Keithley KPCI-3101 Series, KPCI-3104 Series, KPCI-3103 Series, KPCI-3102 Series User Manual

Download

User’s Manual

KPCI-3101, -3102, -3103, -3104 Series

PCI Bus Data Acquisition Boards

98150 Rev. A / 10-99

WARRANTY

Hardware

Keithley Instruments, Inc. warrants that, for a period of three (3) years from the date of shipment, the Keithley Hardware product will be free from defects in materials or workmanship. This warranty will be honored provided the defect has not been caused by use of the Keithley Hardware not in accordance with the instructions for the product. This warranty shall be null and void upon: (1) any modiﬁcation of Keithley Hardware that is made by other than Keithley and not approved in writing by Keithley or (2) operation of the Keithley Hardware outside of the environmental speciﬁcations therefore.

Upon receiving notiﬁcation of a defect in the Keithley Hardware during the warranty period, Keithley will, at its option, either repair or replace such Keithley Hardware. During the ﬁrst ninety days of the warranty period, Keithley will, at its option, supply the necessary on site labor to return the product to the condition prior to the notiﬁcation of a defect. Failure to notify Keithley of a defect during the warranty shall relieve Keithley of its obligations and liabilities under this warranty.

Other Hardware

The portion of the product that is not manufactured by Keithley (Other Hardware) shall not be covered by this warranty , and K eithley shall ha v e no duty of obligation to enforce any manufacturers' warranties on behalf of the customer. On those other manufacturers’ products that Keithley purchases for resale, Keithley shall have no duty of obligation to enforce any manufacturers’ warranties on behalf of the customer.

Software

Keithley warrants that for a period of one (1) year from date of shipment, the Keithley produced portion of the software or ﬁrmware (K eithley Softw are) will conform in all material respects with the published speciﬁcations provided such Keithley Software is used on the product for which it is intended and otherwise in accordance with the instructions therefore. Keithley does not warrant that operation of the Keithley Software will be uninterrupted or error-free and/ or that the Keithley Software will be adequate for the customer's intended application and/or use. This warranty shall be null and void upon any modiﬁcation of the Keithley Software that is made by other than Keithley and not approv ed in writing by Keithley.

If Keithley receives notiﬁcation of a K eithley Software nonconformity that is cov ered by this warranty during the warranty period, Keithle y will revie w the conditions described in such notice. Such notice must state the published speciﬁcation(s) to which the Keithley Software fails to conform and the manner in which the Keithley Software fails to conform to such published speciﬁcation(s) with sufﬁcient speciﬁcity to permit Keithley to correct such nonconformity. If Keithley determines that the Keithley Software does not conform with the published speciﬁcations, Keithley will, at its option, provide either the programming services necessary to correct such nonconformity or develop a program change to bypass such nonconformity in the Keithley Software. Failure to notify Keithley of a nonconformity during the warranty shall relieve Keithley of its obligations and liabilities under this warranty.

Other Software

OEM software that is not produced by Keithley (Other Software) shall not be covered by this warranty, and Keithley shall have no duty or obligation to enforce any OEM's warranties on behalf of the customer.

Other Items

Keithley warrants the following items for 90 days from the date of shipment: probes, cables, rechargeable batteries, diskettes, and documentation.

Items not Covered under Warranty

This warranty does not apply to fuses, non-rechargeable batteries, damage from battery leakage, or problems arising from normal wear or failure to follow instructions.

Limitation of Warranty

This warranty does not apply to defects resulting from product modiﬁcation made by Purchaser without Keithley's express written consent, or by misuse of any product or part.

Disclaimer of Warranties

EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS WARRANTIES ABOVE KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER HARDWARE AND OTHER SOFTWARE.

Limitation of Liability

KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS SHALL IN NO EVENT, REGARDLESS OF CAUSE, ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR OR BE LIABLE FOR: (1) ECONOMICAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, WHETHER CLAIMED UNDER CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, (2) LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO THE CUSTOMER'S DATA OR PROGRAMMING, OR (3) PENALTIES OR PENALTY CLAUSES OF ANY DESCRIPTION OR INDEMNIFICATION OF THE CUSTOMER OR OTHERS FOR COSTS, DAMAGES, OR EXPENSES RELATED TO THE GOODS OR SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THIS WARRANTY.

Keithley Instruments, Inc.

BELGIUM: Keithley Instruments B.V. CHINA: Keithley Instruments China FRANCE: Keithley Instruments Sarl GERMANY: Keithley Instruments GmbH Landsberger Strasse 65 • D-82110 Germering • 089/84 93 07-40 • Fax: 089/84 93 07-34 GREAT BRITAIN: Keithley Instruments Ltd The Minster • 58 Portman Road • Reading, Berkshire RG30 1EA • 0118-9 57 56 66 • Fax: 0118-9 59 64 69 INDIA: Keithley Instruments GmbH Flat 2B, WILOCRISSA • 14, Rest House Crescent • Bangalore 560 001 • 91-80-509-1320/21 • Fax: 91-80-509-1322 ITALY: Keithley Instruments s.r.l. Viale S. Gimignano, 38 • 20146 Milano • 02/48 30 30 08 • Fax: 02/48 30 22 74 NETHERLANDS: Keithley Instruments B.V. Postbus 559 • 4200 AN Gorinchem • 0183-635333 • Fax: 0183-630821 SWITZERLAND: Keithley Instruments SA TAIWAN: Keithley Instruments Taiwan 1 Fl. 85 Po Ai Street • Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C. • 886-3572-9077• Fax: 886-3572-9031

• 28775 Aurora Road • Cleveland, OH 44139 • 440-248-0400 • Fax: 440-248-6168 • http://www.keithley.com

Bergensesteenweg 709 • B-1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw • 02/363 00 40 • Fax: 02/363 00 64

Yuan Chen Xin Building, Room 705 • 12 Yumin Road, Dewai, Madian • Beijing 100029 • 8610-62022886 • F ax: 8610-62022892

B.P. 60 • 3, allée des Garays • 91122 Palaiseau Cédex • 01 64 53 20 20 • Fax: 01 60 11 77 26

Kriesbachstrasse 4 • 8600 Dübendorf • 01-821 94 44 • Fax: 01-820 30 81

6/99

KPCI-3101, -3102, -3103, -3104 Series

PCI Bus Data Acquisition Board

User’s Manual

DriverLINX, SSTNET, and LabOBJX are registered trademarks and DriverLINX/VB are trademarks of Scientiﬁc Software Tools, Inc.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks and Visual C++ and Visual Basic are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Borland is a registered trademark and Borland C++, Delphi, and Turbo Pascal are trademarks of Borland International, Inc.

IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

Acrobat is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

of the 1979 United States Copyright Act without permission of the Copyright owner is unlawful.

Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.

First Printing, October 1999

Document Number: 98150 Rev. A

Manual Print History

The print history shown below lists the printing dates of all Revisions and Addenda created for this manual. The Revision Level letter increases alphabetically as the manual undergoes subsequent updates. Addenda, which are released between Revisions, contain important change information that the user should incorporate immediately into the manual. Addenda are numbered sequentially. When a new Revision is created, all Addenda associated with the previous Revision of the manual are incorporated into the new Revision of the manual. Each new Revision includes a revised copy of this print history page.

Revision A (Document Number 98150).............................................................................................October 1999

All Keithley product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Keithley Instruments, Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Safety Precautions

The following safety precautions should be observed before using this product and any associated instrumentation. Although some instruments and accessories would normally be used with non-hazardous voltages, there are situations where hazardous conditions may be present.

This product is intended for use by qualiﬁed personnel who recognize shock hazards and are familiar with the safety precautions required to avoid possible injury. Read the operating information carefully before using the product.

The types of product users are:

Responsible body

and maintenance of equipment, for ensuring that the equipment is operated within its speciﬁcations and operating limits, and for ensuring that operators are adequately trained.

Operators

trained in electrical safety procedures and proper use of the instrument. They must be protected from electric shock and contact with hazardous live circuits.

Maintenance personnel

to keep it operating, for example, setting the line voltage or replacing consumable materials. Maintenance procedures are described in the manual. The procedures explicitly state if the operator may perform them. Otherwise, they should be performed only by service personnel.

Service personnel

safe installations and repairs of products. Only properly trained service personnel may perform installation and service procedures.

is the individual or group responsible for the use

use the product for its intended function. They must be

perform routine procedures on the product

are trained to work on live circuits, and perform

Users of this product must be protected from electric shock at all times. The responsible body must ensure that users are prevented access and/or insulated from every connection point. In some cases, connections must be exposed to potential human contact. Product users in these circumstances must be trained to protect themselves from the risk of electric shock. If the circuit is capable of operating at or above 1000 volts,

exposed.

As described in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard IEC 664, digital multimeter measuring circuits (e.g., Keithley Models 175A, 199, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2010) are Installation Category II. All other instruments’ signal terminals are Installation Category I and must not be connected to mains.

Do not connect switching cards directly to unlimited power circuits. They are intended to be used with impedance limited sources. NEVER connect switching cards directly to AC mains. When connecting sources to switching cards, install protective devices to limit fault current and voltage to the card.

Before operating an instrument, make sure the line cord is connected to a properly grounded power receptacle. Inspect the connecting cables, test leads, and jumpers for possible wear, cracks, or breaks before each use.

For maximum safety, do not touch the product, test cables, or any other instruments while power is applied to the circuit under test. ALWAYS remove power from the entire test system and discharge any capacitors before: connecting or disconnecting cables or jumpers, installing or removing switching cards, or making internal changes, such as installing or removing jumpers.

no conductive part of the circuit may be

Exercise extreme caution when a shock hazard is present. Lethal voltage may be present on cable connector jacks or test ﬁxtures. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) states that a shock hazard exists when voltage levels greater than 30V RMS, 42.4V peak, or 60VDC are present.

that hazardous voltage is present in any unknown circuit bef ore measuring.

A good safety practice is to expect

Do not touch any object that could provide a current path to the common side of the circuit under test or power line (earth) ground. Always make measurements with dry hands while standing on a dry, insulated surface capable of withstanding the voltage being measured.

The instrument and accessories must be used in accordance with its speciﬁcations and operating instructions or the safety of the equipment may be impaired.

Do not exceed the maximum signal levels of the instruments and accessories, as deﬁned in the speciﬁcations and operating information, and as shown on the instrument or test ﬁxture panels, or switching card.

The

WARNING

result in personal injury or death. Alw ays read the associated infor mation very carefully before performing the indicated procedure.

The

CAUTION

damage the instrument. Such damage may invalidate the warranty.

Instrumentation and accessories shall not be connected to humans.

heading in a manual explains dangers that might

heading in a manual explains hazards that could

When fuses are used in a product, replace with same type and rating for continued protection against ﬁre hazard.

Chassis connections must only be used as shield connections for measuring circuits, NOT as safety earth ground connections.

If you are using a test ﬁxture, keep the lid closed while power is applied to the device under test. Safe operation requires the use of a lid interlock.

If a screw is present, connect it to safety earth ground using the wire recommended in the user documentation.

The symbol on an instrument indicates that the user should refer to the operating instructions located in the manual.

The symbol on an instrument shows that it can source or measure 1000 volts or more, including the combined effect of normal and common mode voltages. Use standard safety precautions to avoid personal contact with these voltages.

Before performing any maintenance, disconnect the line cord and all test cables.

To maintain protection from electric shock and ﬁre, replacement components in mains circuits, including the power transformer, test leads, and input jacks, must be purchased from Keithley Instruments. Standard fuses, with applicable national safety approvals, may be used if the rating and type are the same. Other components that are not safety related may be purchased from other suppliers as long as they are equivalent to the original component. (Note that selected parts should be purchased only through Keithley Instruments to maintain accuracy and functionality of the product.) If you are unsure about the applicability of a replacement component, call a Keithley Instruments ofﬁce for information.

To clean an instrument, use a damp cloth or mild, water based cleaner. Clean the exterior of the instrument only. Do not apply cleaner directly to the instrument or allow liquids to enter or spill on the instrument. Products that consist of a circuit board with no case or chassis (e.g., data acquisition board for installation into a computer) should never require cleaning if handled according to instructions. If the board becomes contaminated and operation is affected, the board should be returned to the factory for proper cleaning/servicing.

Rev. 2/99

1 Overview

Features............................................................................................................................................................... 1-2

DriverLINX software.......................................................................................................................................... 1-3

Viewing the KPCI-3101–4 series documentation online.................................................................................... 1-4

System requirements........................................................................................................................................... 1-5

Software .............................................................................................................................................................. 1-5

Accessories.......................................................................................................................................................... 1-6

Table of Contents

2 Principles of Operation

Analog input features.......................................................................................................................................... 2-2

Input resolution ........................................................................................................................................... 2-3

Analog input channels................................................................................................................................. 2-3

Input ranges and gains................................................................................................................................. 2-4

A/D sample clock sources........................................................................................................................... 2-6

Analog input conversion modes.................................................................................................................. 2-7

Triggers..................................................................................................................................................... 2-10

Data format ............................................................................................................................................... 2-14

Data transfer.............................................................................................................................................. 2-14

Error conditions......................................................................................................................................... 2-15

Analog output features...................................................................................................................................... 2-16

Output resolution....................................................................................................................................... 2-16

Analog output channels............................................................................................................................. 2-16

Output ranges and gains............................................................................................................................ 2-16

Analog output conversion modes.............................................................................................................. 2-17

Data format ............................................................................................................................................... 2-17

Digital I/O features............................................................................................................................................ 2-17

Digital I/O lines......................................................................................................................................... 2-17

Combining or splitting logical channels ................................................................................................... 2-18

Using single value and continuous digital input....................................................................................... 2-18

Counter/Timer features ..................................................................................................................................... 2-19

Counter/Timer channels............................................................................................................................ 2-19

C/T Clock sources..................................................................................................................................... 2-19

Gate types.................................................................................................................................................. 2-21

Pulse outputs ............................................................................................................................................. 2-22

Counter/Timer operation modes ............................................................................................................... 2-22

3 Installation and Conﬁguration

Unpacking............................................................................................................................................................ 3-2

Installing the software ......................................................................................................................................... 3-2

Software options.......................................................................................................................................... 3-2

Installing DriverLINX................................................................................................................................. 3-4

Installing application software and drivers.................................................................................................. 3-4

Installing the board.............................................................................................................................................. 3-5

Setting up the computer............................................................................................................................... 3-5

Selecting an expansion slot ......................................................................................................................... 3-5

Inserting the KPCI-3101–4 series board in the computer ........................................................................... 3-6

Configuring the board to work with DriverLINX............................................................................................... 3-7

Checking the combined board and DriverLINX installations..................................................................... 3-7

Attaching the STA-300 screw terminal panel ..................................................................................................... 3-8

Jumper W1................................................................................................................................................. 3-10

Resistors .................................................................................................................................................... 3-11

Screw terminal assignments ...................................................................................................................... 3-11

Power......................................................................................................................................................... 3-14

Wiring signals.................................................................................................................................................... 3-14

Connecting analog input signals................................................................................................................ 3-15

Connecting analog output signals.............................................................................................................. 3-19

Connecting digital I/O signals................................................................................................................... 3-20

Connecting counter/timer signals.............................................................................................................. 3-21

Attaching the STP-68 screw terminal panel...................................................................................................... 3-25

4 T esting the Board

DriverLINX analog I/O panel ............................................................................................................................. 4-2

5 Calibration

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 5-2

Objectives.................................................................................................................................................... 5-2

Calibration summary................................................................................................................................... 5-2

Equipment.................................................................................................................................................... 5-2

Calibration procedure.................................................................................................................................. 5-3

Preparing for the calibrations ...................................................................................................................... 5-3

Calibrating the analog inputs....................................................................................................................... 5-3

Calibrating the analog outputs..................................................................................................................... 5-3

6 T roubleshooting

General checklist ................................................................................................................................................. 6-2

Using the DriverLINX event viewer................................................................................................................... 6-2

Device initialization error messages............................................................................................................ 6-2

Problem isolation................................................................................................................................................. 6-3

Troubleshooting table.......................................................................................................................................... 6-4

Testing the board and host computer................................................................................................................... 6-5

