Principle

In one equipment, data exchanges take place between processes via a shared memory that is controlled by the operating system.

When communication must take place between distant equipment, exhanges via shared memory are not possible.

Arion solves the problem through memory distribution.

The producing process writes data locally ; these are then duplicated by the communication space in the local databases and becomes available for consuming processes.

  Comparing architectures

In traditional solutions, the independence of the application in relation to communication is ensured by a set of software programs called the "support structure". This independence comes at a price : a heavy load for the CPU to the detriment of the application.

In the solution designed by Arion, the support structure and the communication protocols are managed on the level of the hardware thus freeing power in the CPU.

  A layered structure

On the level of the application, Arion enables data exchanges : in real-time, through direct access to a given base, or non real-time, through use of communication libraries in the operating system (TCP/UDP - IP).

As for the hardware system, a HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) enables Arion to be connected to various operating systems (Windows XP/CE, Linux, VxWorks ...) by simply modifying the driver.

With regards to the network, the CAL (Communication Abstraction Layer) ensures the portability of Arion on different protocols (Ethernet, CAN, Mil Std 1553 ...) and different physical media (electrical or optical).

Standard

• Communication : Ethernet, TCP-IP, UDP-IP.
• Industrial calculators : PCI, PMC, VME.
• Operating systems : Windows XP, CE, Linux, VxWorks.

Transparent
Independence between the "application" and "communication".

Efficient
Real-time broadband communication.
Dating and synchronisation services with microsecond accuracy.

Determinist
Minimum latency guaranteed.

Simple
Access to data using elementary "Read" and "Write" commands.

Distributed
Distribution of data, service and management function.

Secure
Reliability : guaranteed integrity of data and its temporal and spatial coherence.
Maintainability: mechanisms that detect and report anomalies.
Availability: redundancy of the medium and the management functions.

Sustainable
Open solution.
Availablility of an intellectual property block.