Eclipse EC-11-xxx40 User Manual

ECLIPSE

EC-11-xxx40

Advanced Line Scan Cameras

Camera User’s Manual

03-32-00418

rev 05

Printed 4/20/2005 9:26:00 AM

2 EC-11User’s Manual

© 2005 DALSA. All information provided in this manual is believed to be accurate and reliable. No
responsibility is assumed by DALSA for its use. DALSA reserves the right to make changes to this
information without notice. Reproduction of this manual in whole or in part, by any means, is prohibited
without prior permission having been obtained from DALSA.

About DALSA

DALSA is an international high performance semiconductor and electronics company that designs,
develops, manufactures, and markets digital imaging products and solutions, in addition to providing
wafer foundry services. DALSA’s core competencies are in specialized integrated circuit and electronics
technology, and highly engineered semiconductor wafer processing. Products include image sensor
components; electronic digital cameras; and semiconductor wafer foundry services for use in MEMS,
power semiconductors, image sensors and mixed signal CMOS chips.

DALSA is a public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “DSA”. Based in
Waterloo, ON. Canada, the company has operations in Bromont, PQ; Colorado Springs, CO; Eindhoven,

NL; Munich, Germany and Tokyo, Japan.

All DALSA products are manufactured using the latest state-of-the-art equipment to ensure product
reliability.

For further information not included in this manual, or for information on DALSA’s extensive line of
image sensing products, please call:

DALSA Sales Offices

Waterloo Europe Asia Pacific

605 McMurray Rd
Waterloo, ON N2V 2E9
Canada
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.dalsa.com
[e-mail]

Breslauer Str. 34
D-82194 Gröbenzell (Munich)
Germany
Tel: +49 - 8142 – 46770
Fax: +49 - 8142 – 467746
www.dalsa.com
[e-mail]

Space G1 Building, 4F
2-40-2 Ikebukuro
Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0014
Japan
[phone] (phone)
[phone] (fax)
www.dalsa.com
[e-mail]

DALSA Worldwide Operations

Waterloo Colorado Springs Europe Asia Pacific

605 McMurray Rd
Waterloo, ON N2V 2E9
Canada
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.dalsa.com
[e-mail]

Camera Link is a trademark registered by the Automated Imaging Association, as chair of a committee of
industry members including DALSA.

4820 Centennial Blvd., Suite 115
Colorado Springs, CO 80919
USA
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.dalsa.com
[e-mail]

Breslauer Str. 34
D-82194 Gröbenzell (Munich)
Germany
Tel: +49 - 8142 – 46770
Fax: +49 - 8142 – 467746
www.dalsa.com
[e-mail]

Space G1 Building, 4F
2-40-2 Ikebukuro
Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0014
Japan
[phone] (phone)
[phone] (fax)
www.dalsa.com
[e-mail]

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EC-11 User’s Manual 3

Contents

Introduction___________________________________________________________ 5

1.1 Camera Highlights.......................................................................................................................................................5

1.2 Image Sensors .............................................................................................................................................................6

1.3 Camera Performance Specifications ............................................................................................................................7

1.4 CCD Camera Primer.....................................................................................................................................................9

Camera Hardware Interface________________________________________________ 11

2.1 Installation Overview...................................................................................................................................................11

2.1 Input/Output................................................................................................................................................................12

2.3 Connectors, Pinouts, and Cables..................................................................................................................................12

2.4 Power Supplies............................................................................................................................................................13

2.5 Control Inputs..............................................................................................................................................................13

2.6 Data Bus ......................................................................................................................................................................14

2.7 Timing .........................................................................................................................................................................15

2.8 Multi-Camera Operation .............................................................................................................................................16

2.9 Serial Interface ............................................................................................................................................................17

Optical and Mechanical Considerations ________________________________________ 19

3.1 Mechanical Interface....................................................................................................................................................19

3.2 Optical Interface ..........................................................................................................................................................22

Troubleshooting________________________________________________________ 25

4.1 Common Solutions.......................................................................................................................................................25

4.2 Troubleshooting Using the Serial Interface.................................................................................................................26

4.3 Specific Solutions.........................................................................................................................................................27

4.4 Product Support...........................................................................................................................................................30

EMC Declaration of Conformity______________________________________________ 35
Software Interface: How to Control the Camera __________________________________ 37

C1 Overview.......................................................................................................................................................................37

C2 Processing Chain...........................................................................................................................................................37

C3 Startup..........................................................................................................................................................................38

C4 Saving and Restoring Settings......................................................................................................................................38