Testing the accessory slot and I/O connections................................................................................................... 6-5

Technical support ................................................................................................................................................ 6-6

Returning equipment to Keithley ........................................................................................................................ 6-7

A Speciﬁcations

Supported capabilities........................................................................................................................................ A-9

B Connector Pin Assignments C Systematic Problem Isolation

Problem isolation Scheme A: basic system ............................................................................................... C-3

Problem isolation Scheme B: installation.................................................................................................. C-5

Problem isolation Scheme C: application software ................................................................................. C-10

Problem isolation Scheme D: expansion slot connectors ........................................................................ C-12

Problem isolation Scheme E: user wiring................................................................................................ C-13

Problem isolation Scheme F: the board ................................................................................................... C-13

Problem isolation Scheme G: verification of problem solution............................................................... C-13

Specified hardware I/O tests ............................................................................................................................ C-14

Analog input hardware test ...................................................................................................................... C-14

Analog output hardware test .................................................................................................................... C-17

General-purpose digital I/O hardware test............................................................................................... C-20

Specified software I/O tests ............................................................................................................................. C-20

Analog input software test ....................................................................................................................... C-20

Analog output software test ..................................................................................................................... C-22

General-purpose digital I/O software test................................................................................................ C-25

iii

List of Illustrations

2 Principles of Operation

Figure 2-1 Block diagram of the KPCI-3101–4 series boards...................................................................................... 2-2

Figure 2-2 Continuous post-trigger mode without triggered scan.............................................................................. 2-11

Figure 2-3 Continuous post-trigger mode with triggered scan ................................................................................... 2-11

Figure 2-4 Continuous pre-trigger mode .................................................................................................................... 2-12

Figure 2-5 Continuous pre-trigger mode with triggered scan..................................................................................... 2-12

Figure 2-6 Continuous about-trigger mode ................................................................................................................ 2-13

Figure 2-7 Continuous about-trigger mode with triggered scan................................................................................ 2-14

Figure 2-8 Counter/Timer channel ............................................................................................................................ 2-19

Figure 2-9 Example of a Low-to-High pulse output type........................................................................................... 2-22

Figure 2-10 Connecting event counting signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0)................................... 2-23

Figure 2-11 Example of event counting ....................................................................................................................... 2-24

Figure 2-12 Connecting frequency measurement signals without an external gate input (shown for clock input 0) .. 2-24

Figure 2-13 Connecting frequency measurement signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0).................... 2-25

Figure 2-14 Example of frequency measurement......................................................................................................... 2-26

Figure 2-15 Connecting rate generation sIgnals (shown for counter 0; a software gate is used)................................. 2-27

Figure 2-16 Example of rate generation mode with a 75% duty cycle........................................................................ 2-28

Figure 2-17 Example of rate generation mode with a 25% duty cycle......................................................................... 2-28

Figure 2-18 Connecting one-shot signals (shown for counter output 0 and gate 0)..................................................... 2-29

Figure 2-19 Example of one-shot mode using a 99.99% duty cycle............................................................................ 2-30

Figure 2-20 Example of one-shot mode using a 50% duty cycle................................................................................. 2-30

Figure 2-21 Example of repetitive one-shot mode using a 99.99% duty cycle............................................................ 2-31

Figure 2-22 Example of repetitive one-shot mode using a 50% duty cycle................................................................. 2-32

3 Installation and Conﬁguration

Figure 3-1 Inserting the KPCI-3101–4 series board in the computer ........................................................................... 3-6

Figure 3-2 Attaching the STA-300 screw terminal panel to a KPCI-3101–4 series board........................................... 3-8

Figure 3-3 Layout of the STA-300 screw terminal panel ............................................................................................. 3-9

Figure 3-4 Removal of jumper W1 for remote ground sensing .................................................................................. 3-10

Figure 3-5 Connecting single-ended voltage inputs (shown for channels 0, 1, and 8) ............................................... 3-15

Figure 3-6 Connecting pseudo-differential voltage inputs (shown for channels 0, 1, and 8) ..................................... 3-16

Figure 3-7 Connecting differential voltage inputs (shown for channel 0) .................................................................. 3-17

Figure 3-8 Connecting differential voltage inputs from a grounded signal source (shown for channel 0) ................ 3-18

Figure 3-9 Connecting current inputs (shown for channel 0) ..................................................................................... 3-18

Figure 3-10 Connecting analog output voltages using an external +10V reference (shown for channel 0)................. 3-19

Figure 3-11 Connecting analog output voltages using the board’s internal +10V reference (shown for channel 0) ... 3-19

Figure 3-12 Connecting digital inputs (shown for channels 0 and 1, port A)............................................................... 3-20

Figure 3-13 Connecting digital outputs (shown for channel 0, port B) ........................................................................ 3-20

Figure 3-14 Connecting event counting signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0)................................... 3-21

Figure 3-15 Connecting event counting signals without an external gate input (shown for clock input 0) ................. 3-22

Figure 3-16 Cascading counters (shown for event counting using counters 0 and 1 and external gate 0)................... 3-22

Figure 3-17 Connecting frequency measurement signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0) .................... 3-23

Figure 3-18 Connecting pulse output signals (shown for counter output 0 and gate 0) ............................................... 3-23

Figure 3-19 Cascading counters (shown for rate generation using counters 0 and 1 and external gate 0)................... 3-24

Figure 3-20 Cascading counters (shown for one-shot using counters 0 and 1 and external gate 1)............................. 3-24

List of Tables

1 Overview

Table 1-1 Differences among KPCI-3101–4 Series boards........................................................................................ 1-2

Table 1-2 System requirements................................................................................................................................... 1-5

2 Principles of Operation

Table 2-1 Supported analog input resolutions............................................................................................................. 2-3

Table 2-2 Gains and effective ranges.......................................................................................................................... 2-5

Table 2-3 Maximum frequency supported.................................................................................................................. 2-6

Table 2-4 Maximum retrigger frequency.................................................................................................................... 2-8

Table 2-5 Supported analog output resolutions...................................................................................................... 2-16

Table 2-6 Extended channel addressing of digital I/O channels using DriverLINX................................................. 2-18

3 Installation and Conﬁguration

Table 3-1 Analog input screw terminal assignments on the STA-300...................................................................... 3-12

Table 3-2 Analog output and power screw terminal assignments on the STA-300.................................................. 3-13

Table 3-3 Counter/Timer and digital I/O screw terminal assignments on the STA-300........................................... 3-13

6 Troubleshooting

Table 6-1 Troubleshooting problems.......................................................................................................................... 6-4

A Speciﬁcations

Table A-1 A/D subsystem specifications.................................................................................................................... A-2

Table A-2 D/A subsystem specifications.................................................................................................................... A-4

Table A-3 DIN/DOUT subsystem specifications........................................................................................................ A-5

Table A-4 C/T subsystem specifications..................................................................................................................... A-6

Table A-5 Power, physical, and environmental specifications................................................................................... A-7

Table A-6 Connector specifications............................................................................................................................ A-7

Table A-7 STA-300 specifications.............................................................................................................................. A-8

Table A-8 CAB-305 cable specifications.................................................................................................................... A-8

Table A-9 KPCI-3101–4 series supported options...................................................................................................... A-9

vii

B Connector Pin Assignments

Table B-1 Pin assignments for connector J1 on the KPCI-3101–4 series boards....................................................... B-2

Table B-2 Pin assignments for connector J1 on the STA-300 .................................................................................... B-3

Table B-3 Pin assignments for connector J2 on the STA-300 .................................................................................... B-4

C Systematic Problem Isolation

Table C-1 Wiring for analog input hardware test using an STA-300 screw terminal accessory connected

to the Analog I/O connections ........................................................................................................... C-15

Table C-2 Terminals on STA-300 screw terminal accessory to which DVM/DMM will be connected

during analog output hardware test.................................................................................................... C-17

Table C-3 Test connections and correct readings for zero-voltage analog output, using an STA-300 screw

terminal accessory connected to J1.................................................................................................... C-19

Table C-4 Test connections and correct readings for mid-range analog output, using an STA-300 screw

terminal accessory connected to the upper “Analog” I/O connector................................................. C-19

Table C-5 Wiring for analog input hardware test using an STA-300 screw terminal accessory connected

to the Analog I/O connections ...........................................................................................................C-21

Table C-6 Terminals on STA-300 screw terminal accessory to which DVM/DMM will be connected

during analog output hardware test.................................................................................................... C-23

Table C-7 Test connections and correct readings for zero-voltage analog output, using an STA-300 screw

terminal accessory connected to J1.................................................................................................... C-24

Table C-8 Test connections and correct readings for mid-range analog output, using an STA-300 screw

terminal accessory connected to the KPCI-3101–4 board................................................................. C-24

viii

Overview

•

1-2 Overview KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Features

The KPCI-3101–4 Series is a family of low-cost, multifunction data acquisition boards for the PCI bus. The KPCI-3101–4 Series consists of the following boards: KPCI-3101, KPCI-3102, KPCI-3103, and KPCI-3104. These board types differ in analog I/O resolution, analog input sample frequency, analog input ranges, and the number of analog output channels, as shown in

Table 1-1.

Table 1-1

Differences among KPCI-3101–4 Series boards

Board Type

Analog I/O Resolution

Analog Input Sample Frequency

Analog Input Ranges

Analog Output Channels

KPCI-3101 12 bit 225kHz ±10V, 0 to 10V 0 KPCI-3102 12 bit 225kHz ±10V, 0 to 10V 2 KPCI-3103 12 bit 400kHz ±10V, 0 to 10V 0 KPCI-3104 12 bit 400kHz ±10V, 0 to 10V 2

Assumes a gain of 1. Using these ranges with gains of 2, 4, or 8 yields a number of effective input ranges; refer to

page 2-4

for more information.

All KPCI-3101–4 Series boards share the following major features:

PCI bus mastering capability for analog inputs 16 single-ended or pseudo-differential analog input channels, or 8 differential analog input

channels (for information on pseudo-differential analog input channels, see “Connecting

pseudo-differential voltage inputs” in Section 3)

Signal conditioning through connections to 5B Series backplanes Input gains of 1, 2, 4, and 8 Continuously-paced and triggered scan capability A 1024-location channel-gain list that supports sampling analog input channels at the same

or different gains in sequential or random order Up to 256 scans per trigger for a total of 262,144 samples per trigger in triggered scan mode Internal and external clock sources for the analog input subsystem Digital TTL triggering for the analog input subsystem Software calibration of the analog I/O circuitry Two 8-bit digital ports programmable as inputs or outputs on a per-port basis; digital input

lines from these lines can be included as part of the analog input channel-gain list to correlate the timing of analog and digital events; digital outputs can drive external solid-state relays

One 7-bit digital I/O port programmable as a general-purpose (non-clocked) input or output port

Four user counter/timers programmable for event counting, frequency measurement, rate generation (continuous pulse output), one-shot pulse output, and repetitive one-shot pulse output

Programmable gate types Programmable pulse output polarities (output types) and duty cycles

For a discussion of these features in detail, refer to Section 2.

•

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Overview 1-3

DriverLINX software

The following software is available for use with the KPCI-3101–4 Series board:

KPCI-3101–4 Series standard software package — Shipped with KPCI-3101–4 Series

boards. Includes DriverLINX for Microsoft Windows and function libraries for writing application programs under Windows in a high-level language such as C/C++, Visual Basic, Delphi, and Test Point; LabVIEW support ﬁles; utility programs; and language-speciﬁc example programs.

DriverLINX — the high-performance real-time data-acquisition device drivers for W indo ws

application development includes:

DriverLINX API DLLs and drivers supporting the KPCI-3101–4 Series hardware Analog I/O Test Panel — a DriverLINX program that veriﬁes the installation and opera-

tion of your KPCI-3101–4 Series board and demonstrates several virtual bench-top instruments

Learn DriverLINX — an interactive learning and demonstration program for Driv erLINX

that includes a Digital Storage Oscilloscope

Source Code — for the sample programs DriverLINX Application Programming Interface ﬁles — for the KPCI-3101–4 Series

interfaces

DriverLINX Calibration Utility — used to calibrate the ADC and DAC functions of the

KPCI-3101–4 Series board

DriverLINX On-line Help System — provides immediate help as you operate Driver-

LINX

Supplemental Documentation — on DriverLINX installation and conﬁguration; analog

and digital I/O programming; counter/timer programming; technical reference; and information speciﬁc to the KPCI-3101–4 Series hardware.

•

1-4 Overview KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Viewing the KPCI-3101–4 series documentation online

The DriverLINX Manuals and this manual have been provided in electronic form (in PDF ﬁle format) on the KPCI-3101–4 Series CD-ROM. To vie w these documents, you need to install Rev

3.01 or later of Adobe Acrobat Reader on your hard drive (refer to DriverLINX for installation instructions).

View the KPCI-3101–4 Series documentation by clicking the manual title. Here are a few helpful hints about using Adobe Acrobat Reader:

To navigate to a speciﬁc section of the document, click a heading from the table of contents on the left side of the document.

Within the document, click the text shown in blue to jump to the appropriate reference (the pointer changes from a hand to an index ﬁnger).

To go back to the page from which the jump was made, click the right mouse button and Go

Back, or from the main menu, click View , then Go Back .

To print the document, from the main menu, click File , then Print . T o increase or decrease the size of the displayed document, from the main menu, click View ,

then Zoom . By default, text and monochrome images are smoothed in Acrobat Reader, resulting in

blurry images. If you wish, you can turn smoothing off by clicking File , then Preferences/

General , and unchecking Smooth Text and Monochrome Images .

•

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Overview 1-5

System requirements

The system capabilities required to run the KPCI-3101–4 Series board, and to use the DriverLINX software supplied with the board, are listed in Table 1-2.

Table 1-2

System requirements

CPU Type Operating system

Memory

Hard disk space

Other

*Any CD-ROM drive that came installed with the required computer should be satisfactory. However, if you have

post-installed an older CD-ROM drive or arrived at your present system by updating the microprocessor or replacing the motherboard, some early CD-ROM drives may not support the long ﬁle names often used in 32 bit Windows ﬁles.

Pentium or higher processor on motherboard with PCI bus version 2.1 Windows 95 or 98 Windows NT version 4.0 or higher 16 MB or greater RAM when running Windows 95 or 98 32 MB or greater RAM when running Windows NT 4 MB for minimum installation 50 MB for maximum installation A CD-ROM drive* A free PCI-bus expansion slot capable of bus mastering Enough reserve computer power supply capacity to power the

KPCI-3101–4 Series board, which draws 0.9A at 5VDC and 48mA at +12VDC.

A VGA, or compatible, display (640 x 480 or higher, 256 colors recommended)

Software

The user can select a fully integrated data acquisition software package such as TestPoint or LabVIEW or write a custom program supported by DriverLINX.

DriverLINX is the basic Application Programming Interface (API) for the KPCI-3101–4 Series boards:

•

It supports programmers who wish to create custom applications using Visual C/C++, Visual Basic, or Delphi.

•

It accomplishes foreground and background tasks to perform data acquisition.

•

It is the needed interface between T estPoint and LabVIEW and a KPCI-3101–4 Series board. DriverLINX software and user’s documentation on a CD-ROM are included with your board. TestPoint is an optional, fully featured, integrated application package with a graphical drag-

and-drop interface which can be used to create data acquisition applications without programming.

LabVIEW is an optional, fully featured graphical programming language used to create virtual instrumentation.

Refer to Section 3, “Installation and Conﬁguration” for more information about DriverLINX, TestPoint, and LabView.

1-6 Overview KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Accessories

The following optional accessories are available for the KPCI-3101–4 Series board:

•

ST A-300 scr ew terminal panel

includes features such as jumpers for selecting AMP LO connections for use with “pseudodifferential” input; convenient locations for addition of bias return resisters for use when measuring ﬂoating inputs in differential mode; convenient locations for current sense shunt resistors for sensing current loops. Connector J1 accommodates the analog and digital I/O signals from the KPCI-3101–4 Series board, and connector J2 allows you to connect 5B signal conditioning backplanes. In addition, the STA-300, in conjunction with the CAB-305 cable, is the conﬁguration in which KPCI-3101–4 was tested for CE emissions.

