and then
linked via the bridge to a PC.
The PC can see each PLC in the CANbus net.
The bridge controller needs no special programming or
hardware. Any random controller in the net can act as the bridge.
This connection also allows software download and upload to
every PLC on the net.
In the case of a mixed network (M90/91 and Visions) the bridge
controller must be a Vision PLC.

CAN bus Network to PC

Unit ID 1
Bridge

Unit ID 2

Unit ID 3

Protocol Review
Protocols over CANbus
PLCs on the CANbus network can also talk among themselves.
In Unitronics protocols ISC and UniCAN, the PLCs are both
master and slave. ISC and UniCAN are Multimaster protocols
CANOpen is protocol, supported by a lot of third party devices. Its
supported only by Vision series OPLC. Unitronics acts as Master.
One Unitronics controller can be connected to few other devices.

? What do you think

Lets build a small application that connects two

PLCs in CANbus - UniCAN and allows them to
read information from each other.

Remote Communication
Modem
All Unitronics PLCs
support modem
connection.
Connecting to the PLC
from afar enables one
to remotely download,
debug and upload
applications.

Remote Communication
Modem
Unitronics PLCs support 4
types of modems:
PSTN modem (Plain Simple
Telephone Network)
GSM/GPRS modem (wireless)
CDMA modem
RF modems

Remote Communication
Modem
When we want to connect a PC to a PLC via modem
we have 3 aspects to look at:
PLC to modem
Modem to modem
Modem to PC

The cable connecting the PLC and

modem is the Unitronics
programming cable, accompanied
by a special connector (each
modem has its own). The modem
has to be prepared, via software,
before it is connected.

The connection can be established both from the PC and the PLC

Remote communication
SMS
One of the major advantages of
cellular modems is the ability to
send short text messages
(SMS).
SMS is a global standard that
allows the sending of characters
from one phone to the another.
The phones can either be on
the same network or on different
ones (depending on
agreements between the
cellular providers).

Remote Communication
SMS
The ability to connect the PLC
to a cellular phone opens up a wide
variety of applications.
Basically, a PLC connected to a GSM
modem can receive pre-programmed
messages and act accordingly.
The PLC can also respond by sending a
message to a cellular phone.

Remote Communication
Another important part of Remote Access is the

Ethernet

Remote Communication
Ethernet
Unitronics Vision230/260/280/290/570 all
support Ethernet.
Our Ethernet Card offers 4 sockets
and works with both TCP/IP and UDP/IP.
The Ethernet card can work with speeds of
either 10 or 100Mbps.
The PLC supports the MODBUS over TCP
protocol and uses this as the connection to
SCADA systems and among PLCs.

Remote Communication
Software Utilities

As part of Unitronics philosophy, we

provide a special software utilities
-free with our Software CDs.
This utility enables PC to PLC
modem connection and remote
accesseven without VisiLogic or
U90Ladder software.

Remote Communication
Remote access

This easy to use tool is in fact a

very simple SCADA It enables
monitoring and operate of the
controller from PC.
Remote access supports
RS232/485, Modems, Ethernet and
CAN bus via bridge.

Remote Communication
DataXport

This tool is especially designed to

make automated reading of Data
Tables from Remote OPLC to PC.
Supports RS232/485, modem
connection and Ethernet.

Unitronics Thank You

RS485 Wiring Specifications

CAN bus Cable Lookout

RS232/RS485 Port Pinout

M91-19-4xx, the new M91-2-xx and
Vision series controllers have common
.RS232/485 COM ports
RS232 or RS485 are jumper
.selectable

General Review
In order to establish
communication we need
to deal with 4 elements:
Physical layer
Protocol
Baud rate
Data structure

? What do you think

What's the maximum number of PCs that can

look simultaneously at one PLC?

Lets make a small application that

communicates between two PLCs over the
Ethernet.

General Review
Baud rate
Unitronics PLCs support a wide
range of baud rates:

9600-57600bps for serial communication

50-1000Kbps For CANbus
10/100Mbps for Ethernet

General Review
Data structure
Unitronics PLCs support different
structures:

10/11 for serial

11 bit format
TCP or UPD for Ethernet

Physical Layers
RS232
Communication between two devices only
Unbalanced full duplex signal
Up to 16 meters
Supported by all Unitronics controllers

Physical Layers
RS232
Two types of communicating devices:

DTE (Data Terminal Equipment)

Computers
Controllers

DCE (Data Circuit-Terminated Equipment)

Printers
Modems
Male DB9

Female DB9

Physical Layers
RS232

DTE signals and pin-out

Computer

Unitronics OPLC

DCE signals and pin-out

? What do you think

Can I centralize information from 9 PLCs on the

CANbus network into one PLC?

What is the maximum number of PCs that can

simultaneously look at the data within a Unitronics
CANbus network?

I have a sensor that runs on CANopen. Can I

connect it to the CANbus network and read the
value inside the PLC?

Remote Communication
Modem
A modem, in general, has two modes of operation:

Data mode
Command mode

In Data mode, the modem is a tube

conveying data between two points.
When
we talk of
modems
in a use the AT
In Command
mode,
one can
network
(liketoRF),
we must ascertain
commands
communicate
with the
that
the modem
not add
modem,
changedoes
settings,
or make the
anything
to the data;
if it does,
we
modem perform
different
operations.
must
take it into
consideration
the
The modem
stays
in commandinmode
protocol.
In order
to entertodata
until someone
connects
it, ormode,
gives
the
has to connect to the
themodem
dial command.
other modem (or the network), and at
the end of the session it must
disconnect.

? What do you think

What conditions have to be met in order to

download an operating system over a modem?

Can I use internal modems on the PC? What

selections do I have to make in the PC modem
configuration?

Can I be connected, over modem, to more

than one PLC at a time?

? What do you think

I want to have a system that will call me every

time there is an event, can I do that? What will
happen when the system calls?
If I want to connect to one of my PLCs for
debugging, can SMS messages still flow in and
out of the modem?

Can an SMS be considered as a real-time

event from the system?