Advances in automated factories and smart vehicles require advanced networking capabilities, real-time processing and more advanced motor-control topologies. TI Networking solution packaged with the SDK provide a rapidly growing need for Sitara MCU to out space traditional MCUs and deliver processor-like capabilities. Networking is a broad terms used to cover Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), EtherCAT Profinet and other ethernet-like communication protocols used in industrial, automotive and other general use cases. However, this document refers only onIEEE 802.3 standard Ethernet gigabit speed packet communication.
This document covers driver software architecture, Application Programming Interfaces (API), protocol stack usage, LwIP (Light Weight IP stack), examples and demos that are packaged in the SDK. The out-of-box Ethernet (CPSW) Examples enables fast on-board and accelerates the development cycle. This document also provides API guide for low level Ethernet, Industrial communication protocols drivers along with Layer-2 (low level) examples to enable advanced users to integrate the custom stack.
Networking is supported using following two hardware Peripherals:
To know more about the hardware peripherals, please refer to datasheet and Technical Reference Manual (TRM) on the product page:
Below is the software components overview highlighting mainly the components used in the Networking software development.
You can find out-of-box examples and demos here.
There are separate drivers based on the use-case :
Ethernet Low-Level Driver is a driver that aims at providing an unified interface for standard Ethernet MAC and switch using CPSW and PRU-ICSSG Peripherals.
Industrial Communications Subsystem Ethernet Media Access Controller (ICSS-EMAC) driver provide APIs to transmit and receive packets with a firmware based Ethernet switch that has been implemented on PRU-ICSS cores. It is used for 100M Industrial Ethernet Protocols like EtherNet/IP, Profinet etc.
ICSS TimeSync is a separate driver based on ICSS-EMAC, which provides APIs for PTP/1588 v2 receiver implementation on PRU-ICSSG.