•

STP-68 screw terminal panel

nector accommodates the analog and digital I/O signals from the KPCI-3101–4 Series board. The screw terminals are wired so that when connected using a CAB-305 cable, the terminal number corresponds to a terminal number on the attached plug-in board. The STP-68 is not shielded and was not used in CE emission testing.

• CAB-305 cable — A 2-meter, twisted pair , shielded cable that connects the 68-pin connector

(J1) on the KPCI-3101–4 Series board to the J1 connector on the STA-300 screw terminal panel or to the 68-pin connector on the STP-68 screw terminal panel.

— Screw terminal panel with two connectors. The STP-300

— Screw terminal panel with one connector. The 68-pin con-

Principles of Operation

2-2 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

This section describes the analog input, analog output, digital I/O, and counter/timer features of the KPCI-3101–4 Series board. To frame the discussions, refer to the block diagram shown in

Figure 2-1. Note that bold entries indicate signals you can access.

Figure 2-1

Block diagram of the KPCI-3101–4 series boards

Ext A/D Clock Ext TTL Trig

20 MHz Clock

Analog In

Ch. Sel

Gain Sel

A/D Clk

DIO Ports A and B

Input Sel

Trigger/Clock Logic

A/D Counter, 24-bits

TScan Counter 24-bit

16 Channel Mux

Gain Amp (1, 2, 4, 8)

ADC

Tristate Buffers

1 kSample Input FIFO

A/D Clk

1 K Entry CGL FIFO

SW_Clk1

SW_Clk0

PCI Bus Interface

20 MHz Clock

Ser_Da

Ser_Clk

CGL Reg. Channel Parameter Reg.

Bidirectional 8-bit Latch

4 User Counter/ Timers, 16-bit ea.

Multiplying DAC*

Ch. Sel

Gain Sel

Input Sel

Discard sample

DIO Port B [7:0]

DIO Port A [7:0]

User Clk [3:0] User Gate [3:0] User Out [3:0]

Analog Output 1

Analog Output 0

DIO Port C [6:0]

Analog input features

This section describes the features of the analog input (A/D) subsystem, including the following:

• Input resolution

• Analog input channels

• Input ranges and gains

• A/D sample clock sources

• Analog input conversion modes

• Trigger sources and trigger acquisition modes

• Data formats and transfer

• Error conditions

PCI Bus

*DACs not included on KPCI-3101, or KPCI-3103 boards.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-3

Input resolution

Table 2-1 lists the input resolutions supported by the KPCI-3101–4 Series boards. The resolu-

tion is ﬁxed for each board type; therefore, it cannot be programmed in software.

Table 2-1

Supported analog input resolutions

Board Type Supported Resolution

KPCI-3101 12 bits KPCI-3102 12 bits KPCI-3103 12 bits KPCI-3104 12 bits

Analog input channels

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board supports 16 single-ended or pseudo-differential analog input channels, or 8 differential analog input channels on board. Refer to Section 3, “Wiring signals” for a description of how to wire these signals. You conﬁgure the channel type through DriverLINX software.

NOTE For pseudo-differential inputs, specify single-ended in software; in this

case, how you wire these signals determines the conﬁguration. Choose this conﬁguration when noise or common-mode voltage (the difference between the ground potentials of the signal sour ce and the ground of the STA-300 screw terminal panel or between the grounds of other signals) exists and the differential conﬁguration is not suitable for your application. This option provides less noise rejection than the differential conﬁguration; however, all 16 analog input channels are available.

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board can acquire data from a single analog input channel or from a group of analog input channels. Onboard channels are numbered 0 to 15 for single-ended and pseudo-differential inputs or 0 to 7 for differential inputs. The following subsections describe how to specify the channels.

Specifying a single channel

The simplest way to acquire data from a single channel is to specify the channel for a single value analog input operation using software; refer to page 2-7 for more information on single value operations.

You can also specify a single channel using the analog input channel list, described in the next section.

2-4 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Specifying one or more channels

On the KPCI-3101–4 Series board, you can read data from one or more analog input channels using an analog input channel list. You can group the channels in the list sequentially (either starting with 0 or with any other analog input channel) or randomly. You can also specify a single channel or the same channel more than once in the list.

Using DriverLINX software, specify the channels in the order you want to sample them. The analog input channel list corresponds to the Channel-Gain List FIFO (ﬁrst-in, ﬁrst-out buffer) on the board. You can enter up to 1,024 entries in the channel list. The channels are read in order (using continuous paced mode or triggered scan mode) from the ﬁrst entry to the last entry in the channel list. You can read the channels in the channel list up to 256 times per trigger (for a total of 262,144 samples per trigger) using triggered scan mode. Refer to page 2-7 for more information on the supported conversion modes.

Specifying digital input lines in the analog input channel list

In addition to the analog input channels, the KPCI-3101–4 Series board allows you to read 16 digital I/O lines (Port A, lines 0 to 7 and Port B, lines 0 to 7) using the analog input channel list. This feature is particularly useful when you want to correlate the timing of analog and digital events.

To read these 16 digital I/O lines, specify channel 0 in the DriverLINX analog input channel list with a special gain modiﬁer. Refer to the DriverLINX Analog I/O Programming Guide, pro vided with DriverLINX.

NOTE If channel 0 is programmed with digital capabilities and is the only

The digital channel is treated like any other channel in the analog input channel list; therefore, all the clocking, triggering, and conversion modes supported for analog input channels are supported for these digital I/O lines, if you specify them in this manner.

Input ranges and gains

Each channel on the KPCI-3101, KPCI-3102, KPCI-3103, and KPCI-3104 board can measure unipolar and bipolar analog input signals. A unipolar signal is always positive (0 to 10V on a KPCI-3101–4 Series board), while a bipolar signal extends between the negative and positive peak values (±10V on a KPCI-3101–4 Series board).

Through software, specify the range as 0 to 10V for unipolar signals or −10V to +10V for bipolar signals. Note that you specify the range for the entire analog input subsystem, not the range per channel.

channel in the channel-gain list, the board can read this channel at a rate of 3MSamples/s. Refer to the DriverLINX Analog I/O Pr ogr amming Guide, provided with DriverLINX.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-5

KPCI-3101–4 Series boards provide gains of 1, 2, 4, and 8, which are programmable per channel. Table 2-2 lists the effective ranges supported by the KPCI-3101–4 Series board using these gains.

Table 2-2

Gains and effective ranges

Unipolar Analog

Gain

1 0 to 10V ±10V 2 0 to 5V ±5V 4 0 to 2.5V ±2.5V 8 0 to 1.25V ±1.25V

For each channel, choose the gain that has the smallest effective range that includes the signal you want to measure. For example, if the range of your analog input signal is ±1.5V, specify a range of −10V to +10V for the board and use a gain of 4 for the channel; the effective input range for this channel is then ±2.5V, which provides the best sampling accuracy for that channel.

The way you specify gain depends on how you speciﬁed the channels, as described in the following subsections.

Input Range

Bipolar Analog Input Range

Specifying the gain for a single channel

The simplest way to specify the gain for a single channel is to specify the gain for a single value analog input operation using software; refer to page 2-7 for more information on single value operations.

You can also specify the gain for a single channel using an analog input gain list, described in the next section.

Specifying the gain for one or more channels

For KPCI-3101–4 Series boards, you can specify the gain for one or more analog input channels using an analog input gain list. Using software, set up the gain list by specifying the gain for each entry in the channel list. The gain list parallels the channel list. (The two lists together are often referred to as the channel-gain list.)

For example, assume the analog input channel list contains three entries: channels 5, 6, and 7; the gain list might look like this: 2, 4, 1, where a gain of 2 corresponds to channel 5, a gain of 4 corresponds to channel 6, and a gain of 1 corresponds to channel 7.

NOTE For analo g input channel 0 pr ogr ammed with digital capabilities (the 16

digital I/O lines). Refer to the DriverLINX Analog I/O Programming Guide, provided with DriverLINX.

2-6 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

A/D sample clock sources

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board provides two clock sources for pacing analog input operations in continuous mode:

• An internal A/D sample clock that uses the 24-bit A/D Counter on the board; and

• An external A/D sample clock that you can connect to the screw terminal panel.

You use an A/D sample clock to pace the acquisition of each channel in the channel-gain list; this clock is also called the A/D pacer clock.

NOTE If you specify Digital Capabilities for channel 0, the A/D sample clock

(internal or external) also paces the acquisition of the 16 digital input lines. Refer to the DriverLINX Analog I/O Programming Guide, provided with DriverLINX.

The following subsections describe the internal and external A/D sample clocks in more detail.

Internal A/D sample clock

The internal A/D sample clock uses a 20MHz time base. Conversions start on the falling edge of the counter output; the output pulse is active low.

Using software, specify the clock source as internal and the clock frequency at which to pace the operation. The minimum frequency supported is 1.2Hz (1.2 Samples/s); the maximum frequency supported differs depending on the board type, as shown in Table 2-3.

Table 2-3

Maximum frequency supported

Board Type Maximum Frequency

KPCI-3101 225kHz KPCI-3102 225kHz KPCI-3103 400kHz KPCI-3104 400kHz

According to sampling theory (Nyquist Theorem), specify a frequency that is at least twice as fast as the input’s highest frequenc y component. F or e xample, to accurately sample a 20kHz signal, specify a sampling frequency of at least 40kHz. Doing so avoids an error condition called aliasing, in which high frequency input components erroneously appear as lower frequencies after sampling.

NOTE If input channel 0 is programmed for Digital Capabilities, and is the

only channel programmed, the maximum frequency is 3MHz (3MSamples/s). Refer to the DriverLINX Analog I/O Programming Guide, provided with DriverLINX.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-7

External A/D sample clock

The external A/D sample clock is useful when you want to pace acquisitions at rates not available with the internal A/D sample clock or when you want to pace at uneven intervals.

Connect an external A/D sample clock to screw terminal TB48 on the STA-300 screw terminal panel (pin 22 on connector J1). Conversions start on the falling edge of the external A/D sample clock input signal.

Using software, specify the clock source as external. (Refer to the DriverLINX Analog I/O Pro- gramming Guide provided with DriverLINX.) For the KPCI-3101–4 Series board, the clock frequency is always equal to the frequency of the external A/D sample clock input signal that you connect to the board through the screw terminal panel.

Analog input conversion modes

KPCI-3101–4 Series boards support the following conversion modes:

• Single value operations are the simplest to use but offer the least ﬂexibility and efﬁciency.

Using software, you can specify the range, gain, and analog input channel (among other parameters); acquire the data from that channel; and convert the result. The data is returned immediately. For a single value operation, you cannot specify a clock source, trigger source, trigger acquisition mode, scan mode, or buffer.

Single value operations stop automatically when ﬁnished; you cannot stop a single value operation.

• Scan mode takes full advantage of the capabilities of the KPCI-3101–4 Series boards. In a

scan, you can specify a channel-gain list, clock source, trigger source, trigger acquisition mode, scan mode, buffer, and buffer wrap mode using software. Two scan modes are supported: continuously-paced scan mode and triggered scan mode. These modes are described in the following subsections.

Using DriverLINX software, you can stop a scan when the hardware ﬁlls the host b uffer you speciﬁed or when your application issues a stop command.

Continuously-Paced scan mode

Use continuously-paced scan mode if you want to accurately control the period between conversions of individual channels in a scan.

When it detects an initial trigger, the board cycles through the channel-gain list, acquiring and converting the value for each entry in the channel list (this process is deﬁned as the scan). The board then wraps to the start of the channel-gain list and repeats the process continuously until either the allocated buffers are ﬁlled or until you stop the operation. Refer to page 2-14 for more information on buffers.

The conversion rate is determined by the frequency of the A/D sample clock; refer to page 2-6 for more information on the A/D sample clock. The sample rate, which is the rate at which a single entry in the channel-gain list is sampled, is determined by the frequency of the A/D sample clock divided by the number of entries in the channel-gain list.

To select continuously-paced scan mode, use software to specify the dataﬂow as continuous, continuous pre-trigger, or continuous about-trigger. The initial trigger source depends on the trigger acquisition mode you use. Refer to page 2-10 for more information on the supported trigger sources and trigger acquisition modes.

2-8 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

T riggered scan mode

KPCI-3101–4 Series boards support two triggered scan modes: internally-retriggered and externally-retriggered. These modes are described in the following subsections.

Internally-Retriggered Scan Mode

Use internally-retriggered scan mode if you want to accurately control both the period between conversions of individual channels in a scan and the period between each scan. This mode is useful when synchronizing or controlling external equipment, or when acquiring a buffer of data on each trigger or retrigger. Using this mode, you can acquire up to 262,144 samples per trigger (256 times per trigger x 1024-location channel-gain list).

When it detects an initial trigger, the KPCI-3101–4 Series board scans the channel-gain list a speciﬁed number of times (up to 256), then waits for an internal retrigger to occur. When it detects an internal retrigger, the board scans the channel-gain list the speciﬁed number of times, then waits for another internal retrigger to occur. The process repeats continuously until either the allocated buffers are ﬁlled or until you stop the operation; refer to page 2-14 for more information on buffers.

The sample rate is determined by the frequency of the A/D sample clock divided by the number of entries in the channel-gain list; refer to page 2-6 for more information on the A/D sample clock. The conversion rate of each scan is determined by the frequency of the internal retrigger clock. The internal retrigger clock is the Triggered Scan Counter on the board; the Triggered Scan Counter is a 24-bit counter with a 20 MHz clock.

Using DriverLINX software, specify the frequency of the internal retrigger clock. The minimum retrigger frequency is 1.2Hz (1.2 Samples/s). Table 2-4 lists the maximum retrigger frequency supported by the KPCI-3101–4 Series boards.

Table 2-4

Maximum retrigger frequency

Maximum

Board

Retrigger Frequency

KPCI-3101/3102 155kHz KPCI-3103/3104 219kHz

The appropriate retrigger frequency depends on a number of factors, determined by the follow- ing equations:

No. of CGL entries No. of CGLs per trigger×

Min. Retrigger Period

Max. Retrigger



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -2µs+



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------= Frequency Min. Retrigger Period

A/D sample clock frequency

For example, if you are using 16 channels in the channel-gain list (CGL), scanning the channelgain list 256 times every trigger or retrigger, and using an A/D sample clock with a frequency of 100kHz, set the maximum retrigger frequency to 24.41Hz, since

24.41Hz

-----------------------------------------------=

 

16 256×()

------------------------- -2µs+

100kHz

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-9

To select internally-retriggered scan mode, use software to specify the following parameters:

• The dataﬂow as continuous, continuous pre-trigger, or continuous about-trigger

• Triggered scan mode usage as enabled

• The retrigger mode as internal

• The number of times to scan per trigger or retrigger (also called the multiscan count)

• The frequency of the retrigger clock

The initial trigger source depends on the trigger acquisition mode you use; refer to page 2-10 for more information on the supported and trigger sources and trigger acquisition modes.

Externally-Retriggered scan mode

Use externally-retriggered scan mode if you want to accurately control the period between conversions of individual channels and retrigger the scan based on an external event. Like internal retrigger scan mode, this mode allows you to acquire 262,144 samples per trigger (256 times per trigger€× 1024-location channel-gain list).

NOTE Use externally-retriggered scan mode with continuous post-trigger

acquisitions only; refer to page 2-10 for more information on posttrigger acquisitions.

When a KPCI-3101–4 Series board detects an initial trigger (post-trigger source only), the board scans the channel-gain list up to 256 times, then waits for an external retrigger to occur. You can specify any supported post-trigger source as the initial trigger . Specify the external digital (TTL) trigger for the retrigger.

When the retrigger occurs, the board scans the channel-gain list the speciﬁed number of times, then waits for another external retrigger to occur. The process repeats continuously until either the allocated buffers are ﬁlled (if buffer wrap mode is none) or until you stop the operation (if buffer wrap mode is single or multiple); refer to page 2-14 for more information on buffers.

The conversion rate of each channel is determined by the frequency of the A/D sample clock; refer to page 2-6 for more information on the A/D sample clock. The conversion rate of each scan is determined by the period between external retriggers; therefore, it cannot be accurately controlled. The board ignores external triggers that occur while it is acquiring data. Only external retrigger events that occur when the board is waiting for a retrigger are detected and acted on.

