Properties of the NMEA Modbus gateway
The NMEA2MODB consists of a general purpose I/O part, communication parts, and an Ethernet interface. The unit has a built-in power supply unit with 18…36 VDC input range. Two separate power supply sources, with automatic change-over are provided. The power source and monitoring is included in the onboard software.
The I/O part contains 32 digital inputs and 32 digital outputs, 4 analog inputs and 4 analog outputs. The unit contains a reference-voltage source to supply external potentiometers or sensors. The communication part contains six UART-type serial interface channels with galvanic isolated RS422/RS485 or RS422 drivers. One channel also has an alternative RS232 driver available. There is also one galvanic isolated CAN-Bus channel. The Ethernet part integrates a 5-port 10/100 Ethernet switch.
The NMEA2MODB units can be connected in a chain, without the need of an external Ethernet switch (the onboard switch functions as a normal Ethernet switch). The setting-up and parameterisation of the NMEA2MODB module is performed through the WEB-server, using a normal HTML-browser.
The NMEA to Modbus gateway unit fulfills the IEC 60945:2002 EMC standard and respective environmental standards.
General purpose I/O (remote I/O Server)
Control of the TM-EFDC digital and analogue I/O parts are available through MODBUS/TCP protocol. The onboard basic software application contains a MODBUS/TCP server and the user can read the digital and analogue input registers and write corresponding output registers through this MODBUS/TCP server function.
The digital outputs can be selected to operate as 0...100% PWM output for example the dimming of the panel pilot lights.
The software is compliant with the IEC 61162-1 standard.
Communication part (Serial Device server)
The TM-EFDC communication part operates as a serial data communication device server. With this server function, the traffic through the UART (RS422 and RS232) and CAN- ports can be transferred either by UDP or TCP- protocols into the Ethernet- network (LAN).
The UART and CAN- controlled transport parameters and the UDP and TCP server properties are set by the HTML browser. The TM-EFDC unit has two RS422/485 and four RS422 galvanic isolated serial channels. There is also alternatively RS232 line driver available for one serial channel.
All RS422/RS485 and RS422 Serial channels fully conform to IEC61162-2 standard and also compatible with IEC61162-1 standard devices.