SOPAS

The SOPAS protocol enables communication with sensor devices from SICK AG (http://www.sick.com).

Overview

SICK sensors use the SOPAS (Sensor Operating Program for Advanced Sensors) command language, which utilizes command strings called telegrams. SOPAS supports two protocol formats:

• CoLa A (Command Language A): ASCII telegram format

• CoLa B: Binary telegram format (not covered in this documentation)

While the terms SOPAS and CoLa are often used interchangeably, Connectware sends SOPAS commands using the CoLa A protocol format.

Example Device: SICK RFU620

The examples in this documentation use the SICK RFU620 RFID reader. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) enables reading from and writing to small RFID tags using radio frequencies.

The RFU620 supports only the CoLa A protocol format. Different SICK sensors may support CoLa A only, CoLa B only, or both formats.

Note: SICK's configuration software SOPAS ET also uses the SOPAS protocol. You can monitor telegrams using its integrated terminal emulator and obtain additional documentation from SICK's website or by request.

Understanding SOPAS Commands

To integrate a SICK device, you need the following information:

1. Interface Type

SOPAS commands are categorized into three interface types:

Interface Type	Description	Operations
Events	Provide asynchronous messages when subscribed to	Subscribe
Methods	Execute functions on the device when called	Call/Write
Variables	Store configuration values that can be read or written	Read/Write

2. Command Name

Each event, method, or variable has a unique string identifier used for addressing.

3. Parameters

Methods and variable writes may require specific parameters.

Command Structure

SOPAS commands follow a specific format. Here is an example from the RFU620:

sMN TAreadTagData +0 0 0 0 0 1

Command Types

The first part of the command string indicates the operation type:

Command	Description	Interface Type
sRN	Read	Variable
sWN	Write	Variable
sMN	Method call	Method
sEN	Event subscription	Event

In the example above:

• sMN: Method call using naming scheme

• TAreadTagData: Command name for reading RFID tag data

• Remaining values: Space-separated parameters

RFU620 Command Reference

Command Name	Type	Parameters	Description
QSinv	Event	None	Inventory notifications
MIStartIn	Method	None	Start inventory process
MIStopIn	Method	None	Stop inventory process
QSIsRn	Variable	None	Check if inventory is running
HMISetFbLight	Method	color, mode	Control feedback light

Endpoint Configuration

Each Cybus::Endpoint requires protocol and connection definitions. Reference your connection using !ref and the connection name.

Available Operations

The available operations depend on the interface type:

Type	Operation	Result
event	read	n/a
	write	n/a
	subscribe	Subscribes to asynchronous messages
method	read	n/a
	write	Calls a method
	subscribe	Subscribes to method’s answers
variable	read	Requests the actual value of the variable
	write	Writes a value to the variable
	subscribe	Subscribes to the results of read-requests

Example Endpoint Mapping

Based on the RFU620 commands:

• inventory: Subscribes to QSinv event messages

• inventoryStart: Calls MIStartIn method

• inventoryStop: Calls MIStopIn method

• inventoryCheck: Reads QSIsRn variable

• inventoryRunning: Subscribes to QSIsRn responses

• feedbackLight: Calls HMISetFbLight method

For detailed configuration options, see:

• Connection Properties

• Endpoint Properties

Service Commissioning File Example

3KB

sopas-example.yml

sopas-example.yml

---
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Commissioning File
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Copyright: Cybus GmbH (2020)
# Contact: [email protected]
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Source Interface Definition - SOPAS - RFU620, SICK AG
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------#

description: >
  Sample commissioning file for SICK SOPAS protocol connectivity and data mapping

metadata:
  name: SOPAS Protocol Connectivity
  icon: https://www.cybus.io/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/for-whom1.svg
  provider: cybus
  homepage: https://www.cybus.io
  version: 0.0.1

parameters:
  IP_Address:
    description: IP address of the SICK device
    type: string
    default: 192.168.10.10

