Sales Notice | B&R

SN 2022/29 - exOS - Product Release
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Table of Contents
SN 2022/29 - exOS - Product Release ....................................................................................................... 3
Introduction................................................................................................................................................ 3
Sales and order processing details ............................................................................................................................4
Product positioning...................................................................................................................................................4
Sales Presentation Kit ..............................................................................................................................................4
Product details..........................................................................................................................................................4
Software features and technical details....................................................................................................................5
Software management .............................................................................................................................................5
Deployment, execution and diagnostics...................................................................................................................6
Efficient maintenance ...............................................................................................................................................6
Communication and time synchronization................................................................................................................7
Knowledge resources...............................................................................................................................................8
System requirements for exOS ................................................................................................................................8
Attend our wE-talk for additional information............................................................................................................8Copyright © B&R - Automatic generated PDF, Subject to change without notice
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SN 2022/29 - exOS - Product Release
Key Information
This sales notice provides an overview of the features and the target
market/userbase of the new product - exOS. It is available as a
Technology Package in the upgrades dialog of Automation Studio
v4.10 or above and on the B&R Website.
Sales Notice Number SN 2022/29
Creation Date 04.08.2022
Last Modified Date 04.08.2022
Author(s) Varad Darji
Sales Notice Type Product-related
Portfolio Line Automation Software
Quicklinks PnS exOS
Status
Confidentiality
Introduction
With the increasing adoption of digitalization, some applications in the machine automation domain are
trending towards requiring solutions beyond the traditional tasks of a PLC. These applications may utilize
programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, C++, etc., to build future-proof and featureful systems.
B&R's enhanced crossover for Operating System, exOS, makes it possible to incorporate Linux software into
industrial control systems enabling state-of-the-art automation solutions.
The machine builders primarily use the PLC system for time-critical applications with high-speed motion or I/
Os to achieve fast and deterministic response times, an essential element in building safe machines with
high throughput. This part requires a real-time operating system such as our Automation Runtime, typically
programmed via IEC 61131-3 languages such as Ladder, ST, FBD, C/C++, Etc. Now, with the help of exOS,
programmers can also develop Linux software that should directly run on the machine at near-real-time
speed and synchronization to explore the possibilities below.
Managing advanced databases
Deploying sophisticated path-planning algorithms
Establishing cloud connectivity
Executing machine learning models
Artificial Intelligence optimization loops
exOS is now a released product, allowing a straightforward integration of Linux-based software with B&R
Automation Studio and Automation Runtime environment with B&R Hypervisor, empowering many innovative
use-cases with emerging technologies. It is available as a Technology Package in the upgrades dialog of
VALID
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Automation Studio v4.10 or above and on the B&R Website. Please check the system requirements section
below to utilize exOS functionality in a system with Automation Runtime, B&R Hypervisor, and B&R Linux
system.
Sales and order processing details
Product positioning
exOS is a door-opener technology enabling us to market our products to existing customers interested
in emerging technologies and companies/markets beyond our reach.
Examples of ideal exOS opportunities:
Applications that require robust synchronization and integration between real-time operations
and Linux software
Engineering teams that heavily use Linux-based software
Users that want to use programming languages/frameworks not natively supported by
Automation Runtime
Companies that want to develop special hardware without driver support in Automation
Runtime
Businesses that create their control/embedded systems with Linux software
Machine builders without in-house experts are ready to work with third-party Linux software
developers to provide value-added functionality.
Sales Presentation Kit
The sales presentation for exOS is available at Y:\_public files\presentations\Sales Presentation
Kit\ENG\03 - Innovative Technologies\P35 - Industrial Ethernet\P35_exOS.pptx or in the PnS exOS
Product Room.
Product details
Material Description AS Version Availability
1TCEXOS.10-01 License for exOS (TC). One
license
per target system is required.
AS4.10
and above
July 2022
Quoting exOS license in IQ
The license for exOS is available in IQ under Products > Software > Software Technology >
Connectivity > exOS.
