The new SPE ethernet physical standard (10Base-T1L) is the logic ‘last TCP mile’ to the sensor-actuator node that was always missing. The SPE APL protocol will add access to sensor fusion clusters to upscale sensing efficiency many fold over.
Through time BLE3.0 and various other protocols have added support for true TCP packets however without much industry penetration due to the need of an additional gateway and several other challenges. The 4-20mA standard also received a makeover with the Hart protocol to make it more last mile friendly however despite popularity it still did not offer the ‘killer app’ feature.
What does SPE add that all else failed for the last mile support to the node? There are several great new features however the one that will see SPE capitalize on enormous potential and wipe-out competing last mile technologies is a TCP packet from the node to the service consumer without any gateway or additional security risk. Add some tantalising features such as using a single twisted pair, POE (power over ethernet), speed of 10 Mbps, distance of 1000m and all of a sudden the burgeoning sensor advancements have a massive enabler.
CATIM is releasing to market in 2021 a PLC controller network platform that will offer SPE support natively. This facilitate SPE compliant nodes such as sensors can directly be connected via a single twisted pair cable to the Nimbus PLC with no additional gateways or power required. The Nimbus platform will offer various programming options such all IEC61131-3 PLC languages, Node Red or Python etc. The CATIMi Nimbus platform feature IIoT, machine vision / learning & AI intelligence on the edge or alternatively cloud based.
Ethernet-APL is an enhanced physical layer protocoal for single-pair Ethernet (SPE) based on 10BASET1L. It communicates via a cable length of up to 1000 m at 10 MBit/s, full-duplex, which is more than 300 times faster than current technologies, such as HART or fieldbus.
In practice this is how it works….source a SPE APL sensor, plug the single pair cable into the SPE network and then the service application can plug n play it into the edge or wider system. Yes the missing link indeed for the fusion sensors on the horizon…see our blogs on fusion sensor here.
Additional Post information
- SPE network infrastructure for the Industrial IOT overview…see article here
- Single Pair Ethernet Update: Possibilities and Applications…see article here
- What is SPE (10Base-T1L)…see video here
- APL protocol website see here
- Complete System: Single Pair Ethernet…see article here
- Single Pair Ethernet Now Ready to Use…see article here
- Single Pair Ethernet (SPE): for Fast & Direct Communication with The Machine…see article here
- Single Pair Ethernet: Driving the Future of Industrial and Building IoT…see article here
- Design Insights: The Possibilities of SPE; Supercomputing for Everyone…see article here
- New Single-Pair Ethernet for Condition-Monitoring Applications…see article here
- Allied Ask the Expert: How Single Pair Ethernet Enables a Future of Innovation in IIoT…see article here
- How Is Single-Pair Ethernet Set to Change Cabling and Connectivity?…see article here
