CIP uses an Object Model approach to designing network-compatible devices. This approach encompasses the data addressing method and message exchange rules for each and every data packet sent over a network. It also contains a common and complete suite of services for control, configuration, and data collection that includes both implicit (control) and explicit (information) messaging. CIP includes Device Profiles to help ensure interoperability and interchangeability among devices of the same type—even those from different vendors.
CIP Object Model
CIP is a strictly object-oriented protocol at the upper layers. Each CIP object has attributes (data), services (commands), connections, and behaviors (relationship between attribute values and services). CIP includes an extensive object library to support general-purpose network communications, network services such as file transfer, and typical automation functions such as analog and digital input/output devices, HMI, motion control, and position feedback.
To provide interoperability, the same object or groups of objects, implemented in two or more devices behaves identically from device to device. A grouping of objects used in a device is referred to as that device’s “Object Model.”
CIP’s object model is based on the producer-consumer communication model, which can provide more efficient use of network resources than a source-destination model by allowing the exchange of application information between a sending device (e.g., the producer) and many receiving devices (e.g., the consumers) without requiring data to be transmitted multiple times by a single source to multiple destinations.
Device Profiles
For interoperability in CIP Networks comprising devices from multiple vendors, CIP defines standard groupings of objects as “Device Profiles.” In addition to the set of objects implemented in the device, Device Profiles specify configuration options and I/O data formats. Devices that implement one of the standard Device Profiles will respond to all the same commands and will have the same network behavior as other devices that follow that same profile.
For more information, visit the CIP Technology Library.