Murata Machinery, Ltd.

Toshihiro Fujiwara

Tetsuya Kuwahara

Shigeru Yamamoto

A method includes: (a) transmitting, by the control device, control data containing one of the plurality of second parameters to the relay device; (b) determining, by at least one of the control device or the relay device, whether the one of the plurality of second parameters matches one of the plurality of first parameters; and (c) transmitting, by the relay device, the control data received from the control device in (a), using one of the plurality of interfaces of the relay device for which the one of the plurality of second parameters is set if it is determined in the determining that the one of the plurality of first parameters matches the one of the plurality of second parameters.

Method of a communication system having a control device and a relay device

A communication system includes a plurality of controlled devices each including communication IFs compliant with EtherCAT standards; network connected to communication IF of each of controlled devices, network connected to communication IF of each of controlled devices; control apparatus capable of sending out first control data for controlling controlled devices to network; control apparatus capable of sending out second control data for controlling controlled devices to network; and main control apparatus that performs first control that causes control apparatus to send out the first control data. Main control apparatus further performs second control that causes control apparatus to send out the second control data when the sent first control data fails to reach at least one of controlled devices.

Growing community of inventors

Mie, Japan

Toshihiro Fujiwara