To select externally-retriggered scan mode, use software to specify the following parameters:

• The dataﬂow as continuous (post-trigger)

• The triggered scan mode usage as enabled

• The retrigger mode as an external retrigger

• The number of times to scan per trigger or retrigger (also called the multiscan count)

• The retrigger source as the external digital (TTL) trigger

2-10 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

T riggers

A trigger is an event that occurs based on a speciﬁed set of conditions. The KPCI-3101–4 Series boards support a number of trigger sources and trigger acquisition modes, described in the following subsections.

T rigger sources

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board supports a software trigger and an external digital (TTL) trigger . A software trigger event occurs when you start the analog input operation (the computer issues a

write to the board to begin conversions). Specify the software trigger source in software. An external digital trigger event occurs when the KPCI-3101–4 Series board detects either a ris-

ing or falling edge on the External TTL Trigger input signal connected to screw terminal TB46 on the STA-300 screw terminal panel (pin 56 of connector J1). The trigger signal is TTL-compatible. Using software, specify the trigger source as a rising-edge external digital trigger or falling-edge external digital trigger.

T rigger acquisition modes

KPCI-3101–4 Series boards can acquire data in post-trigger mode, pre-trigger mode, or abouttrigger mode. These trigger acquisition modes are described in more detail in the following subsections.

Post-Trigger acquisition

Use post-trigger acquisition mode (continuous mode) when you want to acquire data when a post-trigger or retrigger, if using triggered scan mode, occurs.

Using DriverLINX software, specify

• The dataﬂow as continuous, and

• The trigger source to start the post-trigger acquisition (the post-trigger source) as any of the

supported trigger sources.

Refer to page 2-7 for more information on the supported conversion modes; refer to page 2-10 for information on the supported trigger sources.

Post-trigger acquisition starts when the board detects the post-trigger event and stops when the speciﬁed number of post-trigger samples has been acquired or when you stop the operation.

If you are using triggered scan mode, the board continues to acquire post-trigger data using the speciﬁed retrigger source to clock the operation. Refer to page 2-8 for more information on triggered scan mode.

Figure 2-2 illustrates continuous post-trigger mode using a channel-gain list with three entries:

channel 0, channel 1, and channel 2. Triggered scan mode is disabled. In this example, posttrigger analog input data is acquired on each clock pulse of the A/D sample clock. When it reaches the end of the channel-gain list, the board wraps to the beginning of the channel-gain list and repeats this process. Data is acquired continuously (continuously-paced scan mode).

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-11

Figure 2-2

Continuous post-trigger mode without triggered scan

Chan 0

Chan 1

A/D Sample Clock

Post-trigger event occurs.

Chan 2

Chan 0

Chan 1

Post-trigger data acquired continuously.

Chan 2

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 2

Chan 0

Chan 2

Chan 1

Figure 2-3 illustrates the same example using triggered scan mode (either internally or exter-

nally retriggered). The multiscan count is 2, indicating that the channel-gain list will be scanned twice per trigger or retrigger. In this e xample, post-trigger analog input data is acquired on each clock pulse of the A/D sample clock until the channel-gain list has been scanned twice; then, the board waits for the retrigger event. When the retrigger event occurs, the board scans the channelgain list twice more, acquiring data on each pulse of the A/D sample clock. The process repeats continuously with every speciﬁed retrigger event.

Figure 2-3

Continuous post-trigger mode with triggered scan

Chan 2

Chan 1

A/D Sample Clock

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 2

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 2

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 2

Chan 0

Post-trigger event occurs; post-trigger data acquired for two scans of the CGL.

Board waits for retrigger event.

Retrigger event occurs; post-trigger data acquired for two scans of the CGL.

Pre-Trigger acquisition

Use pre-trigger acquisition mode (continuous pre-trigger mode) when you want to acquire data before a speciﬁc external event occurs.

Using software, specify:

• The dataﬂow as continuous pre-trigger

• The pre-trigger source as the software trigger

• The post-trigger source as the external digital (TTL) trigger

• The retrigger mode as the internal retrigger (if you are using triggered scan mode)

Refer to page 2-7 for more information on the supported conversion modes; refer to page 2-10 for information on the supported trigger sources.

NOTE When using pre-trigger acquisition, you cannot use externally-

retriggered scan mode; refer to page 2-8 for more information on triggered scan mode.

2-12 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Pre-trigger acquisition starts when you start the operation and stops when the board detects the selected post-trigger source, indicating that the ﬁrst post-trigger sample was acquired (this sample is ignored).

If you are using internally-retriggered scan mode and the post-trigger event has not occurred, the board continues to acquire pre-trigger data using the internal retrigger clock to clock the operation. When the post-trigger event occurs, acquisition stops. Refer to page 2-8 for more information on internally-retriggered scan mode.

Figure 2-4 illustrates continuous pre-trigger mode using a channel-gain list of three entries:

channel 0, channel 1, and channel 2. In this example, pre-trigger analog input data is acquired on each clock pulse of the A/D sample clock. When it reaches the end of the channel-gain list, the board wraps to the beginning of the channel-gain list and repeats this process. Data is acquired continuously until the post-trigger event occurs. When the post-trigger event occurs, acquisition stops.

Figure 2-4

Continuous pre-trigger mode

Chan 0

Chan 1

A/D Sample Clock

Pre-trigger event occurs.

Chan 2

Pre-trigger data acquired.

Chan 0

Chan 2

Chan 0

Chan 1

Post-trigger event occurs.

Acquisition stops.

Figure 2-5 illustrates the same example using internally-retriggered scan mode. The multiscan

count is 2, indicating that the channel-gain list will be scanned twice per trigger or retrigger. In this example, pre-trigger analog input data is acquired on each clock pulse of the A/D sample clock until the channel-gain list has been scanned twice; then, the board waits for the internal retrigger event. When the internal retrigger occurs, the process repeats. Acquisition stops when the post-trigger event occurs.

Figure 2-5

Continuous pre-trigger mode with triggered scan

Chan 0

Chan 2

Chan 1

A/D Sample Clock

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 2

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 2

Chan 0

Pre-trigger event occurs; pre-trigger data is acquired for two scans of the CGL.

Board waits for retrigger event.

Retrigger event occurs; pre-trigger data is acquired until posttrigger event occurs.

Post-trigger event occurs; acquisition stops.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-13

About-Trigger acquisition

Use about-trigger acquisition mode (continuous about-trigger mode) when you want to acquire data both before and after a speciﬁc external event occurs. This operation is equivalent to doing both a pre-trigger and a post-trigger acquisition.

Using software, specify:

• The dataﬂow as continuous about-trigger

• The pre-trigger source as the software trigger

• The post-trigger source as the external digital (TTL) trigger

• The retrigger mode as the internal retrigger (if you are using triggered scan mode)

Refer to page 2-7 for more information on the supported conversion modes; refer to page 2-10 for information on the supported trigger sources.

NOTE When using about-trigger acquisition, you cannot use externally-

retriggered scan mode; refer to page 2-8 for more information on triggered scan mode.

The about-trigger acquisition starts when you start the operation. When it detects the selected post-trigger event, the board stops acquiring pre-trigger data and starts acquiring post-trigger data.

If you are using internally-retriggered scan mode and the post-trigger event has not occurred, the board continues to acquire pre-trigger data using the internal retrigger clock to clock the operation. If, however, the post-trigger event has occurred, the board continues to acquire post-trigger data using the internal retrigger clock to clock the operation.

The about-trigger operation stops when the speciﬁed number of post-trigger samples has been acquired or when you stop the operation. Refer to page 2-8 for more information on internallyretriggered scan mode.

Figure 2-6 illustrates continuous about-trigger mode using a channel-gain list of two entries:

channel 0 and channel 1. In this example, pre-trigger analog input data is acquired continuously on each clock pulse of the A/D sample clock until the post-trigger event occurs. When the posttrigger event occurs, post-trigger analog input data is acquired continuously on each clock pulse of the A/D sample clock.

Figure 2-6

Continuous about-trigger mode

Chan 0

Chan 1

A/D Sample Clock

Pre-trigger event occurs

Chan 0

Pre-trigger data acquired

Chan 1

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 0

Post-trigger event occurs

Chan 0

Chan 1

Post-trigger data acquired

Chan 1

Chan 0

Chan 1

. ..

2-14 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Figure 2-7 illustrates the same example using internally-retriggered scan mode. The multiscan

count is 2, indicating that the channel-gain list will be scanned twice per trigger or retrigger. In this example, pre-trigger analog input data is acquired on each clock pulse of the A/D sample clock for two scans; then, the board waits for the internal retrigger event. When the internal retrigger occurs, the board begins acquiring pre-trigger data until the post-trigger event occurs. Then, the board ﬁnishes scanning the channel-gain list the speciﬁed number of times, acquiring the data as post-trigger samples. On all subsequent internal retriggers, post-trigger data is acquired.

Figure 2-7

Continuous about-trigger mode with triggered scan

A/D Sample Clock

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 0

Chan 1

Chan 0

Ch1

Pre-trigger event occurs; pre-trigger data is acquired for two scans of the CGL.

Data format

KPCI-3101–4 Series boards use offset binary data encoding to represent signals. In DriverLINX software, the analog input value is returned as a code or voltage depending on

user input. DriverLINX provides single-value and buffer methods to convert between voltages and analog codes. The single-value functions are Volts2Code and Code2Volts. Refer to DriverLINX manuals provided with DriverLINX.

Data transfer

The board packs two input samples (an even and an odd sample) into each transfer to the host computer. Samples corresponding to entries 0, 2, 4, and so on, in the channel-gain list are considered even samples; samples corresponding to entries 1, 3, 5, and so on, in the channel-gain list are considered odd samples.

Using ﬂags internally, the board determines whether the acquired samples are pre-trigger or post-trigger samples. These ﬂags are not transferred to the host computer . The host computer can read the register on the board to determine where the post-trigger data starts. Note that the host computer cannot read data directly from the board; the data must be transferred to the host computer.

Re-trigger event occurs; pre-trigger data is acquired until post-trigger occurs.

Post-trigger event occurs; post-trigger data is acquired until the end of the number of scans.

Re-trigger event occurs; post-trigger data is acquired for two scans of the CGL.

Using PCI bus mastering, the board transfers the analog input data to a 256KB circular buffer in the host computer; this buffer is dedicated to the hardware. Therefore, unlike ISA and EISA boards, the KPCI-3101–4 Series board requires no DMA resources. The board treats each buffer as two consecutive 128KB blocks of memory.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-15

NOTE When you stop an analog input operation, a ﬁnal block of two samples is

transferred even if only one sample is required. The host software ignores the extra sample.

DriverLINX accesses the KPCI-3101–4 hardware circular buffer to ﬁll user buffers that you allocate in software. It is recommended that you allocate a minimum of three buffers for analog input operations, and the stop events controlling them. Refer to DriverLINX manuals for more information.

• If “Counter/Timer Event” is speciﬁed, data is written to the allocated buffers until no more

empty buffers are available; at that point, the operation stops.

• If “Command,” “Digital,” or “Analog” event is speciﬁed, data is written to the allocated mul-

tiple buffers continuously; when no more empty buffers are available, the board overwrites the data in the ﬁlled buffers starting with the ﬁrst location of the ﬁrst buffer. This process continues indeﬁnitely until you stop it.

• If you set “Buffers=1” in DriverLINX, (usually not recommended for analog input opera-

tions), data is written to a single buffer continuously; when the buffer is ﬁlled, the board overwrites the data in the buffer starting with the ﬁrst location of the buffer. This process continues indeﬁnitely until you stop it.

Error conditions

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board can report the following analog input error conditions to the host computer:

• A/D Over Sample — Indicates that the A/D sample clock rate is too fast. This error is

reported if a new A/D sample clock pulse occurs while the ADC is busy performing a conversion from the previous A/D sample clock pulse. The host computer can clear this error. To avoid this error, use a slower sampling rate.

• Input FIFO Overﬂow — Indicates that the analog input data is not being transferred fast

enough from the Input FIFO across the PCI bus to the host computer. This error is reported when the Input FIFO becomes full; the board cannot get access to the PCI bus fast enough. The host computer can clear this error, but the error will continue to be generated if the Input FIFO is still full. To avoid this error, close other applications that may be running while you are acquiring data. If this has no effect, try using a computer with a faster processor or reduce the sampling rate.

• Host Block Overﬂow — Indicates that the host computer is not handling data from the

board fast enough. This error is reported if the board completes the transfer of a block of input data to the circular buffer in the host computer before the host computer has ﬁnished reading the last block of data. The host computer can clear this error. To avoid this error, ensure that you allocated at least three buffers at least as large as the sampling rate; for e xample, if you are using a sampling rate of 100kSamples/s (100kHz), specify a buffer size of 100,000 samples).

If any of these error conditions occurs, the board stops acquiring and transferring data to the host computer.

NOTE DriverLINX reports any of these errors as a “DATA LOST” message.

2-16 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Analog output features

An analog output (D/A) subsystem is provided on the KPCI-3102 and KPCI-3104 boards only. This section describes the following features of the D/A subsystem:

• Output resolution

• Analog output channels

• Output ranges and gains

• Conversion modes

• Data formats and transfer

• Error conditions

Output resolution

Table 2-5 lists the output resolutions supported by the KPCI-3102 and KPCI-3104 boards. The

resolution is ﬁxed for each board type; therefore, it cannot be programmed in software.

Table 2-5

Supported analog output resolutions

Board Type Supported Resolution

KPCI-3102 12 bits KPCI-3104 12 bits

Analog output channels

The KPCI-3102 and KPCI-3104 boards support two serial, multiplying, DC-level analog output channels (DAC0 and DAC1). Refer to Section 3, “Installation and Conﬁguration” for information on how to wire analog output signals to the board using the screw terminal panel. You conﬁgure the channel type as differential through software.

Within each DAC, the digital data is double-buf fered to prevent spurious outputs, then output as an analog signal. Both DACs power up to a value of 0V ±10mV. Resetting the board does not clear the values in the DACs.

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board can output data from a single analog output channel only. Specify the channel for a single value analog output operation using software. Refer to “Analog out-

put conversion modes”on this page for more information on single value operations.

Output ranges and gains

For the KPCI-3102 and KPCI-3104 board, you can specify one of the following ranges for each DAC using software: ±10V, 0 to 10V, ±5V, or 0 to 5V.

In software, specify a gain of 1 for analog output operations.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-17

Analog output conversion modes

KPCI-3102 and KPCI-3104 boards can perform single value operations only. Use software to specify the range, gain, and analog output channel (among other parameters), then output the data from the speciﬁed channel. You cannot specify a clock source, trigger source, or buffer.

Single value operations stop automatically when ﬁnished; you cannot stop a single value operation.

Data format

Data from the host computer must use offset binary data encoding for analog output signals. DriverLINX con v erts this “nativ e format” to a hardware-independent format so that applications can use the numeric operations that are intrinsic to most high-level languages. A DriverLINX Service Request may be used for several types of data conversions (such as VOLTS2CODE conversion that converts analog voltage to D/A code). Because the data values depend on the selected gain at the time of the data transfer, you should use DriverLINX to convert the data, as it takes the gain properties of the Service Request into account.

NOTE Refer to the DriverLINX Analog I/O Programming Guide, provided with

DriverLINX.

Digital I/O features

This section describes the following features of the digital I/O subsystem:

• Digital I/O lines

• Combining or Splitting Logical Channels

• Using Single Value and Continuous Digital Input

Digital I/O lines

KPCI-3101–4 Series boards support 23 digital I/O lines through the digital input (DIN) and output (DOUT) subsystems; DIN and DOUT subsystems use the same digital I/O lines. These lines are divided into the following ports:

• Port A, lines 0 to 7

• Port B, lines 0 to 7

• Port C, lines 0 to 6

You can use each port for either input or output; all lines within a port have the same conﬁguration. For example, if you use Port A as an input port, lines 0 to 7 of Port A are conﬁgured as inputs. Likewise, if you use Port C as an output port, lines 0 to 6 of Port C are conﬁgured as outputs.

