ABSTRACT
Common Industrial Protocol (CIPTM) is an open, connection-based communications protocol that offers four network adaptations viz., EtherNet/IP, ControlNet, deviceNet, and CompoNet. It provides a unified communication architecture throughout the manufacturing enterprise. It encompasses a suite of messages/services for collection of manufacturing automation applications like control, safety, energy, synchronization, motion, configuration, information, and network management. CIP provides seamless bridging and routing with other networks.
Every network device (or node) in a CIP protocol is modeled as a series of objects. Objects are of four types: required objects, optional objects, application objects, and vendor-specific objects.
An identity object identifies a CIP device on a network. Attributes for an identity object include vendor ID, date of manufacture, device serial number, and any other relevant identity data.
Each node (device) in a CIP network is identified by a node address. This address is the MAC ID for DeviceNet, ControlNet, and CompoNet networks while it is the IP address for EtherNet/IP.
In a CIP network, there are two types of connections: I/O (messaging) connection and explicit messaging connection. I/O messaging can be unicast or multicast in nature. Explicit messages are request-response type communications and the messages are point-to-point.
The extensions of CIP for critical applications are: CIP Safety, CIP Motion, and CIP Sync.
