Architectures for an Integrated Hybrid (Wired/Wireless) Fieldbus

This paper examines two alternative architectures of a hybrid industrial networking structure, consisting of a wired part (conventional fieldbus) which is based on the Master/Slave communication model (as in the case of the EN50170 Std.) and a wireless extension based on the philosophy of a dominant wireless technology (like the IEEE802.11, HiperLAN etc.). The purpose of this work is to analyze the basic operational features of these architectures, their advantages/disadvantages, and to estimate the main factors of the message cycle (delay) time. Furthermore, new devices, which are required for the efficient interconnection of the wired and wireless segments of the integrated industrial network, are proposed.