DriverLINX lets you dynamically reconﬁgure digital I/O ports at run time using a “Digital Setup Event.” Refer to DriverLINX Digital I/O Progr amming Guide for information and limitations of this function.

For fast, clocked digital input operations, you can enter the digital I/O lines from Ports A and B as a channel in the analog input channel list; refer to page 2-4 for more information.

By default, the digital I/O lines power up as digital inputs. On power up or reset, no digital data is output from the board.

2-18 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Combining or splitting logical channels

DriverLINX supports a software extension to Logical Channel addressing that allows applications to combine adjacent Logical Channels into a single channel or split a Logical Channel into smaller addressable parts. For instance, applications can address individual bits on the digital I/O ports or read and write multiple channels with a single operation.

In DriverLINX, “Native” units refer to the hardware-deﬁned digital channel size (8 bits for KPCI-3101–4). When using extended Logical Channel addressing, DriverLINX groups digital bits in units deﬁned by a size code and then assigns consecutive channel numbers starting from zero.

For example, with three 8-bit ports the following channel addresses are supported for each size code.

Table 2-6

Extended channel addressing of digital I/O channels using DriverLINX

Unit Channels Address (dec) Address (hex)

native 0..2 0..2 0..2 bit 0..23 4096..4199 1000..1017 half nibble 0..11 8192..8203 2000..200B nibble 0..5 12288..12293 3000..3005 byte 0..2 16384..16386 4000..4002 word 0..1 20480..20481 5000..5001

Refer to DriverLINX Digital I/O Programming Guide for information and limitations of this extended channel addressing function.

Using single value and continuous digital input

DriverLINX uses the Digital I/O Subsystem for single value outputs. For continuous digital input, DriverLINX uses the Analog I/O subsystem (see “Specifying digital input lines in the analog input channel list,” starting on page 2-4).

• Single value operations stop automatically when ﬁnished; you cannot stop a single value

operation.

• Continuous digital input takes full advantage of the capabilities of the KPCI-3101–4 Series

board. Program the digital input lines of Ports A and B as Analog Input Channel 0; enter the inputs through the DriverLINX A/D subsystem. You will assign a special gain code to this channel to distinguish it as digital. You can specify parameters such as clock source, scan mode, and trigger source for the digital input operation. Refer to page 2-4 for more information on specifying digital input lines for a continuous digital input operation. Refer to Using DriverLINX with Your Hardware, provided with DriverLINX, for information about this function.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-19

Counter/Timer features

The counter/timer circuitry on the board provides the clocking circuitry used by the A/D subsystem as well as several user counter/timer features. This section describes the following user counter/timer features:

• Counter/timer channels

• C/T clock sources

• Gate types

• Pulse types and duty cycles

• Counter/timer operation modes

Counter/Timer channels

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board supports four user 16-bit counter/timer channels (called counters); counters are numbered 0, 1, 2, and 3.

Figure 2-8

Counter/Timer channel

Clock Input SIgnal

(internal, external, or internally cascaded)

Each counter corresponds to a counter/timer (C/T) subsystem. To specify the counter to use in software, specify the appropriate C/T subsystem. For example, counter 0 corresponds to C/T subsystem element 0; counter 3 corresponds to C/T subsystem element 3.

Using software, you can internally route the clock output signal from one user counter to the clock input signal of the next user counter to internally cascade the counters. In this way, you can create a 32-bit counter without externally connecting two counters together.

C/T Clock sources

The following clock sources are available for the user counters:

• Internal C/T clock

• External C/T clock

• Internally cascaded clock

Counter

Gate Input Signal

(software or external input)

Pulse Output Signal

Refer to the following subsections for more information on these clock sources.

2-20 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Internal C/T clock

The internal C/T clock uses a 20MHz time base. Counter/timer operations start on the rising edge of the clock input signal.

Through software, specify the clock source as internal and the frequency at which to pace the counter/timer operation (this is the frequency of the clock output signal). The maximum frequency that you can specify for the clock output signal is 10MHz. For a 16-bit counter, the minimum frequency that you can specify for the clock output signal is 305.17Hz. For a 32-bit cascaded counter, the minimum frequency that you can specify for the clock output signal is

0.00465Hz, which corresponds to a rate of once every 215 seconds.

External C/T clock

The external C/T clock is useful when you want to pace counter/timer operations at rates not available with the internal C/T clock or if you want to pace at uneven intervals. The rising edge of the external C/T clock input signal is the active edge.

Using DriverLINX software, specify the clock source as external and the clock divider used to determine the frequency at which to pace the operation (this is the frequency of the clock output signal). The minimum clock divider that you can specify is 2.0; the maximum clock di vider that you can specify is 65535. For example, if you supply an external C/T clock with a frequency of 5MHz and specify a clock divider of 5, the resulting frequency of the external C/T clock output signal is 1MHz. The resulting frequency of the external C/T clock output signal must not exceed

2.5MHz. Connect the external C/T clock source to the board through the STA-300 screw terminal panel as

follows:

• For Counter 0, connect the external C/T clock signal to screw terminal TB26 (pin 41 of

connector J1)

• For Counter 1, connect the external C/T clock signal to screw terminal TB30 (pin 7 of

connector J1)

• For Counter 2, connect the external C/T clock signal to screw terminal TB34 (pin 36 of

connector J1)

• For Counter 3, connect the external C/T clock signal to screw terminal TB38 (pin 2 of

connector J1)

Internally cascaded clock

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board supports internal cascading on counters 0 and 1, 1 and 2, and 2 and 3. Cascading counters internally is an effective way to create a 32-bit counter without externally connecting two counters together.

To specify internal cascading, use DriverLINX software to set the internal cascade mode, then specify the clock input and gate input for the ﬁrst counter in the cascaded pair. Specify the clock source of the second counter as C/T input signal of the second counter. For example, if counters 1 and 2 are cascaded, specify the clock input and gate input for counter 1.

The rising edge of the clock input signal is active.

. The clock output signal from ﬁrst counter is the clock

N–1

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-21

Gate types

The active edge or level of the gate input to the counter enables counter/timer operations. The operation starts when the clock input signal is received. The KPCI-3101–4 Series board pro vides the following gate input types:

• None — A software command enables any speciﬁed counter/timer operation immediately

after execution. This gate type is useful for all counter/timer modes.

• Logic-low level external gate input — Enables a counter/timer operation when the external

gate signal is low, and disables the counter/timer operation when the external gate signal is high. Note that this gate type is used only for event counting, frequency measurement, and rate generation; refer to page 2-22 for more information on these modes.

• Logic-high level external gate input — Enables a counter/timer operation when the exter-

nal gate signal is high, and disables a counter/timer operation when the external gate signal is low. Note that this gate type is used only for event counting, frequency measurement, and rate generation; refer to page 2-22 for more information on these modes.

• Falling edge external gate input — Triggers a counter/timer operation on the transition

from the high level to the low level (falling edge). In software, this is called a low edge gate type. Note that this gate type is used only for one-shot and repetitive one-shot mode; refer to

page 2-22 for more information on these modes.

• Rising edge external gate input — Triggers a counter/timer operation on the transition

from the low level to the high level (rising edge). In software, this is called a high-edge gate type. Note that this gate type is used only for one-shot and repetitive one-shot mode; refer to

page 2-22 for more information on these modes.

Specify the gate type in software. Connect an external gate input to the board through the STA-300 screw terminal panel as follows:

• For Counter 0, connect the external gate signal to screw terminal TB28 (pin 39 of

connector J1)

• For Counter 1, connect the external gate signal to screw terminal TB32 (pin 5 of

connector J1)

• For Counter 2, connect the external gate signal to screw terminal TB36 (pin 38 of

connector J1)

• For Counter 3, connect the external gate signal to screw terminal TB40 (pin 4 of

connector J1)

2-22 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Pulse outputs

The KPCI-3101–4 Series boards provide the following C/T pulse output signals:

• For Counter 0, the C/T output signal is screw terminal TB27 (pin 40 of connector J1)

• For Counter 1, the C/T output signal is screw terminal TB31 (pin 6 of connector J1)

• For Counter 2, the C/T output signal is screw terminal TB35 (pin 37 of connector J1)

• For Counter 3, the external C/T output signal is screw terminal TB39 (pin 3 of connector J1)

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board supports the following pulse output types on the clock output signal:

• High-to-low transitions — The low portion of the total pulse output period is the active por -

tion of the counter/timer clock output signal.

• Low-to-high transitions — The high portion of the total pulse output period is the active

portion of the counter/timer pulse output signal.

Using software, you can specify the duty cycle of the pulse. The duty cycle (or pulse width) indicates the percentage of the total pulse output period that is active. A duty cycle of 50, then, indicates that half of the total pulse is low and half of the total pulse output is high. Figure 2-9 illustrates a low-to-high pulse with a duty cycle of approximately 30%.

Figure 2-9

Example of a Low-to-High pulse output type

Active Pulse Width

Total Pulse Period

Counter/Timer operation modes

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board supports the following counter/timer operation modes:

• Event counting

• Frequency measurement

• Rate generation

• One-shot

• Repetitive one-shot

Refer to the following subsections for more information on these operation modes.

High Pulse

Low Pulse

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-23

STA-300 Panel

TB26

Signal Source

Digital Ground

User Clock Input 0

TB29

TB28

Digital Ground

Gate 0

External Gating Switch*

TB25

*An internal 22 kΩ pull-up resistor to +5V is used.

Event counting

Use event counting mode to count events from the counter’s associated clock input source. If you are using one counter, the board can count a maximum of 65,536 events before the

counter rolls over to 0 and starts counting again. If you are using a cascaded 32-bit counter, the board can count a maximum of 4,294,967,296 events before the counter rolls ov er to 0 and starts counting again.

In event counting mode, use an external C/T clock source; refer to page 2-20 for more information on the external C/T clock source.

Using DriverLINX software, specify the counter/timer mode as event counting (count), the clock source as external, and the gate type that enables the operation. Refer to page 2-21 for more information on gate types.

Ensure that the signals are wired appropriately. Figure 2-10 shows one e xample of connecting an event counting application to the STA-300 screw terminal panel using user counter 0. In this example, rising clock edges are counted while the gate is active.

Figure 2-10

Connecting event counting signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0)

2-24 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Figure 2-11 shows an example of performing an event counting operation. In this example, the

gate type is low level.

Figure 2-11

Example of event counting

High Level Disables Operation

Gate Input Signal 0

External C/T Clock 0 Input Signal

Low Level Enables Operation

3 events are counted while the operation is enabled

Event Counting Operation Starts

Event Counting Operation Stops

Frequency measurement

Use frequency measurement mode to measure the frequency of the signal from counter’s associated clock input source over a speciﬁed duration. In this mode, use an external C/T clock source; refer to page 2-20 for more information on the external C/T clock source.

One way to perform a frequency measurement is to use the same wiring as an event counting application that does not use an external gate signal, as shown in Figure 2-12.

Figure 2-12

Connecting frequency measurement signals without an external gate input (shown for clock input 0)

Digital Ground

Signal Source

User Clock Input 0

TB25

TB26

STA-300 Panel

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-25

In this conﬁguration, use software to specify the counter/timer mode as frequency measurement or event counting, and the duration of the Windows timer over which to measure the frequency. (The Windows timer uses a resolution of 1ms.) In this conﬁguration, frequency is determined using the following equation:

Frequency Measurement

Number of Events

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------= Duration of the Windows Timer

Figure 2-13

Connecting frequency measurement signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0)

Signal Source

Digital Ground

Gate 0

User Clock Input 0

TB25

TB26

TB28

TB29

TB31

STA-300 Panel

User Counter Output 1

In this conﬁguration, use DriverLINX software to set up the counter/timers as follows:

1. Set up one of the counter/timers for one-shot mode, specifying the clock source, clock frequency, gate type, type of output pulse (high or low), and pulse width.

2. Set up the counter/timer that will measure the frequency for event counting mode, specifying the clock source to count, and the gate type (this should match the pulse output type of the counter/timer set up for one-shot mode).

3. Start both counters (events are not counted until the active period of the one-shot pulse is generated).

4. Read the number of events counted (allow enough time to ensure that the acti v e period of the one-shot occurred and that events have been counted).

5. Determine the measurement period using the following equation:

Measurement period

---------------------------------------- Clock Frequency

Active Pulse Width×=

Determine the frequency of the clock input signal using the following equation:

Frequency Measurement

Number of Events

-------------------------------------------------= Measurement Period

2-26 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Figure 2-14 shows an example of performing a frequency measurement operation. In this exam-

ple, three events are counted during a duration of 300ms. The frequency, then, is 10Hz, since 10Hz = 3/(.3 s).

Figure 2-14

Example of frequency measurement

3 Events Counted

External C/T Clock Input Signal

Frequency Measurement Starts

Duration over which the frequency is measured = 300ms

Frequency Measurement Stops

Rate generation

Use rate generation mode to generate a continuous pulse output signal from the counter; this mode is sometimes referred to as continuous pulse output or pulse train output. You can use this pulse output signal as an external clock to pace other operations, such as analog input or other counter/timer operations.

While the pulse output operation is enabled (determined by the gate input signal), the counter outputs a pulse of the speciﬁed type and frequency continuously. As soon as the operation is disabled, rate generation stops.

The period of the output pulse is determined by the clock input signal and external clock divider . If you are using one counter (not cascaded), you can output pulses using a maximum frequency of 10MHz. In rate generation mode, either the internal or external C/T clock input source is appropriate depending on your application; refer to page 2-19 for more information on the C/T clock source.

Using DriverLINX software, specify the counter/timer mode as rate generation (rate), the C/T clock source as either internal or external, the polarity of the output pulses (high-to-low transitions or low-to-high transitions), the duty cycle of the output pulses, and the gate type that enables the operation. Refer to page 2-22 for more information on the pulse output types; refer to page 2-21 for more information on gate types.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-27

STA-300 Panel

TB27

Heater Controller

Digital Ground

TB29

TB26

Digital Ground

TB25

User Counter Output 0

Signal Source

User Counter Input 0

Ensure that the signals are wired appropriately. Figure 2-15 shows one example of connecting a pulse output operation to the STA-300 screw terminal panel using user counter 0. In this example, a software gate type is used.

Figure 2-15

Connecting rate generation sIgnals (shown for counter 0; a software gate is used)

2-28 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Figure 2-16 shows an example of performing an enabled rate generation operation using an

external C/T clock source with an input frequency of 4kHz, a clock divider of 4, a low-to-high pulse type, and a duty cycle of 75%. (The gate type does not matter for this example.) A 1kHz square wave is the generated output. Figure 2-17 shows the same example using a duty cycle of 25%.

Figure 2-16

Example of rate generation mode with a 75% duty cycle

Rate Generation Operation Starts

External C/T Clock Input Signal (4kHz)

Pulse Output Signal

75% duty cycle

Figure 2-17

Example of rate generation mode with a 25% duty cycle

Continuous Pulse Output Operation Starts

External C/T Clock Input Signal (4kHz)

Pulse Output Signal

25% duty cycle

One-Shot

Use one-shot mode to generate a single pulse output signal from the counter when the operation is triggered (determined by the gate input signal). You can use this pulse output signal as an external digital (TTL) trigger to start other operations, such as analog input or an external instrument.

When the one-shot operation is triggered and a single pulse is output; then, the one-shot operation stops. All subsequent clock input signals and gate input signals are ignored.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-29

STA-300 Panel

TB27

Heater Controller

Digital Ground

TB29

TB28

Digital Ground

Gate 0

External Gating Switch

TB25

User Counter Output 0

The period of the output pulse is determined by the clock input signal. In one-shot mode, the internal C/T clock source is more useful than an external C/T clock source; refer to page 2-20 for more information on the internal C/T clock source.

Using DriverLINX software, specify the counter/timer mode as one-shot, the clock source as internal, the polarity of the output pulse (high-to-low transition or low-to-high transition), the duty cycle of the output pulse, and the gate type to trigger the operation. Refer to page 2-22 for more information on pulse output types. Refer to page 2-21 for more information on gate types.