C5 Setting Direction...........................................................................................................................................................39

C6 Setting Line Rate (EXSYNC)..........................................................................................................................................39

C7 Setting Data Rate (EXRCLK).........................................................................................................................................40

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C8 Setting Gains ................................................................................................................................................................40

C9 Calibrating the Camera: Overview...............................................................................................................................41

C10 Increasing Sensitivity with Binning.............................................................................................................................44

C11 Generating Test Patterns............................................................................................................................................44

C12 Returning Video Information .....................................................................................................................................44

C13 Monitoring the Camera ..............................................................................................................................................45

C14 Rebooting the Camera................................................................................................................................................45

C15 Setting the Pre-trigger ...............................................................................................................................................45

C16 Setting and Reading FPN Coefficients........................................................................................................................45

C17 Setting and Reading PRNU Coefficients.....................................................................................................................46

Communications Protocol _________________________________________________ 47

D1 Protocol Overview ........................................................................................................................................................47

D2 Protocol Features.........................................................................................................................................................47

D3 Command Format........................................................................................................................................................47

D4 Networking Mode.........................................................................................................................................................48

D5 Examples......................................................................................................................................................................48

D6 Error Handling.............................................................................................................................................................48

D7 Commands ...................................................................................................................................................................49

Revision History ________________________________________________________ 53
Index _______________________________________________________________ 55

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EC-11 User’s Manual 5

1

Introduction

1.1 Camera Highlights

Responsivity

• 1950 DN/(nJ/cm

• 100x more responsive than standard line scan cameras

• Ideal for applications with low-intensity, low-cost lighting

2

) nominal responsivity

Size

• Small form factor: 50mm x 50mm x 88mm, <350g

• C-mount optics for 512 & 1024; F-mount for 2048

Performance

• 40MHz single output data rate

• 8-bit output from 10-bit digitization

• 512, 1024 and 2048 pixels, 13µm x 13µm, 100% fill factor

• Line rates up to 64kHz

• 96 TDI stages

• Bidirectional

• RS-644 (LVDS) data format

Programmability

• Simple ASCII protocol controls binning, gain, offset, line and data rates, trigger mode,

direction, pixel correction, test pattern output, and camera diagnostics.

• RS-232 interface (ASCII, 9600 baud)

Usability

• Programmable gains, offsets, and camera controls

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• End-of-line sequence and test pattern output for debugging

• Single input supply (+12V to +15V)

• Compliant with CE and MIL-STD-810E (shock and vibration)

• Multiple camera synchronization

The EC-11 cameras use DALSA’s newest compact modular architecture. Within the
camera, driver circuits provide bias voltages and clocks to the CCD image sensor, timing
circuits generate internal timing, and A/D circuits process the video and digitize it for
output.

Description

The EC-11 is an incredibly responsive—100 times greater responsivity than standard line
scan cameras, fast—up to 64.1kHz, easy-to-use—programmable pixel-to-pixel correction,
line rate, gain and more, and compact—50mm x 50mm x 88mm, <350g., advanced line
scan camera.

With unmatched sensitivity, performance, size, and an unprecedented array of
programmable diagnostic and signal processing features, the EC-11-xxx40 is a truly
remarkable camera.

The camera’s simple ASCII communications protocol allows you to configure and
program virtually all camera functions through an RS232 serial interface.

To speed setup and system debugging, the camera can output a test pattern and end-of­line sequence to help track the path of data through an acquisition system.

Applications

The EC-11 is ideal for space-constrained applications demanding low-light or cost­effective lighting.

1.2 Image Sensors

The EC-11-xxx40 uses the IT-F7 family of image sensors, and is available in 512, 1024 and
2048 pixel models with 13µm square pixels and 100% fill factor.

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EC-11 User’s Manual 7

Figure 1: IT-F7 Image Sensor

CR1S-1R

CR1B-1R

CR2B-2F

VBB

TCKR

TCKF

CR2B-2R

I

4 S

I

4 I

TDI Col. 1

TDI Col. 2

CR2S-1F

CR2B-1F

CR1B-2R

CR1S-1F

4S 4 Light Shielded Columns (Dark Reference)

