A shared register specification as the source of complete Modbus RTU device support

Authors

  • Emilian Świtalski Gdynia Maritime University, Department of Power Electronics, Gdynia, Poland
  • Krzysztof Górecki Gdynia Maritime University, Department of Power Electronics, Gdynia, Poland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24425/ijet.2026.157951

Keywords

Modbus RTU, RS-485, Register Descriptor, Automatic User-interface Generation, Single Source of Truth, Industrial Automation, Open Source, PMSM Motor, Inverter, OpenCPLC, CSV

Abstract

Since 1979, Modbus RTU has remained one of the most popular industrial communication protocols, yet it carries no information about the meaning of the registers it transmits. As a result, the same description (type, unit, range, factory value) appears in parallel across the device firmware, the client software, the user interface, and the documentation. This article presents an approach in which a single CSV text file serves as a shared source of truth for all layers that handle a device. We describe the concept of a register descriptor together with its implementation in the open-source application Modra, which runs both as a desktop program and as an HTTP server. The application was verified on a case study controlling the inverter of a permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PMSM).

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Published

2026-07-31

How to Cite

Świtalski, Emilian, and Krzysztof Górecki. “A Shared Register Specification As the Source of Complete Modbus RTU Device Support”. International Journal of Electronics and Telecommunications, vol. 72, no. 3, July 2026, pp. 1-6, doi:10.24425/ijet.2026.157951.

Issue

Vol. 72 No. 3 (2026)

Section

Artykuły

License

Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Electronics and Telecommunications

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.