NOTE In the case of a one-shot operation, use a duty cycle as close to 100% as

possible to output a pulse immediately. Using a duty cycle closer to 0% acts as a pulse output delay.

Ensure that the signals are wired appropriately. Figure 2-18 shows one example of connecting a pulse output operation to the STA-300 screw terminal panel using user counter 0.

Figure 2-18

Connecting one-shot signals (shown for counter output 0 and gate 0)

2-30 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Figure 2-19 shows an example of performing a one-shot operation using an external gate input

(rising edge), a clock output frequency of 1kHz (pulse period of 1 ms), a lo w-to-high pulse type, and a duty cycle of 99.99%. Figure 2-20 shows the same example using a duty cycle of 50%.

Figure 2-19

Example of one-shot mode using a 99.99% duty cycle

One-Shot Operation Starts

External Gate Signal

1ms period

99.99% duty cycle

Pulse Output Signal

Figure 2-20

Example of one-shot mode using a 50% duty cycle

One-Shot Operation Starts

External Gate Signal

1ms period

Pulse Output Signal

50% duty cycle

Repetitive one-shot

Use repetitive one-shot mode to generate a pulse output signal each time the board detects a trigger (determined by the gate input signal). You can use this mode to clean up a poor clock input signal by changing its pulse width, then outputting it.

When the one-shot operation is triggered (determined by the gate input signal), a pulse is output. When the board detects the next trigger, another pulse is output. This operation continues until you stop the operation.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Principles of Operation 2-31

The period of the output pulse is determined by the clock input signal. In repetitive one-shot mode, the internal C/T clock source is more useful than an external C/T clock source; refer to

page 2-20 for more information on the internal C/T clock source.

Using DriverLINX, specify the counter/timer mode as repetitive one-shot, the clock source as internal, the polarity of the output pulses (high-to-low transitions or low-to-high transitions), the duty cycle of the output pulses, and the gate type to trigger the operation. Refer to page 2-22 for more information on pulse output types; refer to page 2-21 for more information on gate types.

NOTE In the case of a repetitive one-shot operation, use a duty cycle as close

to 100% as possible to output each pulse immediately after the trigger occurs. Using a duty cycle closer to 0% acts as a pulse output delay.

Ensure that the signals are wired appropriately. Refer to Figure 2-18 on page 2-29 for a wiring example.

NOTE Triggers that occur while the pulse is being output are not detected by

the board.

Figure 2-21 shows an example of a repetitive one-shot operation using an external gate (rising

edge); a clock output frequency of 1kHz (pulse period of 1 ms), a low-to-high pulse type, and a duty cycle of 99.99%. Figure 2-22 shows the same example using a duty cycle of 50%.

Figure 2-21

Example of repetitive one-shot mode using a 99.99% duty cycle

Repetitive One-Shot Operation Starts

External Gate Signal

1ms period

99.99% duty cycle

Pulse Output Signal

1ms period

99.99% duty cycle

2-32 Principles of Operation KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Figure 2-22

Example of repetitive one-shot mode using a 50% duty cycle

Repetitive One-Shot Operation Starts

External Gate Signal

Pulse Output Signal

1ms period

50% duty cycle

1ms period

50% duty cycle

Installation and

Conﬁguration

3-2 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Unpacking

Open the shipping box and remove the wrapped KPCI-3101–4 Series board. Verify that the following items are present:

CAUTION Keep the board in its protective antistatic bag until you are ready to

install it; this minimizes the likelihood of electrostatic damage.

• KPCI-3101–4 Series data acquisition board

• KPCI-3101–4 Series DriverLINX Software and Documentation CD-ROM

If an item is missing or damaged, call Keithley at:

1-888-KEITHLEY

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time

An application engineer will guide you through the appropriate steps for replacing missing or damaged items.

Installing the software

NOTE Install the DriverLINX software before installing the KPCI-3101–4

Software options

Users of KPCI-3101–4 Series boards have the following tw o software options. In both cases, the software interfaces with your system via the DriverLINX software provided with your board:

• The user can run a fully integrated data-acquisition software package such as TestPoint or

LabVIEW.

• The user can write and run a custom program in Visual C/C++, Visual Basic, or Delphi,

using the programming support provided in the DriverLINX software.

A summary of the pros and cons of using integrated packages or writing custom programs is provided in the Keithley Full Line Catalog.

The KPCI-3101–4 Series has fully functional driver support for use under Windows 95/98/NT.

NOTE The DriverLINX Installation and Conﬁguration Guide, explains the

Series board. Otherwise, the device drivers will be more difﬁcult to install.

DriverLINX installation process. To display this manual from your DriverLINX KPCI-3101 Series CD-ROM, open the Windows Explorer, then double click on X:\Drvlinx4\Docs\Instconf.pdf, wher e X = the letter of the CD-ROM drive. Acrobat Reader must already be installed on the other system. If necessary, you can ﬁrst install Acrobat Reader directly from the CD-ROM by double clicking X:\Acrobat\setup.exe.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-3

DriverLINX driver software for Windows 95/98/NT

DriverLINX software, supplied by Keithley with the KPCI-3101–4 Series board, provides convenient interfaces to conﬁgure analog and digital I/O modes without register-le vel programming.

Most importantly, however, DriverLINX supports those programmers who wish to create custom applications using Visual C/C++, Visual Basic, or Delphi. DriverLINX accomplishes foreground and background tasks to perform data acquisition. The software includes memory and data buffer management, event triggering, extensive error checking, and context sensitive online help.

DriverLINX provides application developers a standardized interface to over 100 services for creating foreground and background tasks for the following:

• Analog input and output

• Digital input and output

• Time and frequency measurement

• Event counting

• Pulse output

• Period measurement

In addition to basic I/O support, DriverLINX also provides:

• Built-in capabilities to handle memory and data buffer management.

• A selection of starting and stopping trigger events, including pre-triggering, mid-point trig-

gering and post-triggering protocols.

• Extensive error checking.

• Context-sensitive on-line help system DriverLINX is essentially hardware independent,

because its portable APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) work across various operating systems. This capability eliminates unnecessary programming when changing operating system platforms.

T estPoint™

TestPoint is a fully featured, integrated application package that incorporates many commonly used math, analysis, report generation, and graphics functions. The TestPoint graphical dragand-drop interface can be used to create data acquisition applications, without programming, for IEEE-488 instruments, data acquisition boards, and RS232-485 instruments and devices.

TestPoint includes features for controlling external devices, responding to events, processing data, creating report ﬁles, and exchanging information with other Windows programs. It provides libraries for controlling most popular GPIB instruments.

TestPoint interfaces with your KPCI-3101–4 Series board through DriverLINX, using a driver that is provided by the manufacturer.

3-4 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

LabVIEW

LabVIEW is a fully featured graphical programming language used to create virtual instrumentation. It consists of an interactive user interface, complete with knobs, slide switches, graphs, strip charts, and other instrument panel controls. Its data-driven environment uses function blocks that are virtually wired together and pass data to each other. The function blocks, which are selected from palette menus, range from arithmetic functions to advanced acquisition, control, and analysis routines. Also included are debugging tools, help windows, execution highlighting, single stepping, probes, and breakpoints to trace and monitor the data ﬂow execution. LabVIEW can be used to create professional applications with minimal programming.

A Keithley VI palette provides standard virtual instruments (VIs) for LabVIEW that interface with your KPCI-3101–4 Series board through DriverLINX. The needed driver is provided on your DriverLINX CD-ROM.

™

Installing DriverLINX

Refer to the instructions on the Read this ﬁrst sheet and the manuals on the DriverLINX CD-ROM, both shipped with your board, for information on installing and using DriverLINX.

Installing application software and drivers

Installing the T estPoint software and driver

The DriverLINX driver for TestPoint is provided as part of the TestPoint software. The driver therefore installs automatically when you install TestPoint.

You can install TestPoint application software, made by Capital Equipment Corporation (CEC), at any time — before or after installing DriverLINX and the KPCI-3101–4 Series board. For TestPoint installation instructions, consult the manual provided by CEC.

NOTE Before using TestPoint with the KPCI-3101–4 version of DriverLINX,

check with CEC to ensure that your version of TestPoint is compatible with DriverLINX.

Installing the LabVIEW software and driver

A DriverLINX driver for LabVIEW is provided on your DriverLINX CD-ROM. The LabVIEW driver does not install automatically when you install Driv erLINX and your board. Y ou must ﬁrst install the LabVIEW application program, then install the DriverLINX driver. Access the LabVIEW driver installation routine by starting setup.ex e on the Dri verLINX CD-ROM, then selecting LabVIEW

Consult the manual provided by National Instruments for LabVIEW installation instructions.

™

Support from the Install These DriverLINX components screen.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-5

Installing the board

To install the board, perform the following steps:

1. Check the system requirements (Section 1, “Overview”)

2. Set up the computer (page 3-5)

3. Select an expansion slot (page 3-5)

4. Insert the board into any available 32-bit or 64-bit PCI expansion slot in your computer (page 3-6)

NOTE The KPCI-3101–4 Series is factory-calibrated and requires no further

adjustment prior to installation. If you decide later to recalibrate the board, refer to Section 5, “Calibration” for instructions.

Setting up the computer

CAUTION To prevent electrostatic damage that can occur when handling elec-

tronic equipment, use a ground strap or similar device when performing this installation procedure.

1. Turn off the computer.

2. Turn off all peripherals (printer, modem, monitor, and so on) connected to the computer.

3. Unplug the computer and all peripherals.

4. Remove the cover from you computer. Refer to your computer’s user manual for instructions.

Selecting an expansion slot

1. Select a 32-bit or 64-bit PCI expansion slot. PCI slots are shorter than ISA or EISA slots and are usually white or ivory. Commonly, three PCI slots (one of which may be a shared ISA/PCI slot) are available. If an ISA board exists in the shared slot, you cannot use the slot for a PCI board; if a PCI board exists in the shared slot, you cannot use the slot for an ISA board.

2. Remove the cover plate from the selected expansion slot. Retain the screw that held it in place; you will use it later to install the board.

3-6 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Inserting the KPCI-3101–4 series board in the computer

1. To discharge any static electricity, hold the wrapped board in one hand while placing your other hand ﬁrmly on a metal portion of the computer chassis.

2. Carefully remove the antistatic packing material from the board. (It is recommended that you save the original packing material in the unlikely event that your board requires servicing in the future.)

3. Hold the board by its edges and do not touch any of the components on the board.

4. Position the board so that the cable connectors are facing the rear of the computer, as sho wn in Figure 3-1.

Figure 3-1

Inserting the KPCI-3101–4 series board in the computer

KPCI-3101–4 Series Board

PCI expansion slot bus connector

Rear of Computer

5. Carefully lower the board into the PCI expansion slot using the card guide to properly align the board in the slot. When the bottom of the board contacts the bus connector, gently press down on the board until it clicks into place.

CAUTION Do not force the board into place. Moving the board from side to side during

installation may damage the bus connector. If you encounter resistance when inserting the board, remove the board and try again.

6. Secure the board in place at the rear panel of the system unit using the screw removed from the slot cover.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-7

Conﬁguring the board to work with DriverLINX

After physically installing the board, turn on and reboot the computer. The DriverLINX Plug and Play Wizard screen appears. Run the Wizard immediately by following the progressive instructions on the screen.

If you do not run the Wizard immediately, it will not appear the next time you reboot. You must then restart the Wizard from a batch ﬁle, as follows:

1. Open the Windows Explorer.

2. Double click on X:\DrvLINX4\Help\kcpi3100.bat, where X = the letter of the drive on which you installed DriverLINX.

3. The Wizard appears.

NOTE You can also start this batch ﬁle directly from the CD-ROM by double

clicking on Y:\DrvLINX4\Help\kpci3100.bat, where Y = the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive.

Checking the combined board and DriverLINX installations

Before making any connections to the board, check whether DriverLINX and your board are installed correctly and working together properly. Refer to Section 4, “Testing the Board” and the DriverLINX manuals.

Try starting the DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel. Proceed as follows:

1. In the Start menu, click Programs.

2. Find the DriverLINX → Test Panels folder, under which you should ﬁnd the AIO Panel entry.

3. Click on the AIO Panel entry.

4. If a KPCI-3101–4 Series board is the only board in your computer installed under DriverLINX or if the DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel lists the KPCI3101–4 board under Driver Selection, then DriverLINX and your board are installed properly and are working together.

5. If you cannot initially run the Analog I/O Panel, refer to Section 6, “Troubleshooting”.

After DriverLINX and your board are installed properly and working together, continue with installation and wiring.

3-8 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Attaching the ST A-300 screw terminal panel

Before you can wire signals, you ﬁrst need to attach the STA-300 screw terminal panel to the KPCI-3101–4 Series board using the CAB-305 cable. The STA-300 screw terminal panel and the CAB-305 cable are offered by Keithley as accessories to the KPCI-3101–4 Series boards.

Connector J1 on the STA-300 brings out all of the signals from connector J1 on the KPCI-3101–4 Series board. Connector J2 on the STA-300 is provided for connecting a 5B01 or 5B08 signal conditioning backplane.

Figure 3-2 illustrates how to attach the STA-300 screw terminal panel to a KPCI-3101–4 Series

board.

Figure 3-2

Attaching the STA-300 screw terminal panel to a KPCI-3101–4 series board

Connector (J1)

KPCI-3101–4 Series Board

CAB-305

STA-300 Screw

Terminal Panel

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-9

Figure 3-3 shows the layout of the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

NOTE The STA-300 panel is designed to ﬁt inside a standard 4-inch by 8-inch

plastic enclosure.

Figure 3-3

Layout of the STA-300 screw terminal panel

J1, 68-Pin Connector

Counter/Timers

32 25

Counter/Timers

Clk & Trig

Pwr Gnd +5V

Digital I/O

Spare

Jumpers

Analog Inputs

Analog Outputs Gnd Amp Low

J2, 26-Pin Connector

R8 to R1

R16 to R8

3-10 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Jumper W1

The STA-300 screw terminal panel contains jumper W1, and jumpers W4 to W7. Jumper W1 provides a common ground sense (jumpers W4 to W7 are not used). The following subsections describe these jumpers.

NOTE The screw terminal panels are shipped with enough jumper plugs to

select every possible conﬁguration. Spar e jumper plugs are stor ed on the panel itself (on the posts marked spare). Save these jumper plugs for future use.

Conﬁguring Jumper W1 - Common Ground Sense

When shipped from the factory, jumper W1 connects the low side of the input ampliﬁer (Amp Low) on the KPCI-3101–4 Series board to analog ground.

When using pseudo-differential analog inputs, remove jumper W1 and connect Amp Low to a remote common-mode voltage to reject offset voltages common to all 16 input channels. Refer to Figure 3-4 for an example of removing jumper W1. See page 3-15.

Figure 3-4

Removal of jumper W1 for remote ground sensing

Signal Source

Vsource 0

Vsource 8

Vsource 1

Signal Source

Vsource 0

Vsource 8

Vsource 1

STA-300 Panel

Analog In 0 Analog In 8

Analog In 1

Analog In 0 Analog In 8

Analog In 1

TB1

TB2 TB3

Analog Ground

TB1

TB2 TB3

TB17

TB18

Jumper W1

Installed

(Amp Low)

TB17 TB18

STA-300

Panel

Remove Jumper W1 to use Amp

Low as a remote ground sense.

Analog Ground

*Make this connection as close to V

possible to reduce ground loop errors. V the common mode voltage for all 16 analog inputs.

sources as

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-11

Resistors

Locations are provided on the STA-300 screw terminal panel for installing bias return and current shunt resistors. The following subsections describe these resistors and their use.

Conﬁguring resistors R1 to R8 - Bias return

Resistor locations R1 to R8 connect the low side of analog input channels to analog ground. These resistor locations are typically used when connecting differential inputs to analog input channels 0 to 7, where R1 corresponds to analog input channel 0 and R8 corresponds to analog input channel 7.

The high side of the corresponding analog input channel returns the source input impedance through the bias return resistors to the low side of the channels, then to analog ground. Typical resistor values are 1kΩ to 100kΩ depending on the application. Refer to Figure 3-7 on page 3-17 for an example of using bias return resistors with differential inputs.

