DCP - Interface

Dynavert L

Technical Description  July 2010

(Draft)

Dynavert
 Introduction 1

Main characteristics 2
Physical definition of
the interface 3
DCP – Interface
for Dynavert L Protocol description 4
Technical Description
(Draft) Sequence timing 5
Dealing with transmission
Protocol including position set value, faults 6
position actual value
and communications

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1. Introduction
This document describes the Drive Control and Position (DCP) protocol used for the
serial connection between a lift controller and lift automatic control equipment. The
DCP protocol enables Drive Control, i.e. full control of automatic control equipment
and Drive Position control, i.e. position control through transmission of position set
values and position actual values, and scanning of all control equipment actual
values and parameters. The DCP protocol also enables parametrizing of the
automatic control equipment.

The serial connection using this protocol thus replaces all the hardwire links between
the controller and the automatic control equipment. The protocol also makes it
possible to customise lift travel for any distance between floors.

2. Main characteristics
The protocol is designed for a half duplex RS485 interface link. This is a point-to-
point connection between the lift controller and the control equipment. The controller
operates as a master unit while the control equipment operates as a slave unit. This
means that the control equipment only responds to incoming messages from the
controller. In order to prevent hazardous situations from arising in the event of a
major fault (e.g. an interruption in the link), the control equipment must be equipped
with a timeout watchdog. When the timeout time elapses, the system will
automatically switch to a safe condition.

The protocol operates with three types of travel commands:

A) Trip with constant brake distance as per the current travel commands

In this operating mode, control of the control equipment is similar to that used in
the conventional methods using a parallel connection. Here, a series of travel
commands (v1, v2, etc.) correspond to different terminal speeds settings on the
control equipment. Activating the travel command starts the trip, de-activating the
command sets the braking point. Another binary signal is used for the stop switch
in order to ensure precise stopping just before the flush level. Other binary signals
are used for setting the direction of travel and for fine adjustment.

In this operating mode, the positions of the braking point and the stopping point
are detected by conventional shaft devices (e.g. contactors or photocells) or an
absolute encoder position measuring system. The data provided by these methods
is converted into the necessary binary signals by the lift controller.

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B) Floor-to-floor trip with variable travel

In this operating mode, the travel distance (in mm) required is transmitted to the
control equipment over the interface before the trip begins. When the travel
command is activated, the trip starts and the control equipment must travel the
exact distance that has been communicated to it. The travel command can be de-
activated at any time but this will have no effect on travel. It is quite simple therefore
to program as many floor-to-floor trips as required. For a floor-to-floor trip no
information from the shaft devices are required.
The control equipment must be in a position to travel the various distances of
floor-to-floor trips in the optimum time.

C) Trip with variable travel

In this operating mode the required travel distance is communicated to the control
equipment. Changes to the travel distance are possible under certain marginal
conditions even during the trip. In this operating mode the control equipment uses
the previously travelled lift car travel provided by the controller (over the interface)
as the position actual value. This means that the lift controller must be equipped
with an absolute encoder position measuring system. The position actual value
must have a minimum resolution of 1 mm.

With this operating mode it is possible to travel to any destination from any point in
the lift shaft and to change the destination during the trip.

A typical trip covering several floors would consist of the following steps (a trip
which passes a floor must use the operating mode trip type 2 "Floor-to-floor trip with
variable travel"):

a) Before the trip starts, (e.g. with the lift stopped at floor no. 1), the control
equipment receives a travel distance in the form of a position set value.
Normally the travel distance to the next floor but one (i.e. floor no. 3 in our
example) is used.

b) The travel command is given and the trip starts.

c) If the controller has established that a stop at floor no. 3 is not required, it will
transmit a new position set value (e.g. floor no. 4) to the control equipment.
The travel distance is measured from the starting point of the trip (i.e. floor
no. 1). The control equipment will ignore the old position set value and will
travel to the new destination. This procedure can be repeated as many times
as required.

