Overview
EN IEC 61784-2-11:2023 (IEC 61784-2-11:2023) defines Communication Profile Family 11 (CPF 11) - a set of Real‑Time Ethernet (RTE) communication profiles based on ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-3 (Ethernet) and the IEC 61158 series (Type 11). Published as a CLC/CENELEC European Standard in June 2023, this document specifies the profile sets, relevant network components and the RTE performance indicators (PIs) and their dependencies required for deterministic industrial communications.
Key topics and technical requirements
- CPF 11 structure: Defines multiple RTE communication profiles (CP 11/1, CP 11/2, CP 11/3) with explicit coverage of the physical layer, data‑link layer and application layer for each CP.
- Protocol selection: Maps required DLL and AL services and protocols to IEC 61158 (Type 11) elements and Ethernet (ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-3) capabilities.
- Performance indicators (PIs): Specifies RTE performance metrics (latency, jitter, throughput allocations, availability, etc.) and a PI dependency matrix to guide consistent PI selection for RTE and non‑RTE use.
- Time synchronization and timing standards: References standards such as IEC 61588 / IEEE 802.1AS for clock synchronization required by time‑sensitive applications.
- Throughput and bandwidth allocation: Provides guidance (including throughput diagrams) for partitioning RTE vs non‑RTE traffic and selecting transport/services like UDP/TCP.
- Interoperability & conformance: Profiles are based on internationally published IEC/ISO/IEEE standards or recognized draft/open standards; normative references (IEC 61158 series, IEEE 802.1Q/802.1AB, IETF RFCs) are included.
Practical applications and users
Who uses EN IEC 61784-2-11:2023?
- Industrial automation vendors designing real‑time Ethernet devices and firmware.
- System integrators and control engineers specifying deterministic networks for motion control, distributed I/O, robotics and process control.
- Network architects planning QoS, time synchronization and bandwidth partitioning in factory networks.
- Procurement and certification bodies defining conformance, test criteria and interoperability requirements.
Typical use cases:
- Specifying RTE-enabled Ethernet switches, end devices and gateways.
- Selecting consistent performance indicator sets for closed‑loop control or time‑sensitive SCADA links.
- Designing network topologies that satisfy latency and jitter targets using IEC/IEEE timing profiles.
Related standards
- IEC 61158 series (Fieldbus specifications - Type 11 elements)
- IEC 61588 / IEEE 802.1AS (Precision clock synchronization)
- IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet), IEEE 802.1Q, IEEE 802.1AB
- IEC 61784‑2‑0 (general concepts for RTE profiles) and IEC 61784‑5‑11 (installation profiles for CPF 11)
Keywords: EN IEC 61784-2-11:2023, CPF 11, Real‑Time Ethernet, RTE communication profiles, IEC 61158, ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-3, industrial networks, performance indicators.