4 I

CRLast-R

Reverse CCD Readout Shift Register

1.25 Isolation Rows

TDI Imaging Regio n
13µm x 13µm Pixels

96 TDI Rows

1.5 Isolation Rows

Forwar d CCD Readou t Shift Re gister

CRLast-F

CR1B-1F

4 Isolation Columns (2.5 light shielded +1.5 non-shielded)

9 Dummy Pixels & 1 White Reference

I

N = 512, 1024 or 2048

1.3 Camera Performance Specifications

CR2B-1R

TDI C ol. N-1

CR1B-2F

CR2S-1R

4 I

TDI Col. N

OS1R

I

CI1
CI2
CI3

4 S

CI4

I

Table 1: EC-11-xxx40 Performance Specifications

Physical Characteristics Units Notes

Power Dissipation W Typ

512 5

1024 5.2

2048 5.4

Time to calibrate sec. Typ

512 10

1024 17

2048 30

Time to power up, typ sec. >10
Forward/Reverse Switching Time,

ms 150

typ

Sensor Alignment x, y
z-axis

Θz
Parallelism/Tilt

mm
mm
mm
“
µm

±0.18

17.52 ±0.18 C-mount

46.50 ±0.18 F-mount
±0.6
<100

Operating Ranges Units Min Max Notes

Data Rate MHz 10 40 3

Line Rate 512 kHz 3.5 64.1

1024 kHz 3.5 34.8

2048 kHz 3.5 17.4

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Operating Ranges Units Min Max Notes

Temperature °C 0 50

Temperature drift before
recalibration, recommendation

RS232 Data Rate kbps 9.6

Photoresponse Variation across field
of view (combining light source
variation and lens vignetting)

°C 10

(onl
y)

DN 128

(7
bits)

2

Electro-Optic Specifications Units Min Typ Max Notes

Average Broadband Responsivity,
typ

Dynamic Range Ratio 1

Minimum Gain 272:1 500:1

0dB Gain 174:1 350:1

Maximum Gain 63:1 120:1

Pk-Pk Noise, max DN 4 8 24 1

RMS Noise, max DN 0.9 1.4 3.8 1

FPN uncorrected, max DN 6 15 46 1

FPN corrected, max DN 2 4 10 1,4

PRNU uncorrected, max DN 14 23 54 1

PRNU corrected, max DN 4 6 12 1,4

DC Offset, max DN 3 5 7 1,5

Power Supply Current - Vin @ 12V mA 1

512 420 480

1024 430 500

2048 450 540

DN/(nJ/cm
)

2

730 1950 5850

Notes:

DN = Digital Numbers (0-255); also known as gray levels.

1. Min, Typ, and Max are maximum values at the minimum, 0dB, and maximum gain

levels. Tungsten halogen light source, 3200K bulb temp., and 750nm cutoff filter.

2. This specification represents the amount of variance across the field of view that the

camera can compensate for with its FPN and PRNU correction algorithms.

3. Internal clock: Camera is selectable between 40, 20 and 10MHz data rates. External

clock (EXRCLK): Range between 10-40MHz.

4. This is the value the specification can meet when the camera is calibrated and

remains at the calibrated temperature. It is recommended that after a >10°C
temperature change the camera is re-calibrated because DC Offset, FPN and PRNU
vary with temperature.

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EC-11 User’s Manual 9

5. DC Offset needs to be set at calibrated gain setting. Digital gain correction may be

required to achieve maximum values.

Figure 2: EC-11 Spectral Responsivity

EC-11 Typical Spectral Responsivity

2500

2000

1500

1000

Responsivity DN/(nJ/cm²)

500

0

450 550 650 750 850 950 1050

Wavelength (nm)

1.4 CCD Camera Primer

How CCD Image Sensors Work

A CCD image sensor converts photons (light) into electrons (charge). When photons hit
an image sensor, the sensor accumulates electrons. This is called charge integration. The
brighter your light source, the more photons available for the sensor to integrate, and the
smaller the amount of time required to collect a given amount of light energy.

The way photosensitive
elements (pixels) on CCD
image sensors collect
charge has often been
compared to wells or
buckets filling with
water. From this analogy
comes the term "full-well
capacity," meaning the
maximum charge (number of electrons) a pixel well can hold without "spilling" charge
onto adjacent pixels.

As an image sweeps over a line of pixels, the pixels collect charge. At certain intervals, the
sensor transfers its collected charge to one or more readout registers, which feed each
pixel’s charge from the image sensor into an output node that converts the charges into
voltages.

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After this transfer
and conversion, the
voltages are
amplified to become
the camera’s analog
output. In digital
output cameras, the
camera’s analog-to­digital (A/D) board
converts voltages to
digital numbers (0­255 for 8-bit
cameras, 0-4095 for
12-bit cameras). These digital numbers are what the camera outputs as data to a frame
grabber.