If the controller has established that a stop is required at floor no. 3, then no
further action from the controller is required. As soon as the control
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equipment reaches the braking point, it automatically starts the braking

procedure. The control equipment then calculates the braking point from the
position set value and the position actual value at the current speed.

When a new position set value is given, care must be taken that the braking
point for the previously valid travel distance value has not been reached at
the moment when the new value is transmitted. When the control equipment
receives a new position set value, it checks immediately if the braking point
can still be reached. If the point has not yet been reached, the value is
accepted. If acceptance is not possible, the previous value will be
maintained. The control equipment transmits a signal back to the controller
indicating whether it has accepted the new value or not.

3. Physical definition of the interface

 Level: RS485

 Plug connector: 5-pin, pluggable screw terminal

(e.g.. Phoenix MSTB2.5-5.08):

Pin 1 Shield,
Pin 2 RS485 A,
Pin 3 RS485 B,
Pin 4 GND (optional),
Pin 5 +12V max. load rating l 50 mA, not short-circuit-proof (optional)

The shield is earthed to the ground (GND)

 A 120 Ohm terminating resistor can be fitted between pin 2 and pin 3.

4. Protocol description
The basic structure of the protocol is as follows:

 Each message consists of a fixed number of bytes. User data length is

not transmitted.

 The protocol is designed for a point-to-point link. The lift controller is the
'active' partner (the master). The control equipment is the 'passive'
partner, (the slave), i.e. it responds to a message from the controller
within a set time. The device address is not transmitted.

 A checksum byte at the end of each message ensures a high degree of

data security.

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 The protocol enables: rapid transmission of the control commands, status

signals and the position actual value; communications with the control
equipment at a slower speed for control equipment parameterizing and
for interrogation of special actual values. Only one byte of the message is
used for the slower communications channel. This channel is driven by
its own protocol, a communications protocol. Each message transmits
one byte of communications data. The remaining bytes in the message
are used for the transmission of rapid data and thereby constitute the
process data channel.

The protocol consists of the following parts:

4.1. Message from the lift controller to the control equipment:

The message consists of 5 bytes. A complete, standard message looks like this:

Command Position actual value Communications Checksum

When a new trip type is transmitted, the message looks like this:

Command 00H Trip type Communications Checksum

When a new position set value is transmitted, the message looks like this:

Command Position set value Checksum

Commands:
The command byte contains the information listed below. A pre-set bit activates the
corresponding command.

Bit 0: Controller release

Bit 1: Drive command
Bit 2: Stop switch
Bit 3: Fine adjustment trip
Bit 4: Direction DOWN
Bit 5: Trip type transmission
Bit 6: Position set value transmission
Bit 7: Fault in last response message

Bit 0: Controller release

When this bit is not set, the control equipment will remain locked out. The lift car will
be held with the mechanical brake. If this bit is removed during a trip, the control
equipment will be locked out immediately and the mechanical brake will operate.
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Bit 1: Drive command

The drive command bit activates a trip on condition that the controller enable
command has been given. The control equipment will activate the travel protection
and the brake and then start the trip. The control equipment will use the last trip type
transmitted by the controller.
The time at which the drive command is de-activated is only relevant with trip type
no. 1. In this case, the time at which the drive command is de-activated sets the
braking point. With all other trip types, the drive command must be de-activated at a
set time before the end of the trip in order to prevent the control equipment from
starting a new trip.

Bit 2: Stop switch

The stop switch acts as a correction point for position detection as long as the
position actual value is not given by the interface. The signal is activated before or
at the same time as the drive command is set and is de-activated when the stop
switch is reached. This bit is only relevant for trip type no. 1 (trip with constant
braking distance as per the current travel commands). With all other trip types this
bit will not be read.

Bit 3: Fine adjustment trip

This command activates a fine adjustment trip. The control equipment will travel at
the very slow fine adjustment speed for the duration of the signal.

