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Change-Log of Kithara »RealTime Suite«

The »RealTime Suite« is already developed for 13 years and we continuously extend it with new functions. The following updates and function upgrades are added in various versions:

2010-06-21 — Version 9.11m

Innovations/Advances:

  • New Profibus Module as part of »RealTime Suite«
  • Real-time memory allocation based on internal memory management
  • New functions KS_malloc/KS_free for real-time memory allocation
  • Changed hardware ID scheme for devices, unified for all functions
  • Same devices now have names ...\#1, ...\#2 etc.
  • Common support of PM timer when the PC has ACPI
  • Common support of High-Performance Event Timer (HPET) when available
  • Changed automatic hardware clock adjustment
  • EtherCAT now with full support of Distributed Clocks (DC), 3 new functions
  • DC clock synchronized with internal real-time clock
  • EtherCAT slave registers can be accessed directly via slave memory read/write
  • CAN module now supports CAN cards from Kvaser & esd
  • Better TSC adjustment on multi-core CPUs
  • Improved semaphore handling in Task module
  • Delphi source file now supports dynamic access to DLL (..._dyn.pas)
  • One-shot synchronized real-time timers for further reducing jitter
  • New MultiFunction module supporting A/D I/O cards of different vendors
  • New function KS_startTimerDelayed for synchronized timer regime
  • Master Monitor uses EtherCAT API 2.0 as default
  • Extension for support of more than 8 CPU cores (now up to 32)
  • Packet handler can be installed in parallel to sockets
  • Extension for support of more than 4 Ethernet ports
  • CAN now saves exact timestamp (0.1 µs resolution) with every received telegram

Revisions/Corrections:

  • Possible system freeze in EtherCAT Master
  • Optimized locks in Task module
  • NOLRW attribute considered from EtherCAT XML file
  • Interrupt handling now round-robin for multiple CAN cards
  • EtherCAT: LWR-LRD bug fixed
  • EtherCAT: virtual sync manager
  • I/O APIC can be write-only!
  • Patch around Intel-Pro/1000 MAC-loss bug
  • Using RDTSCP for TSC on multi-core CPUs
  • Old Ksetup.exe not installed anymore - use INF file for installation!
  • Avoid NIC interrupts in initialization phase

2010-01-18 — Version 9.10c

Innovations/Advances:

  • Enhanced Support of Windows 7
  • Using MSI interrupts for real-time Ethernet
  • MSI interrupts can be selected with KS_create(Device)Interrupt
  • New function KS_createDeviceInterruptEx opens by device name
  • Real-time TCP/UDP can accept broadcast messages
  • MultiFunction Module supports more I/O boards (WASCO, AddiData)
  • Access to EtherCAT 1 only via special header file
  • EtherCAT 1 API linked to EtherCAT 2 - internally always EtherCAT 2
  • EtherCAT 2: enhanced support of slaves with DC synchronization
  • Optimization of scheduling mechanisms in Task Module
  • Enhanced Support of EtherCAT slaves with DC synchronization
  • RealTek Gigabit Ethernet network adapters supported (8110, 8169, ...)
  • Optional interrupt selection for network adapter interrupts
  • CPU support enhanced(Core i7, ...)

Revisions/Corrections:

  • Compatibility between ResourceInfo and …Ex
  • Setup/Run-time setup under Windows 7
  • Possible error when closing a network adapter
  • Possible "invalid handle" when opening a network adapter
  • Changes in Master Monitor for EtherCAT 2.0
  • EtherCAT datagram timeout bugfix
  • Clock calibration and long-term synchronization
  • Support of Intel dual/quad port network adapters
  • Possible dead-lock with real-time timers

2009-10-14 — Version 9.00a

Innovations/Advances:

  • Support of Windows 7
  • EtherCAT Master in new version 2 - new and enhanced API
  • EtherCAT Master 2: PDO mapping/PDO assignment changing easier
  • EtherCAT Master 2 with data type “BIT”
  • KS_openAdapter: network adapter can be opened without devices attached
  • compatibility between ResourceInfo and …Ex
  • Kernel Tracer saves Windows CrashDump too
  • speed enhancements on USB data transfer
  • Ring3-to-Ring0 communication speed-up

Revisions/Corrections:

  • non-interrupt-synchronous execution in KS_execSyncFunction
  • removing "locked memory"
  • EtherCAT: interpretation of XML device files
  • Real-time CAN with USB "Peak Dongle": opening without any CAN devices connected

2009-08-03 — Version 8.22d

Innovations/Advances:

  • Clock functions now with HPET (High Performance Event Timer)
  • All hardware time-bases long-term synchronized and unified
  • Recognition of discontinual hardware time-bases due to dynamic CPU clocks
  • Continuity of the "Windows clock" improved
  • Real-time CAN now also over USB: using PCAN-USB of PEAK-System
  • CAN with additional hardware support: CPC-104P of EMS Dr. Wünsche
  • Extension to 256 physical memory blocks
  • Enhanced detection of PCI devices
  • Real-time interrupts can enforced to be exclusive
  • Better error recognition in Kernel Tracer by "System Freeze Kill" mode
  • Kernel Tracer with enhanced filtering and viewing
  • Showing of CAN messages in the Kernel Tracer
  • EtherCAT Master, version 1.5 (Beta version, can be found in KrtsBeta)
  • Adaptation of the Master Monitor for EtherCAT Master 1.5, prepared for 2.0
  • Support of Windows 7 in the Beta version (KrtsBeta)

Revisions/Corrections:

  • Thread-Local-Storage under Windows Vista
  • Error in real-time timers based on Local-APIC
  • Incorrect task-switching

2009-05-05 — Version 8.21c

Innovations/Advances:

  • Better performance with Gigabit Ethernet network cards
  • Possibility of loading multiple connected DLLs in kernel-mode for driver extension
  • Significantly accelerated handling of I/O port access on Windows Vista
  • New CAN Module as a part of the RealTime Suite, provides real-time CAN communication
  • CAN Module supports CAN boards from PEAK, EMS, IXXAT with manufacturer independent API
  • Long-time synchronization of Kithara time measurement with Windows system time
  • Avoidance of the Windows race condition while starting programs in auto start
  • Kernel Tracer significantly expanded (viewing USB messages, CAN messages)

Revisions/Corrections:

  • Better device-enumeration on Windows 2000 and Windows 7
  • KS_calibrateMachineTime only switches to TSC if CPU clock is not dynamically adjusted

2009-02-05 — Version 8.20b

Innovations/Advances:

  • Kernel Tracer significantly expanded (drag-and-drop, Memory Viewer, PCI viewer)
  • Kernel Tracer supports message masking and filtering before sending

Revisions/Corrections:

  • Serial Module: after setting of line-control wrong baud rate
  • Advances on the release of physical memory

2008-10-30 — Version 8.13d

Innovations/Advances:

  • Kithara Master Monitor for displaying and managing EtherCAT topologies
  • EtherCAT Master now with Ethernet-over-EtherCAT (EoE)
  • Visitation of the 6th EtherCAT Plug-Fest: EtherCAT Master with various advances
  • EtherCAT now also supports "Logical Read/Write"
  • New tool "Kithara Update Manager" for easy updating
  • Kithara Update Manager takes former installations into consideration
  • Better synchronization of the MultiTasking Module on Windows Vista

2008-08-21 — Version 8.12d

Innovations/Advances:

  • Multiple real-time tasks on the same priority level ("round robin")
  • Dynamic priority adjustment within the task module
  • Real-time scheduler now with priority inheritance to avoid priority inversion
  • More advances on the APIC timer
  • All EtherCAT functions supported for kernel-mode from task-context possible
  • Update manager for easy version update of kernel files
  • New Kernel Tracer with automatic compression of log files

Revisions/Corrections:

  • I/O APIC access on Windows Vista
  • Real-time timers on legacy hardware (PIC)
  • Multiple opening of the driver

2008-06-02 — Version 8.11i

Innovations/Advances:

  • Floating-point calculation within the MultiTasking Module
  • EtherCAT Master with support of XML slave documentation
  • Support of Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista SP1
  • EtherCAT Master based completely upon the MultiTasking Module
  • Synchronization of real-time tasks with semaphores

Revisions/Corrections:

  • Allocation of physical memory
  • Non-closed thread while quitting the application
  • Simultaneous start of multiple applications
  • Automatic cleaning of resources on end of program
  • Synchronization of multiple tasks on dual-core CPUs
  • Real-time timers on legacy hardware (PIC)
  • Better support of PCs with incomplete MP table

2008-03-17 — Version 8.10i

Innovations/Advances:

  • The Kernel Tracer incl. device analysis for profiling and troubleshooting is now available
  • New platforms are directly supported, for example C#.NET
  • Newer more precise real-time timers in the RealTime Module (previous Timer Plus Module) that are running in high-precision mode
  • Real-time timers: now also on notebooks and PCs with dynamically clocked CPU!
  • Any hardware interrupts in hard real-time
  • Now with preemptive real-time multitasking for coordination
  • Highly integrated products with EtherCAT Master
  • Socket Module for real-time communication with TCP and UDP as well as handling with IP socket mechanisms with real-time protocols

Revisions/Corrections:

  • Better overall support of Windows Vista
  • Characteristics of timer on PIT-hardware started over again