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IEC 60870-5-101

IEC 60870-5-101 is a protocol for power system monitoring and controlling. Mostly used for communication between substations and control centers over radio.

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Info about protocol

Telegram Structure

Teleram format with fixed length

image-1643029019486.png

Telegram format with variable length

image-1643029038579.png

  • RES - Reserved
  • PRM - 1 if master, 0 if slave

PRM = 1

  • FCB - alternating bit for successive services per station
  • FCV - (if FCV=1 FCB enabled)

PRM = 0

  • ACD - access demand (if ACD=1 there are class 1 data)
  • DFC - data flow control (if DFC=1 further messages may cause data overflow)

ASDU - Application Service Data Unit

Function Code

PRM=1

Dec

Frame type

Service function

FCV

0

SEND/CONFIRM expected

Reset of remote link

0

1

SEND/CONFIRM expected

Reset of user process

0

2

SEND/CONFIRM expected

Reserved

-

3

SEND/CONFIRM expected

User data

1

4

SEND/REPLY expected

User data

0

5


Reserved

-

6


Reserved

-

7


Reserved

-

8

REQUEST for access demand

Expected response specifies access demand

0

9

REQUEST/RESPOND expected

Request status of link

0

10

REQUEST/RESPOND expected

Request user data class 1

1

11

REQUEST/RESPOND expected

Request user data class 2

1

12


Reserved

-

13


Reserved

-

14


Reserved

-

15


Reserved

-

PRM=0

Dec

Frame type

Service function

0

CONFIRM

ACK: positive acknowledgment

1

CONFIRM

NACK: message not accepted, link busy

2


Reserved

3


Reserved

4


Reserved

5


Reserved

6


Reserved

7


Reserved

8

RESPOND

User data

9

RESPOND

Requested data not available

10


Reserved

11

RESPOND

Status of link

12


Reserved

13


Reserved

14


Reserved

15


Reserved

Type identification

Standard IEC 60870-5-101 data types[1-255]

•[1-127] - standard definition

•[128-135] - reserved for routing of messages

•[136-255] - for special use

Dec

Type

Description

Direction

Support

Process information

1

M_SP_NA_1

Single-point information

Monitor

Yes

2

M_SP_TA_1

Single-point information with time tag

Monitor

Yes

3

M_DP_NA_1

Double-point information

Monitor

Yes

4

M_DP_TA_1

Double-point information with time tag

Monitor

Yes

5

M_ST_NA_1

Step position information

Monitor

Yes

6

M_ST_TA_1

Step position information with time tag

Monitor

Yes

7

M_BO_NA_1

Bit string of 32 bit

Monitor

Yes

8

M_BO_TA_1

Bit string of 32 bit with time tag

Monitor

Yes

9

M_ME_NA_1

Measured value, normalized value

Monitor

Yes

10

M_ME_TA_1

Measured value, normalized value with time tag

Monitor

Yes

11

M_ME_NB_1

Measured value, scaled value

Monitor

Yes

12

M_ME_TB_1

Measured value, scaled value wit time tag

Monitor

Yes

13

M_ME_NC_1

Measured value, short floating point number

Monitor

Yes

14

M_ME_TC_1

Measured value, short floating point number with time tag

Monitor

Yes

15

M_IT_NA_1

Integrated totals

Monitor

Yes

16

M_IT_TA_1

Integrated totals with time tag

Monitor

Yes

17

M_EP_TA_1

Event of protection equipment with time tag      

Monitor

Yes

18

M_EP_TB_1

Packed start events of protection equipment with time tag

Monitor

Yes

19

M_EP_TC_1

Packed output circuit information of protection equipment with time tag

Monitor

Yes

20

M_PS_NA_1

Packed single point information with status change detection

Monitor

Yes

21

M_ME_ND_1

Measured value, normalized value without quality descriptor

Monitor

Yes

30

M_SP_TB_1

Single-point information with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

31

M_DP_TB_1

Double-point information with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

32

M_ST_TB_1

Step position information with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

33

M_BO_TB_1

Bit string of 32 bit with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

34

M_ME_TD_1

Measured value, normalized value with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

35

M_ME_TE_1

Measured value, scaled value with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

36

M_ME_TF_1

Measured value, short floating point number with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

37

M_IT_TB_1

Integrated totals with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

38

M_EP_TD_1

Event of protection equipment with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