Bit 4: Direction DOWN

This command sets the direction of travel of the lift. If the command is de-activated,
the lift will travel upwards. If the command is activated, the lift will travel
downwards. Any changes to the direction of travel during a trip will be ignored by
the control equipment.

Bit 5: Trip type transmission

This bit is activated to indicate that the message is transmitting information about
the trip type and that byte 3 of the message indicates the trip type (see trip type).

Bit 6: Position set value transmission

This bit is activated to indicate that the message is transmitting information about
the position set value and that the bytes from 2 to 4 indicate the position set value
(see position set value).

Bit 7: Fault in last response message

This bit is activated when the controller detects a checksum fault in the last
message from the control equipment to the controller. The controller will therefore
ignore the last message. This means that the control equipment must send the
communication byte again in the next message. The new, current values for the
remaining data will be transmitted.

In this case the controller must send the change in the position actual value since
the last valid transmission between the controller and the control equipment with
the special response message used in these cases.
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Position actual value

Bit 5 and bit 6 of the first message byte are set = 0 to indicate that the 2nd nd 3rd
bytes are transmitting the position actual value. The 2nd and 3rd bytes contain the
changes in travel distance since the last valid transmission of a position actual
value. Transmitting the travel distance changes only has the advantage that large
distance can be transmitted using word variables.
The direction of the change is displayed by plus or minus signs in front of the value
(UP = plus sign, DOWN = minus sign) in two's complement representation
(1st byte = High-Percentage, 2nd byte = Low-Percentage). Position changes are
transmitted in mm (value range from -32768 mm to 32767 mm)

Note:
During transmission of the position actual values the controller must check that the
rounding error is not added. A special procedure would, for example, add the newly
transmitted position actual value (since the start of the trip) to the controller. The
position actual value is always transmitted as the difference between the total
measured travel (from the absolute encoder position measuring system) and the
sum of the travel distance sent so far.

Position set value

Bit 6 of the first message byte is set = 1 to indicate that the 2nd, 3rd and 4th bytes are
transmitting the position set value. The position set value is always set at the start of
travel.
This value is always positive (1st byte = High-Percentage, 3 rd Byte = Low-Percentage)
and is transmitted in mm. The value range is from 0 to 16777215 mm.
The controller must ensure that the transmission of the position set value is completed
at least 20 ms before the corresponding deceleration point has been reached, i.e. the
response message from the control equipment must already have been received by the
controller. The response message from the control equipment must also indicate
whether or not the new position set value has been accepted (see 4.2).

Trip type
Bit 5 of the first message byte is set = 1 to indicate that the 3rd byte is transmitting the
trip type. The byte can be set to the following values:

0 Inspection at speed vR
1 V1 Trip with constant braking distance, speed V1
2 V2 Trip with constant braking distance, speed V2
3 V3 Trip with constant braking distance, speed V3
4 V4 Trip with constant braking distance, speed V4
5 V5 Trip with constant braking distance, speed V5
6 V6 Trip with constant braking distance, speed V6
7 V7 Trip with constant braking distance, speed V7
8 V8 Trip with constant braking distance, speed V8
9 Floor trip Floor trip with variable distance
10 Trip with variable distance
11 Inspection trip vR1 Inspection at speed v1
12 Inspection trip vR2 Inspection at speed v2
13 Inspection trip vR3 Inspection at speed v3
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Communication

Bit 5 and bit 6 of the first message byte are set = 0 to indicate that this byte is
transmitting the data for the communication channel. This channel can be used to
set all the actual values and parameters of the control equipment. The
communication channel is driven by its own protocol (see 4.3).

Checksum

The checksum is the XOR link element for the four data bytes.