Conﬁguring resistors R9 to R16 - Current shunt

Resistor locations R9 to R16 are typically used to convert current to voltage on channels 0 to 7, where R9 corresponds to analog input channel 0 and R16 corresponds to analog input channel 7.

The resistor location connects the high side of the channel to the low side of the corresponding channel, thereby acting as a shunt. If, for example, you add a 250Ω resistor to location R9, then connect a 4 to 20mA current loop input to channel 0, the input range is converted to 1 to 5V. Note that, depending on your application, you may need to use resistors R1 to R8 with resistors R9 to R16 for proper operation. Refer to Figure 3-9 on page 3-18 for an example of using current shunt resistors with current loop inputs.

Screw terminal assignments

With the connector held up, the screw terminals on the right side of the STA-300 match pins 23 to 34 and pins 57 to 68 of the standard 68-pin connector on the KPCI-3101–4 Series boards; these screw terminals represent the analog I/O signal connections. The remaining screw terminals are located on the left side of the STA-300 screw terminal panel and are provided for the digital I/O, counter/timer, and +5V power signals.

The following subsections describe the screw terminal assignments on the STA-300 screw terminal panel by function.

3-12 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Analog input screw terminals

Table 3-1 lists the screw terminal (TB) assignments for analog input connections on the

STA-300 screw terminal panel.

Table 3-1

Analog input screw terminal assignments on the STA-300

Resistor Use

Bias Return

TB # J1 Pin # Description

1 68 Analog Input 0 2 67 Analog Input 8/

Analog Input 0 Return 3 34 Analog Input 1 4 33 Analog Input 9/

Analog Input 1 Return 5 66 Analog Input 2 6 65 Analog Input 10/

Analog Input 2 Return 7 32 Analog Input 3 8 31 Analog Input 11/

Analog Input 3 Return 9 64 Analog Input 4 -

10 63 Analog Input 12/

Analog Input 4 Return

11 30 Analog Input 5 12 29 Analog Input 13/

Analog Input 5 Return

13 62 Analog Input 6 14 61 Analog Input 14/

Analog Input 6 Return

15 28 Analog Input 7 16 27 Analog Input 15/

Analog Input 7 Return

17 26 Amp Low Jumper W1 Connects Amp Low to 18 25 Analog Ground

Resistor

Analog Ground

Current Shunt

Resistor

R10

R11

R12

R13

R14

R15

R16

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-13

Analog output and power screw terminals

T able 3-2 lists the screw terminal (TB) assignments for analog output and power connections on

the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

Table 3-2

Analog output and power screw terminal assignments on the STA-300

TB # J1 Pin # Description

19 58 DAC0 Output 20 57 DAC0 Return 21 60 DAC0 Reference 22 23 DAC1 Return 23 24 DAC1 Output 24 59 DAC1 Reference 41 1 +5V Output @ 1A 42 35 Power Ground

Counter/Timer and digital I/O screw terminals

Table 3-3 lists the screw terminal (TB) assignments for digital I/O connections on the STA-300

screw terminal panel.

Table 3-3

Counter/Timer and digital I/O screw terminal assignments on the STA-300

TB # J1 Pin # Description TB # J1 Pin # Description

25 42 Digital Ground 50 16 Digital I/O Port A, Line 1 26 41 User Clock Input 0 51 49 Digital I/O Port A, Line 2 27 40 User Counter Output 0 52 15 Digital I/O Port A, Line 3 28 39 External Gate 0 53 48 Digital I/O Port A, Line 4 29 8 Digital Ground 54 14 Digital I/O Port A, Line 5 30 7 User Clock Input 1 55 47 Digital I/O Port A, Line 6 31 6 User Counter Output 1 56 13 Digital I/O Port A, Line 7 32 5 External Gate 1 57 46 Digital I/O Port B, Line 0 33 8 Digital Ground 58 12 Digital I/O Port B, Line 1 34 36 User Clock Input 2 59 45 Digital I/O Port B, Line 2 35 37 User Counter Output 2 60 11 Digital I/O Port B, Line 3 36 38 External Gate 2 61 44 Digital I/O Port B, Line 4 37 42 Digital Ground 62 10 Digital I/O Port B, Line 5 38 2 User Clock Input 3 63 43 Digital I/O Port B, Line 6 39 3 User Counter Output 3 64 9 Digital I/O Port B, Line 7 40 4 External Gate 3 65 54 Digital I/O Port C, Line 0 41 1 +5V Output @ 1A 66 20 Digital I/O Port C, Line 1

3-14 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Table 3-3

Counter/Timer and digital I/O screw terminal assignments on the STA-300 (cont.)

TB # J1 Pin # Description TB # J1 Pin # Description

42 35 Power Ground 67 53 Digital I/O Port C, Line 2

43, 44,

45 46 56 External A/D Trigger 69 52 Digital I/O Port C, Line 4 47 21 Digital Ground 70 18 Digital I/O Port C, Line 5 48 22 External A/D Sample Clock

49 50 Digital I/O Port A, Line 0 72 17 Digital Ground

NOTE If you are connecting a high-speed clock to the STA-300, it is

55 Digital Ground 68 19 Digital I/O Port C, Line 3

71 51 Digital I/O Port C, Line 6

Input

recommended that you connect the return to the adjacent ground screw terminal.

Power

Wiring signals

A +5V output signal (TB41) is available on the STA-300 screw terminal panel for low current signal conditioning applications up to 1A.

This section describes how to wire signals to the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

CAUTION To avoid electrical damage, ensure that power is turned off to the

computer and to any attached devices before wiring signals to the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

TIP When ﬁrst installing the board, try wiring a function generator or a

known voltage source to analog input channel 0 (use the differential conﬁguration), an oscilloscope or voltage meter to analog output channel 0, a digital input to digital I/O Port A, and an external clock or scope to counter/timer channel 0. Then, run DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel to verify that the board is operating properly. Once you have determined that the board is operating properly, wire the signals according to your application’s requirements.

Keep the following recommendations in mind when wiring signals to the STA-300 screw terminal panel:

• Use individually shielded twisted-pair wire (size 14 to 26 AWG) when using the

KPCI-3101–4 Series board in a highly noisy electrical environment.

• Separate power and signal lines by using physically different wiring paths or conduits.

• To avoid noise, do not locate the STA-300 screw terminal panel and cabling next to sources

that produce high electro-magnetic ﬁelds such as: large electric motors, power lines, solenoids, and electric arcs, unless the signals are enclosed in a mumetal shield.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-15

Connecting analog input signals

• The STA-300 screw terminal panel supports both voltage and current loop inputs. You can

connect analog input voltage signals to the STA-300 in the following conﬁgurations:

• Single-ended — Choose this conﬁguration when you want to measure high-level signals,

when noise is not signiﬁcant, when the source of the input is close to the STA-300 screw terminal panel, and when all the input signals are referred to the same common ground. When you choose the single-ended conﬁguration, all 16 analog input channels are available.

• Pseudo-Differential — Choose this conﬁguration when noise or common-mode voltage

(the difference between the ground potentials of the signal source and the ground of the STA-300 screw terminal panel or between the grounds of other signals) exists and the differential conﬁguration is not suitable for your application. This option provides less noise rejection than the differential conﬁguration; however, all 16 analog input channels are available.

• Differential — Choose this conﬁguration when you want to measure low-level signals (less

than 1V), when you are using an A/D converter with high resolution (> 12 bits), when noise is a signiﬁcant part of the signal, or when common-mode voltage exists. When you choose the differential conﬁguration, eight analog input channels are available.

NOTE It is recommended that you connect all unused analog input channels to

analog ground.

This section describes how to connect single-ended, pseudo-differential, and dif ferential v oltage inputs, as well as current loop inputs to the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

Connecting single-ended voltage inputs

Figure 3-5 shows how to connect single-ended v oltage inputs (channels 0, 1, and 8, in this case)

to the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

Figure 3-5

Connecting single-ended voltage inputs (shown for channels 0, 1, and 8)

Signal

Source

Vsource 0

Vsource 8

Vsource 1

STA-300 Panel

Analog In 0

Analog In 8 Analog In 1

TB1

TB2 TB3

Analog Ground

TB17 TB18

Jumper W1

Installed

(Amp Low)

3-16 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Connecting pseudo-differential voltage inputs

Figure 3-6 shows how to connect pseudo-dif ferential v oltage inputs (channels 0, 1, and 8, in this

case) to the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

Figure 3-6

Connecting pseudo-differential voltage inputs (shown for channels 0, 1, and 8)

Signal Source

Vsource 0

Vsource 8

Vsource 1

Analog In 0

Remove Jumper W1 to use Amp

Low as a remote ground sense.

Analog In 8 Analog In 1

Analog Ground

TB17

TB1 TB2 TB3

* Make this connection as close to V

as possible to reduce ground loop errors. Vcm is the common mode voltage for all 16 analog inputs.

TB18

STA-300

Panel

sources

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-17

Connecting differential voltage inputs

Figure 3-7A illustrates how to connect a ﬂoating signal source to the STA-300 screw terminal

panel using differential inputs. (A ﬂoating signal source is a voltage source that has no connection with earth ground.) You need to provide a bias return path by adding resistors R1 to R8 for channels 0 to 7, respectively, for ﬂoating signal sources.

If the input signal is +10V, then the common mode voltage could be 1V. Theoretically, the resistor value (Rb) should be 1V divided by the input bias current (20nA) or 50MΩ. However, when you add noise from external sources to the high impedance, a resistor value of 100Ω to 100kΩ is more practical.

In Figure 3-7B, the signal source itself provides the bias return path; therefore, you do not need to use bias return resistors. Rs is the signal source resistance while Rv is the resistance required to balance the bridge. Note that the negative side of the bridge supply must be returned to analog ground.

Figure 3-7

Connecting differential voltage inputs (shown for channel 0)

STA-300 Panel

Floating

Signal

Source

DC Supply

Bridge

Analog In 0

Return

Analog In 0

Return

Analog Ground

TB1

TB2

You can use resistor R1 to connect the low side of channel 0 to analog

STA-300 Panel

TB1 TB2

TB18

3-18 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Note that since they measure the difference between the signals at the high (+) and low (−) inputs, differential connections usually cancel any common-mode voltages, leaving only the signal. However , if you are using a grounded signal source and ground loop problems arise, connect the differential signals to the STA-300 screw terminal panel as shown in Figure 3-8. In this case, make sure that the low side of the signal (−) is connected to ground at the signal source, not at the STA-300 screw terminal panel, and do not tie the two grounds together.

Figure 3-8

Connecting differential voltage inputs from a grounded signal source (shown for channel 0)

STA-300 Panel

TB1 TB2

Analog Ground

Resistor R1 should be installed for bias return in case the external ground is ﬂoating.

TB18

Grounded

Signal

Source

Signal Source

Ground V

Analog In 0

Return

Connecting current loop inputs

Figure 3-9 shows how to connect a current loop input (channel 0, in this case) to the STA-300

screw terminal panel.

Figure 3-9

Connecting current inputs (shown for channel 0)

4 to 20mA

Analog Input 0

STA-300 Panel

TB1

TB2

TB18

Analog Input 0

Return

Use current shunt resistor R9 to convert current to voltage; 250Ω for 4 to 20mA = 1 to 5V. The common-side of the external loop supply must either connect to analog ground or, if needed, to a bias return resistor (R1 in this case).

Analog Ground

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-19

Connecting analog output signals

Figure 3-10 shows how to connect an analog output v oltage signal (channel 0, in this case) to the

STA-300 screw terminal panel using an external +10V reference.

Figure 3-10

Connecting analog output voltages using an external +10V reference (shown for channel 0)

Load

Analog Output 0

Analog Output 0 Return

Analog Output 0 Reference

+10V

Ref

−10V

TB19 TB20 TB21

STA-300 Panel

If you do not connect the Analog Output Reference to TB21, the board provides an internal +10V reference, as shown in Figure 3-11.

Figure 3-11

Connecting analog output voltages using the board’s internal +10V reference (shown for channel 0)

KPCI-3101–4 Series

DAC0

Load

Analog Output 0

Analog Output 0 Return

STA-300 Panel

TB19

TB20

TB21

10k

Ω

+10V Reference

3-20 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Connecting digital I/O signals

Figure 3-12 shows how to connect digital input signals (lines 0 and 1 of digital Port A, in this

case) to the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

Figure 3-12

Connecting digital inputs (shown for channels 0 and 1, port A)

STA-300 Panel

TTL Inputs

Digital Ground

Digital I/O Port A, Line 0

Digital I/O Port A, Line 1

TB43

TB49

TB50

Figure 3-13 shows how to connect a digital output signal (line 0 of digital Port B, in this case) to

the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

Figure 3-13

Connecting digital outputs (shown for channel 0, port B)

STA-300 Panel

0 Out = LED On

TB57

500Ω

Digital I/O Port B, Line 0

Digital Ground

TB43

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-21

STA-300 Panel

TB26

Signal Source

Digital Ground

User Clock Input 0

TB29

TB28

Digital Ground

Gate 0

External

Gating Switch

TB25

Connecting counter/timer signals

The KPCI-3101–4 Series board and STA-300 screw terminal panel provide counter/timer channels that you can use to perform the following operations:

• Event counting

• Frequency measurement

• Pulse output (rate generation, one-shot, and repetitive one-shot)

This section describes how to connect counter/timer signals to perform these operations. Refer to “Counter/Timer features” on page 2-19 for more information on using the counter/timers.

Connecting event counting signals

Figure 3-14 shows one example of connecting event counting signals to the STA-300 screw ter-

minal panel using user counter 0. In this example, rising clock edges are counted while the gate is active.

Figure 3-14

Connecting event counting signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0)

3-22 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Figure 3-15 shows another example of connecting event counting signals to the STA-300 screw

terminal panel using user counter 0. In this example, a software gate is used to start the event counting operation.

Figure 3-15

Connecting event counting signals without an external gate input (shown for clock input 0)

STA-300 Panel

Digital Ground

Signal Source

User Clock Input 0

TB25

TB26

Figure 3-16 shows an example of how to cascade two counters externally to perform an event

counting operation using user counters 0 and 1. Note that you can also internally cascade counters using software; if you internally cascade the counters, you do not need to make the external cascading connections. Note also that this example shows the use of an external gate; however, this connection is not required.

Figure 3-16

Cascading counters (shown for event counting using counters 0 and 1 and external gate 0)

Signal Source

External

Gating

Switch*

Digital Ground

User Clock Input 0

Gate 0

Gate 1

STA-300 Panel

TB26

TB25 TB27

TB28

TB29

TB30

TB32

User

Counter

Output 0

User Clock

Input 1

Digital Ground

* An internal 22 kΩ pull-up

resistor to +5 V is used.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-23

STA-300 Panel

TB26

Signal Source

TB29

TB28

Gate 0

TB31

User

Counter

Output 1

TB25

Digital Ground

User Clock Input 0

STA-300 Panel

TB27

Heater

Controller

Digital Ground

TB29

TB28

Digital Ground

Gate 0

External

Gating Switch

TB25

User Counter Output 0

Connecting frequency measurement signals

This section describes two examples of how to connect frequency measurement signals to the STA-300 screw terminal panel.

The ﬁrst conﬁguration uses the same wiring as an event counting application that does not use an external gate signal (see Figure 3-15 on page 3-22); the software uses the Windows timer to specify the duration of the frequency measurement. In this conﬁguration, the frequency of the clock input is the number of counts divided by the duration of the Windows timer.

If you need more accuracy than the Windows timer provides, you can connect a pulse of a known duration (such as a one-shot output of another user counter) to the external gate input, as shown in Figure 3-17. In this conﬁguration, the frequency of the clock input is the number of counts divided by the period of the external gate input.

Figure 3-17

Connecting frequency measurement signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0)

Connecting pulse output signals

Figure 3-18 shows one example of connecting pulse output signals to the STA-300 screw termi-

nal panel using user counter 0.

Figure 3-18

Connecting pulse output signals (shown for counter output 0 and gate 0)

3-24 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Figure 3-19 shows an example of how to externally cascade two counters to perform a rate gen-

eration operation using user counters 0 and 1. Note that you can also cascade counters internally using software; if you internally cascade the counters, you do not need to make the external cascading connections. In this example, counter 1 gate is logic high.

