Networked control systems over Profibus-DP: Simulation model

This paper deals with the problem of simulating the sequence of events in the communication through one of the most commonly used fieldbuses: Profibus-DP. Control systems using a fieldbus or any other kind of shared communication medium, are known as Networked Control Systems. A detailed description of the operation of Profibus, when transmitting a signal in a round trip between slave and master devices, is included. This operation is characterized with a collection of parameters whose values are determined by the practical implementation of the network. A simulation model, using Matlab/Simulink is built to emulate the behavior of the real system. This model has been validated, processing the transmitted signal and using histograms to compare the results obtained from real and simulated transmission.