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RI-DMUX

RI-DMUX is a Modbus RTU multiplexer.

Its main feature is allowing two masters on a single RS-485 bus.

How does it work?

Requests from two Modbus RTU masters are queued and forwarded to Modbus RTU slave devices ensuring no data transmission conflicts. Once response is received it is sent to master that sent the request.

Second master does not receive requests nor responses initiated by first master.

Typical application

Diagram 1 - typical application
Diagram 1 - typical application

Specifications

Power supply: Stabilised +5 VDC, min 100 mA
Enclosure: DIN Rail mounted,
2 modules wide (35 mm)
Connectors: Terminal blocks,
raster 5.08 mm, 30-12 AWG
Operating temperature: from -20°C to +65°C

Configuration and registers

Modbus functions

Supported read functions:

  • Read Holding Registers (FC=03 — 0x03)

Supported write functions:

  • Preset Multiple Registers (FC=16 — 0x10)

Note

Above functions apply to configuration registers only.

RI-DMUX supports forwarding other Modbus RTU functions as well.

Data types

Configuration registers use following data types:

  • u16 - unsigned 16 bit integer
  • u32 - unsigned 32 bit integer

Unlocking configuration registers

Making configuration changes requires unlocking the device.

  • To unlock the device write maintenance or administration password to 0x000C register.
  • Writing incorrect password to 0x000C register will change access level to 0 (guest).

Reading Enter Password register will return current access level:

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Enter Password 0 enum:
0 - guest
2 - maintenance
4 - administrator
0x000C u16

Note

Device will automatically return to 0 (guest) access level within 24 hours.

Passwords

Passwords can be changed using following registers:

Setting Default value Register Address Type
Set maintenance password 0x0001 0x000D u16
Set admin password Hidden 0x000E u16

Unit number

Mobus unit number ("address") is by default set to 252 (0xFC).

Note

Requests sent to this address will not be forwarded to OUT port.

Setting Default value Register Address Type
Unit number
(Address)
252
(0xFC)
0x0007 u16

Response delay

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Minimal response delay 100 ms 0x000B u16

RS-485 port configuration

To change setting of currently used port (IN1 or IN2) use following registers:

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Baudrate 9600 bps1 0x0008, 0x0009 u32
Mode 1 (8N1) enum2 0x000A u16

1 - Supported baudrate values: 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200

2 - Mode enum values: 1: 8N1, 2: 8E1, 3: 8O1, 4: 8N2, 5: 8E2, 6: 8O2

Each port can also be configured independently using following registers:

Port IN1 (Master 1)

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Baudrate 9600 bps1 0x0140, 0x0141 u32
Mode 1 (8N1) enum2 0x0142 u16
Max wait3 2000 ms3 0x0143 u16
Enable 1 enum4 0x0144 u16
Debug messages5 1 enum5 0x0145 u16

3 - Max wait specifies how long the IN master waits for the response. Allowed values: 500 – 5000 ms.
For the best performance, max wait should be:

  • IN Ports - slightly smaller than a time that a Modbus master waits for the response before sending another request on the given IN port.
  • OUT Port - slightly greater than the max response time of the slowest Modbus device connected to the OUT port.

4 - 0: Port disabled (Modbus requests are not forwarded to the OUT port), 1: Port enabled

5 - Debug messages are sent by the RI-DMUX device on behalf of the Modbus target devices to the Modbus masters when the communication with the given Modbus target device is currently not possible. Values:

  • 0 – no debug messages, the device just does not respond.
  • 10x06 Modbus error code is sent if the OUT port is busy and the Modbus request hasn’t been forwarded.
  • 20x0B Modbus error code is if the target Modbus device is filtered out.

Port IN2 (Master 2)

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Baudrate 9600 bps1 0x0160, 0x0161 u32
Mode 1 (8N1) enum2 0x0162 u16
Max wait3 2000 ms3 0x0163 u16
Enable 1 enum4 0x0164 u16
Debug messages5 1 enum5 0x0165 u16

Port OUT

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Baudrate 9600 bps1 0x0180, 0x0181 u32
Mode 1 (8N1) enum2 0x0182 u16
Max wait3 2000 ms3 0x0183 u16

Querying port number

Master can read which port it is connected to by reading following register:

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Port ID N/A enum: 1 - port 1, 2 - port 2 0x0100 u16

Port priority

RI-DMUX can be configured to prioritize one of the IN ports.

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Port priority 0 (equal) enum: 0 - equal, 1 - port 1, 2 - port 2 0x0101 u16

Modbus filtering

When RI-DMUX receives response on one of the IN ports (instead of OUT port) it will add Modbus unit number (address) to filtering list.

All subsequent requests addressed to filtered devices will NOT be forwarded to OUT port.

This feature enables more advanced RS-485 bus topologies where e.g.:

  • only part of RS-485 bus is shared with second master
  • each master has private devices, which can use same unit numbers (addresses)

When there is no response from filtered device on any of IN ports for more than 120 seconds it is removed from filtering list.

Filtering time can be adjusted by writing to 0x0103 register.

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Modbus filtering 120 s6 0x0103 u16

6 - Allowed values: 10 - 65535

Advanced filtering configuration

We advise to use default automatic filtering.

Setting Default value Unit Register Address Type
Filter mode 1 (auto) enum:
0 - disabled
1 - auto
2 - manual
0x0102 u16

Note

Automatic filtering is supported for function codes 0x03, 0x04 and 0x10 only.

However if required, filtering can be configured manually using 256 bit mask to mark units that should be filtered.

Mask is divided into eight 32 bit registers. E.g.: Writing 0x00000012 to register 0x0104 will disable forwarding of requests to addresses (unit numbers) 0x01 and 0x04.

Setting Register Address Type
Filter mask 0x0104 u32
Filter mask 0x0106 u32
Filter mask 0x0108 u32
Filter mask 0x010A u32
Filter mask 0x010C u32
Filter mask 0x010E u32
Filter mask 0x0110 u32
Filter mask 0x0112 u32

Note

In automatic mode filter mask registers can be read to view current filtering status.

Modbus statistics

RI-DMUX provide following bus statistics that can be used in troubleshooting.

Each register contains count of messages (requests or responses).

Note

Statistics reset every 24 hours.

Port IN1

Message type Register address Type
Correct 0x01A0 u16
Filtered 0x01A1 u16
Rejected 0x01A2 u16
Invalid request 0x01A3 u16
Invalid response 0x01A4 u16
No response 0x01A5 u16

Port IN2

Message type Register address Type
Correct 0x01B0 u16
Filtered 0x01B1 u16
Rejected 0x01B2 u16
Invalid request 0x01B3 u16
Invalid response 0x01B4 u16
No response 0x01B5 u16

Device information

Name Register Address Type
Status 1 0x0000 u16
Status 2 0x0001 u16
Protocol version 0x0002 u16
Serial number 0x0003, 0x0004 u32
Hardware version 0x0005 u16
Firmware version 0x0006 u16

Factory reset

Warning

Writing to (or reading from) this register will reset the device to factory settings.

Name Register Address Type
Factory reset 0x001F u16

Example connection diagram

Diagram 2 - example connection diagram
Diagram 2 - example connection diagram