4.2. Message from control equipment to the lift controller:

The message consists of 3 bytes. A complete message looks like this:

Status Communication Checksum

Status:

The status byte contains the following information:

Bit 0: Control equipment ready

Bit 1: Trip active
Bit 2: Pre-warning active
Bit 3: Common fault active
Bit 4: Levelling speed low
Bit 5: Position set value or trip type accepted
Bit 6: blank
Bit 7: Fault in last message received

Bit 0: Control equipment ready

This indicates that no faults are present and that the minimum delay time after a trip
has elapsed. The control equipment is ready for a new trip.

Bit 1: Trip active

The control equipment is currently performing a trip.
Changes in the direction of travel are no longer possible.

Bit 2: Pre-warning active

The control equipment is in a critical conditions (e.g. the heat sink is just below the
shut-down limit). A trip which has already been started can be finished. After this the
system must wait until no further pre-warning messages are active.

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Bit 3: Common fault active

A control equipment monitoring function has triggered. The control equipment has
been shut down, the travel contactor has been de-activated and the brake has been
deenergized.

Bit 4: Levelling speed low

The levelling speed has reached or dropped below the setting on the control
equipment. The control equipment continuously monitors the current travel speed
against a set limit value (the levelling speed). When travel speed drops below this
limit, bit 4 will be set. This function enables simple monitoring of the levelling speed
(e.e. at the end stops) by the controller.

Bit 5: Position set value or trip type accepted

This bit is only relevant when the last message from the controller to the control
equipment has transmitted a new trip type or position set value. A response message
containing this bit indicates that the control equipment has accepted the new value
just received.

Transmission of new trip type:

A new trip type will not be accepted during a active trip. Trip type 3 (Trip with variable
travel) will only be accepted when the position actual value has been transmitted over
the serial interface.

Transmission of new position set value:

A new set value will only be accepted:

 when the current trip is a short distance trip with variable travel or a trip with
variable travel.

 when the trip is a floor-to-floor trip with variable travel which has not yet started

 when the trip is a variable trip which has sufficient residual distance and the stop
point requested can be reached with the trip curve parameter settings.

In all other cases the old position actual value will be used.

Bit 7: Fault in last message received

This bit is set when the control equipment has detected a fault (e.g. checksum fault)
in the last message from the controller to the control equipment. The control
equipment will therefore ignore the last message because it is faulty. This means that
the controller must send the communication byte or the position set value again with
the next message. The new, current values for the remaining data will be transmitted.
In the case of a position actual value, the controller must send the difference in travel
which has occurred since the last valid message from the control equipment to the
controller with the corresponding valid response message.

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Communication:

This bit transmits the data for the communications channel. This channel can be used
to set all the actual values and parameters of the control equipment. The
communications channel is driven by its own protocol (see 4.3).

Checksum:

The checksum is the XOR link element for both data bytes

4.3. Data communication channel:

Introduction

The data communications channel is subordinate to the real time data channel and is
driven by its own protocol. One communications data byte is transmitted with each
message. The communications channel can also be used to set the actual value and
the parameters of the control equipment. In order to do this, the data exchange
between the internal display and the internal keypad of the control equipment must
be redirected over the DCP interface to the display and keypad of the lift controller.

In order to perform this operation (i.e. redirect the control equipment internal display
and keypad data over the interface), the contents of the communications data must
not be defined in the DCP protocol since only the current display characters and
keypad information is to be transmitted. The following marginal conditions must also
be observed:

Protocol

If the communication channel is not transmitting any data, the Byte 00H indicating
this condition must be transmitted. The control equipment will not send any data until
it receives the following command sequence from the controller:
(STX) (1FH) (ETX)

On reception of this command sequence, the control equipment will send the display
data (or the changes on the display). From this point onwards, the controller will send
the key code for the key pressed. When the controller wishes to end the
communication, it will send the following command sequence.

(STX) (01H) (ETX)

On reception of this command sequence, the control equipment will stop sending
data over the communication channel (00H).

For standard configurations, the lift controller must have at least one display with two
lines of 20 characters each. The DCP protocol will support up to four lines; this option
must be agreed with the suppliers.

