Teco Communication Driver

Teco Communication Driver is intended for data connection between Reliance's runtime software and control systems manufactured by Teco. They are Tecomat control systems and Tecoreg and Tecomax regulation systems. The driver has been part of Reliance since the first versions of the system.

The driver can communicate with a PLC via these data zones:

• X registers
• Y registers
• S registers
• R registers
• M registers (Databox)

Communication with a PLC runs in one of the following ways:

• Ethernet
• RS-232/485 serial link
• Serial link connected via Ethernet
• Modem

The desired channel type can be selected in the Reliance development environment's Project Structure Manager (device connection).

Starting up the driver

The communication driver is a DLL loaded into memory by the Reliance 4 Driver Server program, which can be launched either as a Windows service at Windows startup or as a standard application at the start of a visualization project. Information required to make a connection with devices is read from the visualization project. After reading this information, communication to all connected devices is activated.

Establishing a connection with the device

The first communication packet sent to the device is the packet for establishing a connection. This is the so-called "Connect" packet. This packet is transmitted even if the connection is cut off. A successful connection is followed by further communication packets. If the connection is not made, the communication driver sends a request to connect repeatedly at a specified interval.

Identifying the device

A successful connection is followed by a request to identify the device. This is the so-called "Ident" packet. This request is only sent once. If the connection is cut off and then re-established, this request is no longer sent. Information about the device's central unit type is included in the device's response. This information is further used e.g. for limiting some communication functions when communicating with older central unit types.

Reading data

Data is read periodically or based on a one-shot request of Reliance's runtime software. One-shot reading is used, for example, for tag-controlled data reading, Databox reading, or IRC module data reading. When reading periodically, the tag value is updated at a configured interval. Communication packets are built dynamically according to data quantity requirements. If communication zones are used in the project, communication packets then correspond to these zones.

Detecting the loss of connection with the device

The loss of connection is detected if the communication driver doesn't receive a valid response Nx consecutively (N represents the maximum number of failed communications). This parameter can be adjusted. If the sent packet is the "Connect" packet, then N=1.

Teco Communication Driver is supplied free to each Reliance installation.

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