WESTLOCK CONTROLS CORPORATION
280 N. MIDLAND AVE., STE. 258, SADDLE BROOK, NJ 07663 TEL: 201-794-7650 FAX: 201-794-0913
www.westlockcontrols.com
10/5/2013
TECH-477/D.W.O. 21424
Page 17 of 206
Definitions and Acronyms
Acronym
Definitions
GSD
General Station Description File
EDD
Electronic Device Description
PNO
The PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation e.V. (PROFIBUS User
Organization)
PROFIBUS
Process Field Bus
PROFIBUS DP PROFIBUS Decentralized Periphery
PROFIBUS PA PROFIBUS Process Automation
MBP
Manchester Bus Powered
DTM
Device Type Manager
PROFIBUS-related definitions
1
GSD
A TXT file to inform to help the configuration system to know the capability of each device.
The GSD file name has the identification number (ident number), and each PROFIBUS
device type has a unique ident number. If you know the ident number, you can find easily
the GSD file.
Cyclic Data Transfer
At device startup the master configured the data to be exchange cyclic. The GSD provide
the information needs for the master to configure the cyclic data transfer automatically.
Acyclic Data Transfer
Asynchrony data transfer. The master requests a data and receives it from the slave.
Basic Device
A Basic Device is any device not having the capability to communicate on PROFIBUS
fieldbus segment.
Bus
A set of segments (DP and PA) connected via repeaters or couplers. Allow up to 128
devices.
Communications Stack
It is a layered software supporting communication between devices. A Communications
Stack is device communications software, which provides encoding and decoding of User
Layer messages, deterministic control of message transmission, and message transfer.
Device Coupler
A device coupler is a physical interface between a PROFIBUS DP segment and
PROFIBUS PA segment.
Electronic Device Description (EDD)
1
For the complete list of definitions please see the Profile for Process Control Devices - Version 3.02 - April
2009