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Data communications from the controller to the control equipment

The communications message looks like this:

(STX) (1F) (keypad code) (ETX)

The keypad coding is as follows:

Bit Function
0 Blank
1 Reset (of control equipment fault messages)
2 Status (reset display to output status)
3 Down
4 Up
5 Enter
6 F1 (Function key 1, function depends on the control equipment)
7 F2 (Function key 2, function depends on the control equipment)

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Data communication from the control equipment to the controller

The communication message looks like this:

(STX) (1FH) (Line) (Cursor position) (Character 1) ...(Character n) (ETX)

(Line) Control character for the output line (see control character table)
(Cursor position) Control character for the cursor position (see control character table)
(Character 1) ( Character n) Sequence of characters after the cursor position, to be shown on the
display (see character set below).

 The codes from 00H to 1FH are used as control characters and have the
following meaning:

Code (Hex) Description

0 Communication channel to idle state
1 Stop communication
2 STX = Start communication message
3 ETX = End communication message
4 Output in line 1 of display
5 Output in line 2 of display
6 Output in line 3 of display
7 Output in line 4 of display
9 Cursor position 1
0A Cursor position 2
0B Cursor position 3
0C Cursor position 4
0D Cursor position 5
0E Cursor position 6
0F Cursor position 7
10 Cursor position 8
11 Cursor position 9
12 Cursor position 10
13 Cursor position 11
14 Cursor position 12
15 Cursor position 13
16 Cursor position 14
17 Cursor position 15
18 Cursor position 16
19 Cursor position 17
1A Cursor position 18
1B Cursor position 19
1C (blank)
1D (blank)
1E (blank)
1F Message identifier for communication message

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 Character set for display data

The table below shows the character set used; the table is based on the character
set used by most commercial display units.
Blank bytes should not be used if possible.

2.H 3.H 4.H 5.H 6.H 7.H 8.H 9.H A.H B.H C.H D.H E.H F.H
.0H 0 @ P
(Blank)
\ p *
) 
.1H ! 1 A Q a q *
) ä
.2H ” 2 B R b r 2 )
* 
.3H # 3 C S c s 3
* )
 
.4H $ 4 D T d t *
)
 
.5H % 5 E U e u *
)
 Ü
.6H & 6 F V f v ↕ *)  
.7H ’ 7 G W g w *
)

.8H ( 8 H X h x 
.9H ) 9 I Y i y -1

.AH * : J Z j z
.BH + ; K [ k {
.CH , < L l |
.DH - = M ] m }
.EH . > N ^ n 
.FH / ? O _ o  ö □

*)
These characters are not usually included in the character set of LCD displays.
They must be loaded into the programmable CG-RAM.
The following codes can be used for this purpose:

 1FH 04H 0EH 15H 04H 04H 04H 00H (Arrow upw ards w ith limit)
 04H 04H 04H 15H 0EH 04H 1FH 00H (Arrow dow nw ards w ith limit)
2 0CH 02H 04H 08H 0EH 00H 00H 00H (Squared)
3 0CH 02H 0CH 02H 0CH 00H 00H 00H (Cubed)
 04H 0EH 1FH 04H 04H 04H 04H 00H (Arrow upw ards)
 04H 04H 04H 04H 1FH 0EH 04H 00H (Arrow dow nw ards)
↕ 04H 0EH 1FH 04H 04H 1FH 0EH 04H (Double arrow )
 02H 05H 15H 0EH 04H 04H 04H 00H

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5. Sequence timing:
The interface is a half duplex interface and the driver for this type of interface must
therefore have directional commutation. In order to prevent collisions, the sequence
used must be accurately timed. A cycle time (the time the message takes to travel
from the controller to the control unit and back again) of 10 ms is also required.

The sequence is as follows:

 Baudrate = 19,200 Baud, 8-bit data length, no parity, 1 stop bit.

 Switching off of the transmission driver 0.5 ms (max.) after transmission

of the last bit.