  Port_Number:
    description: Port on the SICK device. Usually 2111 (sometimes 2112).
    type: number
    default: 2112

  initialReconnectDelay:
    type: integer
    default: 1000

  maxReconnectDelay:
    type: integer
    default: 30000

  factorReconnectDelay:
    type: integer
    default: 2

resources:
  sopasConnection:
    type: Cybus::Connection
    properties:
      protocol: Sopas
      connection:
        host: !ref IP_Address
        port: !ref Port_Number
        connectionStrategy:
          initialDelay: !ref initialReconnectDelay
          maxDelay: !ref maxReconnectDelay
          incrementFactor: !ref factorReconnectDelay

  inventory:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Sopas
      connection: !ref sopasConnection
      subscribe:
        name: QSinv
        type: event

  inventoryStart:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Sopas
      connection: !ref sopasConnection
      write:
        name: MIStartIn
        type: method

  inventoryStop:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Sopas
      connection: !ref sopasConnection
      write:
        name: MIStopIn
        type: method

  inventoryCheck:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Sopas
      connection: !ref sopasConnection
      read:
        name: QSIsRn
        type: variable

  inventoryRunning:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Sopas
      connection: !ref sopasConnection
      subscribe:
        name: QSIsRn
        type: variable

  feedbackLight:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Sopas
      connection: !ref sopasConnection
      write:
        name: HMISetFbLight
        type: method

  mapping:
    type: Cybus::Mapping
    properties:
      mappings:
        - subscribe:
            endpoint: !ref inventory
          publish:
            topic: !sub '${Cybus::MqttRoot}/inventory'
        - subscribe:
            topic: !sub '${Cybus::MqttRoot}/inventory/start'
          publish:
            endpoint: !ref inventoryStart
        - subscribe:
            topic: !sub '${Cybus::MqttRoot}/inventory/stop'
          publish:
            endpoint: !ref inventoryStop
        - subscribe:
            topic: !sub '${Cybus::MqttRoot}/inventory/check'
          publish:
            endpoint: !ref inventoryCheck
        - subscribe:
            endpoint: !ref inventoryRunning
          publish:
            topic: !sub '${Cybus::MqttRoot}/inventory/running'
        - subscribe:
            topic: !sub '${Cybus::MqttRoot}/light'
          publish:
            endpoint: !ref feedbackLight

Communication Examples

After deploying the commissioning file, you can monitor the connection in the Data Explorer. Navigate to the tree structure of your datapoints and activate the live view by hovering over entries and selecting the eye icon.

Sending Commands

Starting/Stopping Inventory

• Start: Send an empty message to the inventoryStart endpoint

• Stop: Send an empty message to the inventoryStop endpoint

Use the MQTT topic with appropriate suffixes:

• Read operations: Add /req suffix

• Write operations: Add /set suffix

Method Parameters

For methods requiring input arguments, provide them as a JSON string in the message payload. Multiple values should be space-separated: "value1 value2 value3".

Response Format

Responses are published to MQTT topics with a /res suffix in JSON format:

{
  "timestamp": 1581949802832,
  "value": "sSN QSinv 1 0 8 *noread* 0 0 0 0 0 AC"
}

No RFID Tags Detected

When no tags are present, the inventory message shows a "no read" situation.

RFID Tags Detected

When tags are recognized, the response contains detailed tag information:

{
  "timestamp": 1581950481059,
  "value": "sSN QSinv 2 E 34 0 E2 0 20 64 81 18 1 20 15 70 71 75 D Non-EPCglobal 0 FFCB 0 0 0 1 E 30 0 E2 0 20 64 81 18 1 21 27 0 8 D6 D Non-EPCglobal 0 FFD0 0 0 0 1"
}

Variable Responses

Variable read responses are typically straightforward. For example, checking inventory status:

{
  "timestamp": 1581950874186,
  "value": "sRA QSIsRn 1"
}

This shows:

• sRA: Read answer

• QSIsRn: Variable name

• 1: Value (1 = running, 0 = stopped)

Summary

The SOPAS protocol provides communication with SICK sensor devices using SOPAS commands over the CoLa A telegram format. While this documentation demonstrates integration with the RFU620 RFID reader, the same principles apply to other SICK devices.

Connectware transmits raw SOPAS messages with space-separated parameters. Applications must implement their own parsing logic for device-specific message interpretation, as SOPAS responses vary significantly between different SICK devices.