Abstract
The data link layer of Foundation Fieldbus is operated on the basis of scheduling and token-passing disciplines. This paper presents a network design method of Foundation Fieldbus using a bandwidth allocation scheme. Fieldbus traffic consists of periodic data and sporadically generated time-critical and time-available data. The bandwidth allocation scheme schedules the transmission of periodic data. Time-critical and time-available data are transmitted via a token-passing service. The validity of this bandwidth allocation scheme is determined using an experimental model of a network system. The results obtained from the experimental model show that the proposed scheme restricts the delay of both periodic and time-critical data to a pre-specified bound. The proposed bandwidth allocation scheme also fully utilizes the bandwidth resource of the network system.