The communication TMATIC subsystem is another own of the “common” solutions of the TELECONT’s Complex Automation Systems – CAS. TMATIC designed as a real time subsystem, according to the Real Time definition.
TMATIC consists of RTUs installed in the objects and Front_End Servers installed inside the Control Centers, located on different system levels – Local, Regional and Central.
The automation objects distinguish mostly by the type of local networks and protocols used on the process and object levels.
On ”process” level the protocols
- IEC 60870 – 5 – 103, Modbus etc. in energetics,
- IEC 60870 – 5 – 102 and IEC 61107 in EMS systems,
- Profibus, Device Net etc. in industrial automation systems,
are used.
On “object” level the protocols
- IEC 60870–5–101/104 inside telemechanical systems (including energetics, subway etc.)
- SECS, Profibus, Modbus etc. by the industrial automation systems
are used.
TMATIC structure
It consists of RTUs, installed in the objects and Front_End (FE) Servers installed in Control Centers throughout the system hierarchy. With respect to the FE Servers, the RTU’s serves as Server/Slave.
Each RTU subscribes to more than one FE Server by separate communication channels. Thus the communication works in parallel and independently.
The RTU, selects from the whole process information amount available, a set of specific information meeting the needs of the concrete Server.
If around the object, where the main RTU is installed, there are another objects, which didn’t have a direct connection to the appropriate Servers, so the RTU can collect their data, combine them with his own information and resent to the corresponding subscriber. In this case the RTU functions also as Data Concentrator. According to the belonging objects the RTU functions as Client/Master and the communication with every one of them is carry out independent and in parallel.
The RTU supplies his subscribers with an individual set of data.
For their part, the Front_End Servers perform data exchange with different system structures along the system hierarchy. As the RTU’s, they function also as Server/Slave of many subscribers, and deliver each of them with the required data in an independent and in parallel manner.
The structure of the communication processes is described in “Technologies – Communication”.
TMATIC functions
The functions of the communication subsystem TMATIC is collection of the RTU functions and Front_End Server functions.
Front_End Server functions
The main functions of the Front_End Server are:
- to support the communication with its adjacent objects over various communication environments, technologies and protocols
- to control the communication processes individually through all established connections
- to receive process information from its adjacent objects
- to watch for the data-validity, completeness and up-to-date of each information channel
- to acknowledge the information delivered by the objects
- to surveil for communication disturbance, or connection disturbances or losses with the objects
- to process the received data, and to create new “logical signals”, “calculated measures” and commands, based on selected sets of data and different logical and/or mathematical dependencies
- to deliver information to other system structures, including SCADA Servers, HIS Servers etc.
- to receive information from other system structures and create data requests and commands for the objects
- to bring out information to the objects
- to check the execution of data requests and commands etc.