TenAsys Joins EtherCAT Technology Group

Participation in the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) by TenAsys Corporation is directed at providing hard real-time EtherCAT master technology for OEMs who wish to utilize Windows PCs and standard Ethernet hardware to control a real-time EtherCAT fieldbus network.

Paris, France - April 5, 2005 – TenAsys Corporation is pleased to announce formal membership in the EtherCAT Technology Group. The INtime real-time operating system and extension already provides hard real-time determinism for Windows PCs, a preferred platform on which to implement EtherCAT masters, allowing OEMs to easily incorporate a real-time Windows EtherCAT master using standard Ethernet hardware as a part of their EtherCAT product offerings.

“An INtime implementation of an EtherCAT master makes it an ideal fit for an EtherCAT fieldbus. The scalable architecture of the TenAsys software products allows this technology to be applied to a wide selection of master applications, ranging from small embedded systems to high-end PC-based controls. The EtherCAT Technology Group is excited to have the support of this innovative software company,” stated Martin Rostan, Executive Director of the EtherCAT Technology Group.

Profimatics GmbH, an embedded system developer and TenAsys partner, is currently demonstrating a real-time EtherCAT master for INtime systems running on Windows. Their software allows one to utilize a standard Windows PC platform as the EtherCAT master in a deterministic EtherCAT fieldbus network. Contact TenAsys Corporation (see below) or Profimatics at +49 (4123) 928280 or http://www.profimatics.de for more information.

EtherCAT utilizes the speed and cost effectiveness of Ethernet hardware to implement a fieldbus network that provides greater performance than traditional fieldbus solutions. For example, 1000 distributed digital I/O points can be queried within 30µs, 200 analog values in 50µs, or 100 axes of motion can be controlled in 100µs. EtherCAT is particularly well suited for PC-based control technology. PC-based masters require no special plug-in card and can be implemented on any existing Ethernet controller.

Please visit http://www.ethercat.org for more information about the EtherCAT fieldbus standard.

About TenAsys and INtime

INtime Real Time Extensions for Windows is a fully featured RTOS derived from iRMX. Applications written for the INtime RTOS execute with guaranteed determinism as fully-protected user-mode processes in concurrence with the Microsoft Windows operating system on standard PC hardware. Because real-time application code executes in user-mode the INtime environment is immune to application faults that crash kernel-mode driver solutions.

Using the INtime real-time extension for Windows, designers can reduce the cost of implementing computer-based control systems by utilizing x86-based PC hardware and Microsoft Windows software. INtime software combines the benefits of the Windows operating system — standard APIs, networking, user interface, and development environment — with a proven, highly reliable, real-time kernel designed for critical applications.

In 2005, TenAsys celebrates 25 years of continuous use of their iRMX RTOS product. Customers worldwide have entrusted TenAsys’ RTOS products to provide reliable deterministic control of their Intel x86 architecture embedded computers in a wide array of mission critical applications including: medical, telecomm, industrial control, robotics, test & measurement, and military.

TenAsys, INtime and iRMX are registered trademarks of TenAsys Corporation. The names of other companies, products, and brands mentioned herein may be trademarks of other owners.

press contact:  Bob Patterson, MKTX, Inc., +1 503 646-6589,