Performance and ping tests
AN2744
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Performance and ping tests
Our evaluation environment includes a ping test embedded into the demonstration software
and the communication board firmware. This feature allows to perform in-field
communication tests and to evaluate reachability of PLC network nodes.
A ping session is based on a master board sending to one or more slave boards a sequence
of messages. If the messages are correctly received by the slave boards, they are resent
one by one to the master.
The PC.connected to the master keeps statistics of the messages sent and correctly
received by the slave boards, making it possible to get a numerical evaluation of the
reachability of each node corresponding to a slave.
represents the ping window of the demonstration software tool for the master
node. The main characteristics of this tool are indicated in red.
Special controls are included in the ping test:
– Repetition control: repetition can be used to improve reliability of the communication.
When enabled, if a message is not responded by a slave, it will be re-sent up to three
times before sending a new message.
– Medium access control: defines what type of medium access has to be used. Choices
are "none", "BU" or "PD". In the last two cases, messages are sent to slave only if BU
or CD/PD lines of the ST7538Q modem are not active. If PD setting is selected,
content of the ST7538Q internal control register is changed to select "Preamble" as
the detection method.
For further details about the ST7538Q demonstration software tool, please refer to UM0241
"ST7538 Power Line Modem DEMO KIT GUI - User Guide".
Figure 46.
Demonstration software window for the master board
Repetition
Control
Medium
Access
Control
Last
Message
Status
Numerical
Statistics
Graphical
Statistics
Number of
Slaves
(up to 255)
Number of
Messages
Repetition
Control
Medium
Access
Control
Last
Message
Status
Numerical
Statistics
Graphical
Statistics
Number of
Slaves
(up to 255)
Number of
Messages
Summary of Contents for ST7538Q
Page 3: ...AN2744 Contents 3 56 Appendix A Board layout 53 10 Revision history 55...
Page 15: ...AN2744 Board description 15 56 Figure 7 Modem and coupling interface schematic...
Page 16: ...Board description AN2744 16 56 Figure 8 Power supply schematic HIGH VOLTAGE SECTION...
Page 53: ...AN2744 Board layout 53 56 Appendix A Board layout Figure 50 PCB layout top view...
Page 54: ...Board layout AN2744 54 56 Figure 51 PCB layout bottom view...
