P 
P 
c 
I 
c 
. 
.. 
/--- 
D. 
6. 
DATA  COMMUNICATIONS  USING  AN 
M 
: 
N  MULTIDROP 
LINK 
MELSEC-A 
6. 
DATA COMMUNICATIONS  USING AN 
M 
: 
N  MULTIDROP  UNK 
This  section  describes  how to  do  data communications  using an  m 
: 
n 
multidrop link.  This  section only applies to m 
: 
n 
multilink data communica- 
tions. 
An 
AJ71 C24 can perform data communications 
with 
several external devices 
by constructing a multidrop link consisting of  several external devices (m 
stations) and several AJ71C24s 
(n 
stations).  (The maximum number of  m 
and 
n 
stations  is 32.) 
A 
computer link can  be made 
with 
the full-duplex communications method 
using the RS-232C and RS-422 lines  by  constructing 
an 
m 
: 
n 
multidrop link. 
In 
addition,  data transmission is  initiated  by a command from the external 
device 
in 
the dedicated protocol. 
The key points  for  constructing an m 
: 
n multidrop link system involve: 
0 
Methods of data communications 
0 
Conditions  and methods for interlocking external devices (computers) 
6.1 
Key 
Points 
(1)  When  using  an  m 
: 
n 
multidrop link system,  only one computer can 
perform data communications with a single PC  CPU. 
Set up the computers 
so 
that a computer and a PC  CPU  can do 
1 
: 
1 
communications.  Sections 6.2  and 6.3 give the  conditions  and  proce- 
dures for computer interlocking. 
(2)  Data communications between a computer and 
a 
PC  CPU  can only be 
done 
in 
the  following way: 
.Full-duplex  communications must be used. (m 
: 
n 
data communica- 
tions cannot be done  with  half-duplex communications.) 
Transmit a command from a computer using  the  dedicated  protocol 
(except for  protocol 3).  Data communications with  protocol  3 and 
data transmission from the sequence program  using  the on-demand 
function cannot be done. 
(3) 
All 
computers  (including  the  computer  that  transmitted  the  data) 
receive data from either computer. 
In 
addition,  all computers receive 
data  transmitted  from  a  PC  CPU.  Therefore,  every  computer  that 
receives data addressed to other stations (as specified by the  station 
number in  the message) must ignore  that data. 
The  AJ71C24  which is connected to  the 
PC 
CPU  ignores the receive 
data which is addressed to other stations. 
(4)  The station number of a computer is expressed as eight-bit data.  Use 
switch SW12 to set 
the 
data 
bit 
for communications to eight bits (see 
Section 
6.2.1). 
Section 4.3.2 gives details about switch SW12. 
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