Hardware Support to Minimize the End-to-End Delay in Ethernet-Based Ring Networks

Ethernet is a popular networking technology in factory automation and industrial embedded systems, frequently using a ring topology for improved fault-tolerance. As many applications demand ever shorter cycle times and a higher number of nodes, the popular ring endure to remain as a valid topology. In this work, we discuss the factors that determine the ring network delay and show how they affect the network cycle time. Since increasing the link...