Note: To utilize exOS functionality, the users will also require a system with B&R Hypervisor and B&R
Linux.
If businesses/companies/users do not have Linux software development expertise or are unwilling to
get external help, they will not be able to develop exOS packages independently.
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Software features and technical details
exOS packages (with source-code or binary executables) become an integrated part of an Automation Studio
project. After the deployment of the machine software on Automation Runtime with B&R Hypervisor
technology and Linux, these software packages automatically get deployed to Linux, providing deep
integration of B&R Automation Runtime and the Linux system with the following functionality:
Software management
The exOS Technology Package allows adding Linux software alongside AR resources in an Automation
Studio project. In other words, exOS packages contain both Automation Runtime and Linux modules,
which are handled together in the Logical view of Automation Studio. The whole machine automation
software is therefore managed from a single point.Copyright © B&R - Automatic generated PDF, Subject to change without notice
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Deployment, execution and diagnostics
Users can configure the deployment and execution of Linux programs via the exOS Technology
Package in the Configuration view of Automation Studio. The PLC is then in charge of transferring the
according files to the target Linux system and handles installation, removal, upgrade, and execution of
the software modules.
The state of the Linux target and its components can be constantly monitored from the PLC side via
diagnosis function blocks. In addition, all output (i.e., stdout, stderr) of Linux services for installation,
startup, or removal, as well as all failure output (i.e., stderr) of runtime services, is logged and forwarded
to the Automation Runtime Logbook. So it is accessible via Automation Studio, SDM, and Runtime
Utility center.
Efficient maintenance
exOS software management takes place via Automation Runtime, ensuring synchronization between
the software modules and versions configured in the Automation Studio project and on the actual target
system. Similar to firmware updates of field devices running automatically in the background, this allows
for simple software updates in the field with minimal machine downtime.Copyright © B&R - Automatic generated PDF, Subject to change without notice
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All mechanisms of PLC software transfer can be used with exOS as well. So it includes updates via
USB sticks, FTP server, or RUC installation scripts.
The AS/AR-based software management can also be combined with other mechanisms from the Linux
or IT world such as package management with software repositories (e.g. via APT), containerized
subsystems or the creation/duplication of pre-made system images.
Communication and time synchronization
Each exOS component consists of two parts, one for the AR side and the other for the Linux side.
Those parts are connected via an internal communication channel. Data is therein described as a data
model which organizes datasets that can be published and subscribed. The exOS data communication
mechanism ensures data consistency and transmission of all published data together with a
synchronized origin NETTIME.
Data communication uses an event-based, buffered approach to bridge the hard-realtime AR with a
best-effort or soft-realtime Linux system.Copyright © B&R - Automatic generated PDF, Subject to change without notice
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Using the B&R Hypervisor technology, data transmission takes place in the millisecond range, and
shared memory allows for high-bandwidth data exchange between the systems, but B&R does not
guarantee in terms of deterministic real-time behavior between Automation Runtime and Linux.
Knowledge resources
Knowledge resources such as presentations, video tutorials, demo projects, and additional technical details
are linked from the exOS Product Room.
System requirements for exOS
This section contains the system requirements for exOS.
Automation Studio
4.10 and above
Automation Runtime
B4.91 and above
Operating System
B&R Linux 10
Hardware with UEFI boot
APC/ PPC2200
APC/PPC3100 Kaby Lake (UEFI boot)
APC910 QM170/HM170/CM236 chipset (UEFI boot)
PPC900 chipset QM170/HM170 (UEFI boot)
MPC3100 Kaby Lake (UEFI boot)
Attend our wE-talk for additional information
Detailed information about exOS will be provided during a wE-talk on 17th Aug 2022. It will give you the
opportunity to preview some features and take part in a Q&A session.
ENG 10.00 AM CEST Link to register
ENG 14.00 PM CEST Link to register