For more information on terms and concepts from the digital imaging industry, see DALSA’s
current Databook Glossary, CCD Technology Primer, and Application Notes.

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EC-11 User’s Manual 11

2

Camera Hardware
Interface

2.1 Installation Overview

In order to set up your camera, you should take these steps:

1. Data

2. STROBE

3. LVAL

4. R232 port

5. Power connect

You must also set up the other components of your system, including light sources, frame
grabbers, camera mounts, heat sinks, host computers, optics, encoders, and so on.

8 BIT Data
STRO BE

EXSYNC (optional)
EXRCLK (optional)

FORWARD (optional)

RS232 Serial

+12V to +15V and Ground

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2.1 Input/Output

!

WARNING: It is extremely important that you apply the appropriate voltages to your camera. Incorrect

voltages will damage the camera. See section 2.4 for more details.

2.3 Connectors, Pinouts, and Cables

The camera uses a high-density 36-pin MDR36 connector for control, and data signals, a
6-pin Hirose connector for power, and a DB9 connector for serial communications.

18

36

Mating Part

Cable:

Pin Description Pin Description Pin Description Pin Description

1 N/U 19 N/U 1 +12V to +15V 1 Data Carrier Detect, N/U
2 N/U 20 N/U 2 +12V to +15V 2
3 Future Use 21 Future Use 3 +12V to +15V 3

Future Use 22 Future Use 4 GND 4 D ata Term in al R eady, N /U

4
5 EXRCLK 23 EXRCLKB 5 GND 5 GND
6 FORWARD 24 FORWAR D B 6 GND 6 Data Set Ready, N /U
7 EXSYNC 25 EXSYNCB 7 Ready To Send, N/U

Future Use 26 Future Use 8 Clear To Send, N/U

8
9 D7 27 D7B 9 Ring Indicator, N/U
10 D6 28 D6B
11 D5 29 D5B

D4 30 D4B

12
13 D3 31 D3B
14 D2 32 D2B
15 D1 33 D1B

D0 34 D0B

16
17 STROBE 35 STROBEB
18 LVAL 36 LVALB

MDR36 Female

: 3M 10136-6000EC series

26AWG 100 W shielded twisted pair

1

19

Hirose 6-pin Circular Male

1

2

3

Mating Part: HIROSE

HR10A-7P-6S

6

5

4

DB9 Female

9

"straight-through"

9-pin serial cable

Tra n sm i t t e d D ata

Received D ata

15

6

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EC-11 User’s Manual 13

2.4 Power Supplies

The camera requires a single input (+12V to +15V). The camera meets all performance
specifications using standard switching power supplies, although well-regulated linear
supplies provide optimum performance. See the Performance Specifications for current
requirements.

When setting up the camera’s power supplies follow these guidelines:

• Protect the camera with a fast-blow fuse between power supply and camera.

• Do not use the shield on a multi-conductor cable for ground.

• Keep leads as short as possible to reduce voltage drop.

See section 1.3 for power requirements.

WARNING: It is extremely important that you apply the appropriate voltages to your

!

camera. Incorrect voltages will damage the camera. Protect the camera with a fast-blow
fuse between power supply and camera.

The companies listed below make power supplies that meet the camera’s requirements,
but they should not be considered the only choices. Many high quality supplies are
available from other vendors. DALSA assumes no responsibility for the use of these
supplies.

• Uniforce, 408-946-3864 (CA, USA) • Power-One, 805-987-8741 (CA, USA)

• Vision 1, 406-585-7225 (MT, USA) • Tectrol Inc., 416-630-4026 (ON, CAN)

• Xantrex, 206-671-2966 (WA, USA)

2.5 Control Inputs

The camera accepts control inputs through an MDR36F connector. All inputs are
optional. The camera ships in default, logic HIGH. The camera defaults (no external

input required) to maximum data rate, forward direction, maximum line rate, and
internal sync to trigger readout. Line rate can be set internally using the RS232 interface.

External control signals, EXSYNC, EXRCLK, and FORWARD, are optional and enabled
through the RS232 interface.

Control signals use EIA-644 (LVDS) format, which requires twisted pair cable. DALSA
recommends shielded cables. Maximum cable length depends on environmental factors
and EIA-644 limitations. See Appendix A. Control signals are differential, requiring
complements denoted with a “B” suffix (e.g. BIN, BINB).

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EXRCLK

EXRCLK is an optional input signal used to control readout timing. EXRCLK is applied to
the read portion of a FIFO and directly drives STROBE and LVAL. EXRCLK is required
for multisync operations.

