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- Read and write analog data points
- Read and write binary data points
- Unsolicited responses can be allowed
- Event mode for analog, binary, and double bit binary inputs can be configured
- Operate over TCP/IP
- Configurable network interface
- Configurable DNP3 link addresses
- Configurable scan period for analog, binary, and double bit binary inputs
- Binary output commands: control relay output block (CROB)
These features will be detailed in the next section.
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- Point class: The point class can be 0, 1, 2 or 3.
- Default value: The initial value that will be sent to the model until a DNP3 master connects and updates it with a new value.
The DNP3 master can enable unsolicited responses for a specific class of points (class 1, 2, and 3).
Connections
Once the driver has been configured as desired, the user will have to connect points in the model to points in the driver by using the designated RT-LAB GUI. This connection panel will show all the driver's and model's connectable points, once the model has been compiled. It is also possible to make connections on LabVIEW panels.
The driver's connectable points depend on the number of analog and digital inputs and outputs that the slave has.
The following lists the driver connectable points for an input (analog, binary or double bit binary) and an output (analog or binary).
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- Operate as trip/close pair (Binary type only): A checkbox that enables or disables the use of the point as a trip/close pair.
When checked, the binary output will have 2 connection points, one for 'trip' and one for 'close'. The default value dictates how the 'trip or 'close' gets activated:- default value OFF = 'trip' or 'close' output will be active for the duration of the 'on time' parameter of the command
- default value ON = 'trip' or 'close' output will be active for the duration of the 'off time' parameter of the command
The DNP3 master can enable unsolicited responses for a specific class of points (class 1, 2, and 3).
Connections
Once the driver has been configured as desired, the user will have to connect points in the model to points in the driver by using the designated RT-LAB GUI. This connection panel will show all the driver's and model's connectable points, once the model has been compiled. It is also possible to make connections on LabVIEW panels.
The driver's connectable points depend on the number of analog and digital inputs and outputs that the slave has.
The following lists the driver connectable points for an input (analog, binary or double bit binary) and an output (analog or binary).
The example model provided with RT-LAB is already packaged with connections between the driver and the model. It can be used to understand how the connections between the model and the driver should be done.
Analog / Binary / Double Bit Binary Inputs
| Connectable Name | Description | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Analog input X or Binary input X or Double bit binary input X | Data value | To model |
| (X being the number of the point in its related configuration list) |
Analog / Binary Outputs
Analog
| Connectable Name | Description | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Analog output X | Data value | From model |
| (X being the number of the point in its related configuration list) |
Binary
If the Operate as trip/close pair parameter is off:
| Connectable Name | Description | Direction |
|---|
| Binary output X | Data value |
| From model |
| (X being the number of the point in its related configuration list) |
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Otherwise, if the Operate as trip/close pair parameter is on:
| Connectable Name | Description | Direction |
|---|
| Binary output X trip | Data value for the 'trip' output | From model |
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| Binary output X close | Data value for the 'close' output |
| (X being the number of the point in its related configuration list) |
Limitations
The current version of the driver has the following limitations:
- Only the DNP3 slave endpoint is supported.
- The indexes of the data points correspond to the order of their definition in the driver configuration, with the first signal starting at index 0.
- A maximum of 10 analog outputs and 10 binary outputs are supported per slave.
- RS-232/RS-422/RS-485 and UDP communication links are not supported (TCP/IP only).
- The supported data types are analog inputs, analog outputs, binary inputs, binary outputs, and double bit binary inputs.
- Double bit binary input can have a value of 0, 1, 2, and 3, which are the only value that will be reflected on the DNP3 master.
- CROB command parameters 'clear' and 'queue' are not supported.