 Earliest possible transmission start after reception of a message:

0.6 ms (controller + control equipment).

 Latest possible controller transmission start after reception of

a message: 3 ms.

 Latest possible control equipment transmission start after reception of a

message:

For the transmission of the position actual value, the interface is linked to
a control loop. In these circumstances it is advisable to transmit the data
at the same, regular intervals (in this case 10 ms). The following method
should be used.

The control equipment must process the interface program every 10 ms

(with a time-controlled interrupt).
This method will, however, only guarantee a maximum response time of
10 ms. If the controller sends the next message up to a maximum of 3
ms after reception of a message, the complete message will
automatically be transmitted from the controller to the control equipment
and back again within 10 ms. This means that the controller is
automatically synchronised with the timing code of the control equipment.
It is important therefore that the controller does not exceed a maximum
response time of 3 ms.

Message from lift controller

Message from control equipment (inverter)

Time-controlled interrupts in control equipment (10 ms)

min. 0.6 ms min. 0.6 ms min. 0.6 ms min. 0.6 ms min. 0.6 ms
1. Telegramm max. 3.0 ms max. 3.0 ms max. 3.0 ms max. 3.0 ms max. 3.0 ms

6. Dealing with transmission faults

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In order to prevent transmission faults from falsifying or losing position actual and set
values, the behaviour of the controller and the control equipment in the event of
transmission faults must be precisely defined.

6.1. Behaviour of controller in the event of transmission faults

(viewed from the controller)

There are two basic types of transmission faults:

1) The controller detects a checksum fault when receiving a response

message from the control equipment.

Reaction:

 The type of message (transmission of position actual value, trip type or

position set value) must be retained, i.e. the message type of the previous
message must be repeated.

 The current values are transmitted as a command. Bit 7 is set to indicate a

response message fault.

 The position actual value is taken as the total change in travel since the
last, valid complete message cycle (i.e. the last cycle in which the
message was transmitted from the controller to the control equipment and
back again without fault). This value is transmitted.

 Communication of the last transmitted byte is repeated.

 The last value for the position set value or the trip type is repeated.

 The status byte of the control equipment is ignored.

2) The status bit 7 (Fault in last response message) is set in the response
message sent by the control equipment to the controller.

Reaction:

 The type of message (transmission of position actual value, trip type or

position set value) must be retained, i.e. the message type of the previous
message must be repeated.

 The current values are transmitted as a command.

 The position actual value is taken as the total change in travel since the
last, valid complete message cycle (i.e. the last cycle in which the
message was transmitted from the controller to the control equipment and
back again without fault). This value is transmitted.

 Communication of the last transmitted byte is repeated.

 The last value for the position set value or the trip type is repeated.

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6.2. Behaviour of control equipment in the event of transmission faults

(viewed from the inverter)

1. The control equipment detects a checksum fault in a message received

from the controller.

Reaction:

 The control equipment ignores the message and sends a response

message with the following content:

 Status of the current value, bit 7 is set to indicate a message fault.

 A zero byte (00H) is sent as communication.

2: The command bit 7 (Fault in last response message) is set in the message
sent by the controller to the control equipment.

Reaction

 The command is processed following the normal procedure.

 Position set value

In the event of a checksum fault in the last transmission from the
controller to the control equipment, the position actual value transmitted
will be used. In all other cases the position actual value of the last valid
message will be subtracted from the position actual value transmitted.

 Communications
In the event of a checksum fault in the last transmission from the
controller to the control equipment, the communications byte will be
processed as normal. In all other cases it will be ignored.

 Position set value

In the event of a checksum fault in the last transmission from the
controller to the control equipment, the travel set will be processed as
normal. In all other cases the result of the checksum procedure will be
transmitted in Status Bit 5 (Position set value accepted) in the response
message.

 Trip type
This will be processed as normal.

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DCP- Interface for Dynavert® L - Technical description 4BS0449-005

LOHER GmbH
A Siemens Company Servicezentrale:
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