The LinkHub is based on the Link, designed in cooperation with Dallas
Semiconductor Corp., Dallas, Texas, who is the manufacturer of the 1-Wire and
iButton devices and various accessories.
LinkHubs are advanced,
intelligent, multiport serial port (LinkHubS32K) or ethernet (LinkHubE32K)
interfaces for use with Dallas Semiconductor 1-Wire and iButton components. It
uses superior digital and analog methods to accomplish more reliable operation
on a wide variety of network topologies. It also offers many functions that
simplify network communications and some diagnostic tools as well.
The
LinkHub has been designed to operate reliably on long and short 1-Wire busses.
This is accomplished by a special analog interface design that uses matched
impedances and slew rate controls, as well as smart cable pre-charge. In
addition, the firmware (programming) is adaptive and makes adjustments for a
variety of network parameters automatically.
There are five (5) 1-wire
busses (1 internal and 4 external) which are logically or'ed into a single
composite 1-wire bus. Software written for the Dallas Semiconductor DS9097U
interface will work even though the 1-wire devices are physically on separate
busses. Each external bus can be up to 1000 feet long with one sensor
attached. This yields a logical 1-wire network of 4000 feet with 4 times the
network weight of a standard 1-wire bus.
An extended command set allows
the four 1-Wire ports can be used independently or together. In addition, if one
of the 1-Wire shorts out the remaining channels continue to function normally.
When the problem is corrected the channel will reappear and operate
normally.
The LinkHub is a powered device, providing +12V and +5V power
on the same cable as the 1-wire bus. In addition, local EEPROM storage is
provided for user configuration data. The LinkHub is available as three models,
differentiated by the amount of EEPROM memory, 32KB, 256KB, and
512KB.
LinkHubS ships WITHOUT power supply.
LinkHubS Manual
