Skip to main content
Log in

Effective Data Rate on Ethernet Interfaces For Embedded Systems: A Comparative Analysis

  • Published:
Journal of Control, Automation and Electrical Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This contribution proposes, discusses and analyzes different solutions for the implementation of Ethernet interfaces for embedded systems that show realistic compromise between performance and development cost. Two well-known approaches based on low cost microcontrollers are discussed. In the sequel, two novel approaches, which are based on field programmable gate array (FPGA), are introduced. The comparison analysis of the suitability of the proposed approaches against those based on microcontrollers is addressed on two case studies. The first case study, which makes use of a prototype of communication interface for a webserver application, points out that the proposed approaches based on FPGA devices can offer the best tradeoff between performance and development cost. Also, it reveals that the flexibility offered by FPGA devices is a powerful tool to allow fast update of the firmware and hardware of the embedded systems. The second case study, which analyzes the solutions in a prototype of an internet-based authentication solution for biometric access control system, indicates that the highest bit-rate can only be achieved if the communication interface of an embedded system is prototyped with the proposed approach based on an FPGA device.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alachiotis, N., Berger, S. Stamatakis, A. (2010). Efficient pc-fpga communication over gigabit ethernet. In 10th IEEE international conference on computer and information technology, CIT 2010, Bradford (pp. 1727–1734).

  • Altera. (2012). Altera training material. http://www.altera.com.

  • Arm, C. (2012a). Mcb2300 evaluation board populated with an lpc2388. http://www.keil.com/mcb2300/mcb2388.asp.

  • Arm, C. (2012b). Semiconductor intellectual property (ip) supplier, USA. http://www.arm.com/.

  • Atack, C., & Someren, A. V. (1993). The Arm Risc Chip: A Programmer’s Guide. Boston, MA: Addison Wesley.

  • Atmel. (2012). Atmel. http://www.atmel.com.

  • Bot, S. (2004). Key technical considerations when using ethernet solutions in existing atm and frame relay networks. IEEE Communications Magazine, 42(3), 96–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cucinotta, T., Mancina, A., Anastasi, G., Lipari, G., Mangeruca, L., Checcozzo, R. & Rusina, F. (2009). A real-time service-oriented architecture for industrial automation. IEEE transactions on industrial informatics 5(3), 267–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Decotignie, J.-D. (2005). Ethernet-based real-time and industrial communications. Proceedings of the IEEE, 93(6), 1102–1117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Digi-Key, C. (2012). Electronic components distributor. http://www.digikey.com.

  • Donnellan, B., Sheridan, C., & Curry, E. (2011). A capability maturity framework for sustainable information and communication technology. IEEE Computer Society: IT Professional Jornal, 13(1), 33–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drumea, A. Svasta, P. (2011). Designing low cost embedded systems with ethernet connectivity. In IEEE international symposium for design and technology in electronic packaging (SIITME) (pp. 217–220).

  • Evans, D. (2011). How the next evolution of the internet is changing everything. CISCO White Paper, 4(11)

  • Felser, M. (2005). Real-time ethernet: Industry prospective. Proceedings of the IEEE, 93(6), 1118–1129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrari, P., Flammini, A., Rinaldi, S., & Sisinni, E. (2010). On the seamless interconnection of ieee1588-based devices using a profinet io infrastructure. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, 6(3), 381–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joshi, N., Dakhole, P. Zode, P. (2009). Embedded web server on Nios II embedded fpga platform. In IEEE 2nd international conference on emerging trends in engineering and technology (pp. 372–377).

  • Jussel, J. (2004). Nios soft processor gets an update. IEEE Electronics Systems and Software Magazine, 2(3), 44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Limachia, M., & Kothari, N. (2012). Modeling and simulation of ARM processor architecture using systemC. Saarbrucken: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing.