39

M_EP_TE_1

Packed start events of protection equipment with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

40

M_EP_TF_1

Packed output circuit information of protection equipment with time tag CP56Time2a

Monitor

Yes

45

C_SC_NA_1

Single command

Control

Yes

46

C_DC_NA_1

Double command

Control

Yes

47

C_RC_NA_1

Regulating step command

Control

Yes

48

C_SE_NA_1

Set-point Command, normalized value

Control

Yes

49

C_SE_NB_1

Set-point Command, scaled value

Control

Yes

50

C_SE_NC_1

Set-point Command, short floating point number

Control

Yes

51

C_BO_NA_1

Bit string 32 bit command

Control

Yes

58

C_SC_TA_1

Single command with time tag CP56Time2a

Control

Yes

59

C_DC_TA_1

Double command with time tag CP56Time2a

Control

Yes

60

C_RC_TA_1

Regulating step command with time tag CP56Time2a

Control

Yes

61

C_SE_TA_1

Measured value, normalized value command with time tag CP56Time2a

Control

Yes

62

C_SE_TB_1

Measured value, scaled value command with time tag CP56Time2a

Control

Yes

63

C_SE_TC_1

Measured value, short floating point number command with time tag CP56Time2a

Control

Yes

64

C_BO_TA_1

Bit string of 32 bit command with time tag CP56Time2a

Control

Yes

System information

70

M_EI_NA_1

End of Initialization

Monitor

Yes

100

C_IC_NA_1

Interrogation command

Control

Yes

101

C_CI_NA_1

Counter interrogation command

Control

Yes

102

C_RD_NA_1

Read command

Control

Yes

103

C_CS_NA_1

Clock synchronization command

Control

Yes

104

C_TS_NA_1

Test command

Control

Yes

105

C_RP_NA_1

Reset process command

Control

Yes

106

C_CD_NA_1

Delay acquisition command

Control

No

107

C_TS_TA_1

Test command with time tag CP56Time2a

Control

No

Parameter

110

P_ME_NA_1

Parameter of measured values, normalized value

Control

No

111

P_ME_NB_1

Parameter of measured values, scaled value

Control

No

112

P_ME_NC_1

Parameter of measured values, short floating point number

Control

No

113

P_AC_NA_1

Parameter activation

Control

No

File transfer

120

F_FR_NA_1

File ready

File transfer

No

121

F_SR_NA_1

Section ready

File transfer

No

122

F_SC_NA_1

Call directory, select file, call file, call section

File transfer

No

123

F_LS_NA_1

Last section, last segment

File transfer

No

124

F_FA_NA_1

ACK file, ACK section

File transfer

No

125

F_SG_NA_1

Segment

File transfer

No

126

F_DR_TA_1

Directory

File transfer

No

Cause of transmission

Standard IEC 60870-5-101 cause of transmission [0-63]

Dec

Description

1

Periodic, cyclic

2

Background interrogation

3

Spontaneous

4

Initialized

5

Interrogation or interrogated

6

Activation

7

Confirmation activation

8

Deactivation

9

Confirmation deactivation

10

Termination activation

11

Return information caused by a remote command

12

Return information caused by a local command

13

File transfer

20

Interrogated by general interrogation

21

Interrogated by interrogation group 1

22

Interrogated by interrogation group 2

23

Interrogated by interrogation group 3

24

Interrogated by interrogation group 4

25

Interrogated by interrogation group 5

26

Interrogated by interrogation group 6

27

Interrogated by interrogation group 7

28

Interrogated by interrogation group 8

29

Interrogated by interrogation group 9

30

Interrogated by interrogation group 10

31

Interrogated by interrogation group 11

32

Interrogated by interrogation group 12

33

Interrogated by interrogation group 13

34

Interrogated by interrogation group 14

35

Interrogated by interrogation group 15

36

Interrogated by interrogation group 16

37

Interrogated by counter general interrogation

38

Interrogated by interrogation counter group 1

39

Interrogated by interrogation counter group 2

40

Interrogated by interrogation counter group 3

41

Interrogated by interrogation counter group 4

44

Type Identification unknown

45

Cause unknown

46

ASDU address unknown

47

Information object address unknown

 Settings

Structure


image-1643030143906.png


Monitor

Master

Slave

LINK size in bytes

LINK size in bytes

LINK size in bytes

LINK size in bytes

COT size in bytes

COT size in bytes

COT size in bytes

COT size in bytes

ASDU size in bytes

ASDU size in bytes

ASDU size in bytes

ASDU size in bytes

IOA size in bytes

IOA size in bytes

IOA size in bytes

IOA size in bytes

Address


image-1643030210401.png


Monitor

Master

Slave

Link address

Not used

Remote device address

Own system address

Timeouts (ms)


