scope:

NEN-EN-IEC 61158-4-4 provides basic time-critical messaging communications between devices in an automation environment. This protocol provides a means of connecting devices through a partial mesh network, such that most failures of an interconnection between two devices can be circumvented. In common practice the devices are interconnected in a non-redundant hierarchical manner reflecting application needs Specifications. This standard specifies a) procedures for the timely transfer of data and control information from one data-link user entity to a peer user entity, and among the data-link entities forming the distributed datalink service provider; b) the structure of the fieldbus DLPDUs used for the transfer of data and control information by the protocol of this standard, and their representation as physical interface data units.