EXSYNC (Triggers Line Readout)

EXSYNC is an optional input signal that can be used to trigger the line readout rate. This
camera uses the falling edge of EXSYNC to trigger line readout.

IMPORTANT:
This camera uses the
falling edge of EXSYNC
to trigger line readout,
unlike previous DALSA
cameras, which used the
rising edge.

Note: EXSYNC must not be clocked faster than the camera’s specified maximum line rate.

Notes on Free Run Mode

When the camera is powered on for the first time, it defaults (no external input required)
to free run mode (maximum data rate, forward direction, maximum line rate, and internal
Sync to trigger readout). Subsequently it will load user settings.

FORWARD

FORWARD is an optional input signal supporting bidirectional camera functionality.
“Logic high” for forward direction. “Logic low” for reverse. Eclipse defaults to “logic
high”, forward.

2.6 Data Bus

See section 2.3 for
pinouts.

These signals indicate when data is valid, allowing you to clock the data from the camera
to your acquisition system:

Clocking Signal Indicates

LVAL (high) Outputting valid line
STROBE (rising edge) Valid data

IMPORTANT: This camera’s data should be sampled on the rising edge of STROBE.

Digital Data

The camera digitizes to 10-bit ADCs and outputs the most significant 8 bits in LVDS
format. To clock digital data into a frame grabber, the camera outputs clocking signals
STROBE and LVAL.

The camera digitizes internally to 10 bits and outputs the most significant 8 bits in LVDS
format on a MDR36F connector.

Test Pattern Pixels and End-of-line Sequence

To facilitate system-level debugging and verification of data path integrity, the camera
can generate both a test pattern and an end-of-line sequence.

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EC-11 User’s Manual 15

The test pattern is a ramp from 0 to 255DN, then starts at 0 again. Use the test pattern to
verify the proper timing and connections between the camera and the frame grabber.

The end-of-line sequence outputs “aa”, “55”, “line counter”, “line average”, “pixels above
threshold”, “pixels below threshold”.

2.7 Timing

Figure 3. EC-11-xxx40 Timing

LVAL

STROBE

Data

T

LVAL

T

DATA

T

STROBE

Table 2: Timing Definition

Symbol Parameter Unit Min. Nom. Max.

T

Strobe to LVAL ns 12 15 18

LVAL

T

Strobe to Data ns 5 10 20

DATA

T

Strobe period ns 25 25 100

STROBE

Notes:

• T

LVAL

and T

measured at 40MHz.

DATA

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2.8 Multi-Camera Operation

Multisync is used to connect two or more cameras to the frame grabber and receive all of
the camera’s output synchronously. The camera switches to multisync mode when both
EXSYNC and EXRCLK are applied. You may need to compensate for cable lengths and
nominal delays.

Multi-Camera Sync

If your frame grabber is capable of receiving 16 or more bits, you can connect two or more
cameras to the frame grabber and receive all of the cameras’ output synchronously to
image a wider web. However, since most frame grabbers accept only one set of clocking
signals, you must synchronize the outputs by configuring your system to meet these
requirements:

1. All cameras must receive identical, synchronous EXRCLK and EXSYNC signals (max.

external EXRCLK = 40 MHz. EXRCLK:Pixel Clock ratio is 1:1). Compensate for
different cable lengths and nominal delays.

2. The timing relationship between the rising edge of EXSYNC and the rising edge of

MCLK must meet the requirements in the diagram below:

EXSYNC

T

hold

EXRCLK

3. Data and control cabling must be separate for each camera. Although each camera will

get the same EXRCLK and EXSYNC signals, the control signals must come from
separate differential pairs of a LVDS line driver.

Because the cameras’ output will be synchronized, use the data clocking signals (LVAL,
STROBE) from just one of the cameras to clock all the others.

T

setup

T

min 2ns

hold

min 6ns

T

setup

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EC-11 User’s Manual 17

2.9 Serial Interface

Camera features can be controlled through the serial interface (RS232, 9600 baud). The
serial interface uses simple ASCII-based protocol and the camera does not require any
custom software. The complete protocol is described later in the manual (Appendix C and
D). Functions available include:

• Controlling basic camera functions such as binning (horizontal and vertical), gain,

offset, line and data rate, and direction

• Pixel-by-pixel FPN and PRNU correction and balancing

• Measuring sensor temperature, supply voltages

• Capturing video and line statistics

• Generating end-of-line sequencing (line counter, line average, pixels above/below

threshold) and test patterns for debugging

For quick help, the camera can return all available commands and parameters through
the serial interface.

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