EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology) is an open real-time Ethernet network, which uses standard Ethernet data frames. It consists of two main units, the EHU HOST central unit and the SLAVE peripheries (servo drives, EPU). The cable from the EHU has to be connected to the input terminal of the closest SLAVE periphery unit (EPU, servo drives, etc.), while the output of this periphery will be connected to the input of next perifery and so on. The system can be optionally chained over and over again, and extended with more SLAVE units.
EtherCAT hardver
The Ethercat network consists of one HOST unit and one or more (up to 65535) SLAVES. The hardware of the HOST unit (EHU) is a universal Ethernet network adapter (most PCs have it), which is capable sending and receiving of 100 Mbit/s Ethernet data frames. The SLAVE units have a special chip that enables them to select the data that refer to them, from the EtherCAT data stream that passes through them, and also to add their outgoing data with minimal delay. The SLAVES can be units for simple I/O functions (I16, O16) and intelligent units (TTLAI, DANI, SENS) containing micro controller, DSP as well. The SLAVE EtherCAT chip is actually a dual-port RAM (double sided read/write memory), from one side the EtherCAT network, on the other side the micro controller or the DSP writes and reads the RAM. In the case of a simple I/O unit the inputs are mirrored in the RAM (they are mapped here), and the outputs are updated from the RAM as well. Through the EtherCAT data frames the HOST actually sends reading and writing commands to the actual SLAVE RAM area.

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