image-1643030267851.png


Monitor

Master

Slave

Reading data

Waiting data in serial port buffer

Waiting data in serial port buffer

Waiting data in serial port buffer

Pause before send

Not used

Pause before send data

Pause before send data

Parameters


image-1643030416216.png





Monitor

Master

Slave

Send End of ini.

Not used

Not used

Send end of initialization TI 70 (M_EI_NA_1)

Auto ack. control commands

Not used

Not used

Auto acknowledge system commands

(TI: 100, 103)

Auto ack. system commands

Not used

Not used

Auto acknowledge commands


System

For all system functions user can set custom address:

image-1643035404803.png

General Interrogation

This function will send telegram Type-identification = 100 (C_IC_NA_1)

image-1643035460782.png

QOI - qualifier of interrogation [0...255]

  • 20 - Station interrogation
  • 21 - Interrogation of group 1
  • 22 - Interrogation of group 2
  • 23 - Interrogation of group 3
  • 24 - Interrogation of group 4
  • 25 - Interrogation of group 5
  • 26 - Interrogation of group 6
  • 27 - Interrogation of group 7
  • 28 - Interrogation of group 8
  • 29 - Interrogation of group 9
  • 30 - Interrogation of group 10
  • 31 - Interrogation of group 11
  • 32 - Interrogation of group 12
  • 33 - Interrogation of group 13
  • 34 - Interrogation of group 14
  • 35 - Interrogation of group 15
  • 36 - Interrogation of group 16

Counter Interrogation

This function will send telegram Type-identification = 101 (C_CI_NA_1)

image-1643035583657.png

FRZ - freeze[0..3]

  • 0 - Station interrogation
  • 1 - Interrogation of group 1
  • 2 - Interrogation of group 2
  • 3 - Interrogation of group 3

RQT - request[0..63]

  • 1 - Counter group 1
  • 2 - Counter group 2
  • 3 - Counter group 3
  • 4 - Counter group 3
  • 5 - General request

Commands

Read command will send telegram Type-identification = 102 (C_RD_NA_1)

Test command will send telegram Type-identification = 104 (C_TS_NB_1)

image-1643035813048.png

Clock synchronization

This function will send telegram Type-identification = 103 (C_CS_NA_1)

image-1643036000740.png

If "PC time" checkbox is checked, then the PC time will be sent. If it's not checked user can set time manually.

Time tag status bits:

  • IV - invalid time
  • SM - Summer/Winter
  • SB - Substitute

Custom Commands

This function allows user to send commands to the slave device.

image-1643036278042.png

Tags

This function allows user to created named points. After points created user can send it manually or set reply checkbox to automatic reply.

  • To export Tags to csv file: Tags -> Export -> Save file dialog appear
  • To import Tags from csv file: Tags -> Import -> Open file dialog appear

There are two ways of creating tags:

  1. Create tag button.
  2. Double click a signal with the left mouse button in the statistic tab.

Main parameters:

  • Name - user-friendly tag name
  • Asdu - Identifier of the device
  • Ioa - Identifier of values from the device.
  • Type - the type of value.

Here is an example image of the tag window with the M_SP_TB_1 (30) type selected.  Each type has different options that can be configured when sending data. For example this type depicted in the picture below can send a value Off or On and it also is time-tagged. The user in this case can either select a specific time that they have in mind or just mark the PC checkbox and The Vinci software will automatically send the current PC time. As you can see the Value box in this example is greyed out that is because this tag is created on a master simulation, and this type doesn't support writing to slave.

image-1643099817811.png

Setup

To setup an IEC 60870-5-101 simulation it is fairly straightforward. 

1. Select IEC 60870-5-101 and the mode.

image-1643100190017.png

2. Select Serial Port settings according to your device specification.

image-1643100262054.png

3. Select settings in the settings tab according to your device and preference.

image-1643100334429.png

4. Press the green START button and the simulation should start. If everything was done correctly The Vinci software should establish communication with the IEC 60870-5-101 device which you can monitor in the console tab.

image-1643100408248.png