  • Maestro, J., & Reviriego, P. (2010). Energy efficiency in industrial ethernet: The case of powerlink. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, 57(8), 2896–2903.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Marin, R., Leon, G., Wirz, R., Sales, J., Claver, J., Sanz, P., et al. (2009). Remote programming of network robots within the uji industrial robotics telelaboratory: Fpga vision and snrp network protocol. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, 56(12), 4806–4816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moyne, J., & Tilbury, D. (2007). The emergence of industrial control networks for manufacturing control, diagnostics, and safety data. Proceedings of the IEEE, 95(1), 29–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen, V.I., Benjapolakul, W. & Visavateeranon, K. (2007). A high-speed, low-cost and secure implementation based on embedded ethernet and internet for scada systems. In IEEE society of instrument and control engineers annual conference SICE, pp. 1692–1699.

  • Prabahar, A. & Prabhu, R. (2011). Development of a distributed data collection system based on embedded ethernet. In IEEE international conference on communications and signal processing (ICCSP), pp. 97–99.

  • Pretz, K. (2013). The next evolution of the internet. IEEE Magazine The institute, Vol. 50(5).

  • Qian, K., Den Haring, D., Cao, L., Qian, K., Haring, D., & Cao, L. (2009). Ethernet applications and the future of the microcontroller. Embedded Software Development with C. New York: Springer US.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Richard, H. -J., & Kelly, M. (2007). Using fpga’s to generate gigabit Ethernet data transfers and studies of the network performance of daq protocols. Real-time conference, 15th IEEE-NPSS, pp. 1–6.

  • Ruimei, Z., & Mei, W. (2010). Design of arm-based embedded ethernet interface. IEEE International Conference on Computer Engineering and Technology (ICCET), 4, 268–270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silicon, L. (2012). An292: Embedded ethernet system design guide. http://www.silabs.com/Support20Documents/TechnicalDocs/an292.pdf.

  • Skeie, T., Johannessen, S., & Holmeide, O. (2006). Timeliness of real-time IP communication in switched industrial ethernet networks. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, 2(1), 25–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sofia, R. (2009). A survey of advanced ethernet forwarding approaches. IEEE Communications Surveys Tutorials, 11(1), 92–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sommer, J., Gunreben, S., Feller, F., Kohn, M., Mifdaoui, A., Sass, D., et al. (2010). Ethernet a survey on its fields of application. IEEE Communications Surveys Tutorials, 12(2), 263–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tibbo, T. (2012). Em100 ethernet module. http://docs.tibbo.com/soism/index.html?em120.htm.

  • TSE. (2012). Triple speed ethernet TSE user guide. http://www.altera.com/literature/ug/ugethernet.pdf.

  • Wang J., W. H. Z., Y. 2008. An fpga based slave communication controller for industrial ethernet. In 9th international conference on ICSICT 2008 (pp. 2062–2065).

  • Wang, S., Xu, D., & Yan, S. (2010). Analysis and application of wireshark in tcp/ip protocol teaching. International Conference on E-Health Networking, Digital Ecosystems and Technologies, 2, 269–272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wireshark. (2012). Wireshark protocol analyzer. http://www.wireshark.org/.

  • Xu, M. Zhu, W. 2009. A research and design of ethernet real-time application bus based on fpga. IEEE international conference on scalable computing and communications (pp. 42–46).

  • Yiannacouras, P., Steffan, J. G., & Rose, J. (2007). Exploration and customization of fpga-based soft processors. IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, 26(2), 266–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhen, Z., Guilin, T., Zhi, D. & Zhiping, H. (2007). Design and realization of the hardware platform based on the nios soft-core processor. In IEEE 8th international conference on electronic measurement and instruments (pp. 4-865–4-869).

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank CAPES, CNPq, FAPEMIG, FINEP, INERGE, and SMART INOVE for their financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fabrício P. V. de Campos.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

de Campos, F.P.V., de Campos, M.L.R., Martins, C.H.N. et al. Effective Data Rate on Ethernet Interfaces For Embedded Systems: A Comparative Analysis. J Control Autom Electr Syst 24, 806–815 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40313-013-0075-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40313-013-0075-5

Keywords

Navigation