Figure 3-19

Cascading counters (shown for rate generation using counters 0 and 1 and external gate 0)

ST A-300 Panel

Digital Ground

TB26

TB25

TB27

User

Counter

Output 0

Signal Source

External

Gating Switch

User Clock Input 0

Gate 0

Digital Ground

TB28

TB29

TB30

User Clock

Input 1

Figure 3-20 shows an example of how to cascade two counters externally to perform a one-shot

operation using user counters 0 and 1. Note that you can also internally cascade counters using software; if you internally cascade the counters, you do not need to make the external cascading connections. In this example, counter 0 gate is logic high.

Figure 3-20

Cascading counters (shown for one-shot using counters 0 and 1 and external gate 1

STA-300 Panel

User

Counter

Output 0

Signal Source

Digital Ground

User Clock Input 0

TB25 TB26

TB27 TB29

One-Shot

Trigger

Digital Ground

Gate 1

TB30 TB32

User Clock

Input 1

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Installation and Configuration 3-25

Attaching the STP-68 screw terminal panel

The smaller STP-68 screw terminal panel may be used instead of the STA-300. First attach the 68-pin connector to the KPCI-3101–4 Series board using the CAB-305 cable. There is one-toone correspondence between connector pins and terminals (for example, pin 1 corresponds to terminal 1; pin 22 corresponds to terminal 22, etc). See Table B-1 for pin (terminal) assignments.

3-26 Installation and Configuration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Testing the Board

4-2 Testing the Board KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

The test panels are small applications programs within DriverLINX that allow you to perform limited data acquisition functions. You can use the panels to do tasks such as:

• Monitor one or two analog input channels on-screen.

• Set the levels of one or two analog output channels.

• Monitor and set digital input and output bits.

T est panels are designed primarily for testing the functions of your board. Howe v er , one panel in particular—the Analog I/O panel—can be useful for limited routine tasks.

This section describes how to use the DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel and DriverLINX Test Panel utilities to verify the operation of your KPCI-3101–4 Series board.

DriverLINX analog I/O panel

The DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel is an application that demonstrates analog input/output using DriverLINX. With the Analog I/O Panel you can:

• Analyze analog signals using the two-channel Oscilloscope.

• Measure analog voltages using the Digital Volt Meter.

• Generate Sine, Square, and Triangle waves using the SST Signal Generator.

• Output DC Level voltages using the Level Control.

• Set and read all digital input and output bits on your board.

The Analog I/O Panel is useful for:

• Testing the KPCI-3101–4 Series board DriverLINX installation and conﬁguration.

• Verifying signal inputs to your KPCI-3101–4 Series board.

• Sending test signals to external devices.

• Controlling the DC output voltages of two analog output channels.

• Setting and reading all digital input and output bits on your board.

Start the DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel as follows:

1. In the Start menu, click Programs.

2. Find the DriverLINX → Test Panels folder, under which you should ﬁnd the AIO Panel

entry.

3. Click on the AIO Panel entry. The Analog I/O Panel setup screen appears.

• If a KPCI-3101–4 Series board is the only board in your computer installed under Driver-

LINX, only one item appears under Driver Selection.

• If more than one type of board is installed in your computer under DriverLINX, the Analog I/O Panel will list multiple drivers under Dri ver Selection and multiple de vices listed under Device Selection (for example, Device0, Device1, etc.).Your board type and device number may not be displayed initially. If so, click the scroll buttons next to the Driver Selection and Device Selection text boxes until your KPCI-3108 board type and device number are displayed.

4. Select the Logical Device you want to operate by dragging the pointer in the Device Selection section. The Analog I/O Panel displays the Scope, Meter, SST, Level control tabs, and Digital I/O, depending on the capabilities of your KPCI-3101–4 board.

5. The Scope uses two analog input channels, referred to as ChA and ChB. Drag the channel selectors in the AI Channel Mapping section to map them to different channel numbers.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Testing the Board 4-3

6. The SST Signal Generator uses two analog output channels, referred to as ChA and ChB. Drag the channel selectors in the AO Channel Mapping section to map them to different channel numbers.

7. The Analog I/O Le v el Control determines the DC output v oltages of tw o analog output channels.

8. The Digital I/O Control allows you to set and read all digital input and output bits on your board.

You can now select the Scope, Meter, SST, Level Control, and Digital I/O tabs to operate your KPCI-3101–4 Series board.

4-4 Testing the Board KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Calibration

5-2 Calibration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

The KPCI-3101–4 Series boards are calibrated at the factory and should not require calibration for initial use. It is recommended that you check and, if necessary, readjust the calibration of the analog I/O circuitry on the KPCI-3101–4 Series boards every six months.

NOTE Ensure that you installed the DriverLINX software prior to using the

DriverLINX KPCI-3101–4 Series Calibration Utility. Refer to the DriverLINX Online Documentation for more information.

This section describes how to run the KPCI-3101–4 Series DriverLINX Calibration Utility and calibrate the analog I/O circuitry of the KPCI-3101–4 Series boards.

Introduction

Your KPCI-3101–4 Series board was initially calibrated at the factory. You are advised to check the calibration of a board every six months and to calibrate again when necessary. This section provides the information you need to calibrate a KPCI-3101–4 Series board.

Objectives

For analog inputs, the objective of this procedure is to zero the offsets and adjust the combined gain of the A/D converter and instrumentation ampliﬁer. For analog outputs, the objective is to independently zero the offset and adjust the gain for each of the digital-to-analog converters (DACs) on your KPCI-3101–4 Series board.

Calibration summary

Analog inputs and outputs are calibrated using a DC calibrator, a DVM/DMM, and the DriverLINX Calibration Utility. (The DriverLINX Calibration Utility was installed on your computer when you installed the DriverLINX software.) No calibration potentiometers must be adjusted. Instead, on-board trimming digital-to-analog converters (trim DACs) are adjusted digitally through the Calibration Utility software. No test points on the board are used. Only connections to the I/O connector pins, via a screw terminal accessory, are needed.

Each of the twelve unipolar and twelve bipolar analog input ranges is individually calibrated. For each range, three eight-bit trim-DAC values are searched for and then adjusted: a gain value, a coarse-offset value, and a ﬁne-offset value. Therefore, a complete analog input calibration involves 72 adjustments: 2 polarities × 12 gains/polarity × 3 adjustments/gain.

Equipment

The following equipment is needed to calibrate your KPCI-3101–4 Series board:

• A digital voltmeter (DVM) or digital multimeter (DMM) accurate to -⁄ digits, such as a

Keithley Model 2000.

• An STA-300 screw terminal accessory to make analog connections to the board.

• A Keithley CAB-305 cable to connect the screw terminal accessory to the I/O connector of

the KPCI-3101–4 board.

• A DC calibrator or precisely adjustable and metered power supply having up to a 10VDC

range and accurate to 6½ digits.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Calibration 5-3

Calibration procedure

This section describes the steps required to calibrate the analog inputs and outputs of your KPCI-3101–4 Series board.

Preparing for the calibrations

Prepare your system for calibration as follows:

1. Warm up the calibrator and the DVM/DMM.

2. Turn OFF the host computer.

3. Connect the STA-300 screw terminal accessory to your KPCI-3101–4 Series board, using the CAB-305 cable. Refer to Section 3, “Installation and Conﬁguration” for more information about connecting these accessories.

4. Turn ON the host computer.

5. Start the calibration utility as follows: a. Click on the Windows Start tab. b. In the Start menu, click Programs. c. Find the DriverLINX folder and click the Test Panels → KPCI-3101–4 Series Cali-

bration Utility entry. The Select DriverLINX Device dialog box appears.

d. In the Select DriverLINX Device dialog box, select your board and click OK. The

KPCI-3101–4 Series Calibration Utility dialog box appears.

Calibrating the analog inputs

In this part of the procedure, offset and gain adjustments for the analog input and A/D Converter (ADC) circuits are made. Do the following:

1. In the KPCI-3101–4 Series Calibration Utility dialog box, click the A/D Calibration tab. The A/D Calibration dialog box appears.

2. To calibrate the analog inputs, follow the on-screen instructions in the The A/D Calibration dialog box.

3. When ﬁnished with the analog input calibration, continue with the next section, “Calibrating

the analog outputs.”

Calibrating the analog outputs

The KPCI-3101–4 Series boards each have two independent analog outputs, provided by two digital-to-analog converters (DACs or D/A converters). In this part of the procedure, offset and gain adjustments for the DACs are made. Do the following:

1. In the KPCI-3101–4 Series Calibration Utility dialog box, click the D/A Calibration tab. The D/A Calibration dialog box appears.

2. To calibrate each DAC, follow the on-screen instructions in the D/A Calibration dialog box.

5-4 Calibration KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Troubleshooting

6-2 Troubleshooting KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

General checklist

Should you experience problems using the KPCI-3101–4 Series board, please follow these steps:

1. Read all the appropriate sections of this manual. Make sure that you have added any “Read This First” information to your manual and that you have used this information.

2. Check your distribution disk for a README ﬁle and ensure that you have used the latest installation and conﬁguration information available.

3. Check that your system meets the requirements stated in this manual.

4. Check that you have installed your hardware properly using the instructions in this manual.

5. Check that you have installed and conﬁgured DriverLINX properly using the instructions in the DriverLINX manuals that come with the DriverLINX software.

If your KPCI-3101–4 Series board is not operating properly, use the information in this section to help you isolate the problem. If the problem appears serious enough to require technical support, refer to page 6-6 for information on how to contact an applications engineer.

If you encounter a problem with a KPCI-3101–4 Series board, use the instructions in this section to isolate the cause of the problem before calling Keithley for technical support.

Using the DriverLINX event viewer

The DriverLINX Event Viewer displays the Windows system event log. Applications and hardware drivers make entries in the system event log to assist in predicting and troubleshooting hardware and software problems.

DriverLINX uses the event log to report problems during driver loading or unexpected system errors. The event log can assist in troubleshooting resource conﬂicts and DriverLINX conﬁguration errors. If you are having trouble conﬁguring or initializing a Logical Device, check the event log for information from the DriverLINX driver.

Using the DriverLINX Event Viewer, you can view, save and e-mail DriverLINX event log entries under Windows 95/98 or Windows NT. DriverLINX event log entries can help you or technical support troubleshoot data-acquisition hardware and software problems.

Device initialization error messages

During device initialization, DriverLINX performs a thorough test of all possible subsystems on the KPCI-3101–4 Series board as well as the computer interface. If DriverLINX detects any problems or unexpected responses, it reports an error message to help isolate the problem. The device initialization error messages fall into three basic categories:

• “Device not found” — Board address does not match hardware setting or conﬂicts with

another board. Verify the board’s address settings. Also, don’t confuse hexadecimal with decimal addresses in the DriverLINX Device Conﬁgure dialog box.

• “Invalid IRQ level” or “Invalid DMA level” — Selected level does not match hardware

setting, conﬂicts with another board’s IRQ/DMA levels, or is dedicated to the computer’s internal functions (COM port, disk drive controller, network adapter, etc.).

• “Hardware does not match conﬁguration” — Operating mode/range switch or jumper set-

ting does not match selection(s) made in the DriverLINX Device Conﬁguration dialog box.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Troubleshooting 6-3

Problem isolation

If you encounter a problem with a KPCI-3101–4 Series board, perform the following steps to determine whether the problem is in the computer, in the KPCI-3101–4 Series board, or in the I/O circuitry:

1. Remove power connections to the host computer.

2. Unplug the accessory connector(s) or cable(s) from the KPCI-3101–4 Series board(s), keeping the connections intact on the accessory or expansion board(s).

3. Remove the KPCI-3101–4 Series board(s) from the computer and visually check for damage. If a board is obviously damaged, refer to page 6-7 for information on returning the board.

4. With the KPCI-3101–4 Series board(s) out of the computer, check the computer for proper operation. Power up the computer and perform any necessary diagnostics.

5. When you are sure that the computer is operating properly, remove computer power again, and install a KPCI-3101–4 Series board that you know is functional. Do not make any I/O connections.

6. Apply computer power and check operation with the functional KPCI-3101–4 Series board in place. This test checks the computer accessory slot. If you are using more than one KPCI-3101–4 Series board, check the other slots you are using.

7. If the accessory slots are functional, check the I/O hookups. Connect the accessory and expansion boards, one at a time, and check operation.

8. If operation is normal, the problem is in the KPCI-3101–4 Series board(s) originally in the computer. Try the KPCI-3101–4 Series board(s) one at a time in the computer to determine which is faulty. Use the troubleshooting information in the next section to try to isolate the problem.

9. If you cannot isolate the problem, refer to Appendix C for a more detailed problem isolation scheme.

10. If you cannot isolate the problem after further investigation, refer to page 6-6 for instructions on getting technical support.

6-4 Troubleshooting KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

T roubleshooting table

If you still experience problems, try using the information in Table 6-1 to isolate and solve the problem. If you cannot identify the problem, refer to “Technical support”.

Table 6-1

Troubleshooting problems

Symptom Possible Cause Possible Solution

Board does not respond

Intermittent operation

Data appears to be invalid

Computer does not boot

System lockup Board is not seated

The board conﬁguration is incorrect.

The board is incorrectly aligned in a PCI expansion slot.

The board is damaged. Contact Keithley Instruments. Loose connections or

vibrations exist. The board is overheating. Check environmental and ambient temperature;

Electrical noise exists. Check your wiring and either provide better

An open connection exists.

A transducer is not connected to the channel being read.

The board is set up for differential inputs while the transducers are wired as single-ended inputs or vice versa.

Board is not seated properly.

The power supply of the computer is too small to handle all the system resources.

properly.

Check the conﬁguration of your device driver to ensure that the board name and type are correct.

Check that the slot in which your KPCI-3101–4 Series board is located is a PCI slot and that the board is correctly seated in the slot.

Check your wiring and tighten any loose connections or cushion vibration sources.

consult the board’s speciﬁcations in the Appendix of this manual and the documentation provided by your computer manufacturer for more information.

shielding or reroute unshielded wiring. Check your wiring and ﬁx any open

connections. Check the transducer connections.

Check your wiring and ensure that what you specify in software matches your hardware conﬁguration.

Check that the slot in which your KPCI-3101–4 Series board is located is a PCI slot, that the board is correctly seated in the slot, and that the board is secured in the slot with a screw.

Check the power requirements of your system resources and, if needed, get a larger power supply; consult the board’s speciﬁcations in the Appendix of this manual.

Check that the slot in which your KPCI-3101–4 Series board is located is a PCI slot, that the board is correctly seated in the slot, and that the board is secured in the slot with a screw.

Refer to the following paragraphs to further isolate the problem.

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Troubleshooting 6-5

T esting the board and host computer

To isolate the problem to the KPCI-3101–4 board or to the host computer, use the following steps.

CAUTION Removing a board with the power ON can cause damage to your

board and/or computer.

1. Turn the power to the host computer OFF, and remove power connections to the computer.

2. While keeping connections to accessories intact, unplug the cable to the main I/O connector of the KPCI-3101–4 board.

3. Remove the board from the computer and visually check for damage. If a board is obviously damaged, refer to “Technical support” for information on returning the board.

4. With the KPCI-3101–4 board out of the computer, check the computer for proper operation. Power up the computer and perform any necessary diagnostics.

At this point, if you have another KPCI-3101–4 board that you know is functional, you can test the slot and I/O connections using the instructions in the next section. If you do not have another board, call Technical Support.

T esting the accessory slot and I/O connections

When you are sure that the computer is operating properly, test the computer accessory slot and I/O connections using another KPCI-3101–4 board that you know is functional. To test the computer accessory slot and the I/O connections, follow these steps:

1. Remove computer power again, and install a KPCI-3101–4 board that you know is functional. Do not make any I/O connections.

2. Turn computer power ON and check operation with the functional board in place. This test checks the computer accessory slot. If you were using more than one board when the problem occurred, use the functional board to also test the other slot.

3. If the accessory slots are functional, use the functional board to check the I/O connections. Reconnect and check the operation of the I/O connections, one at a time.

4. If operation fails for an I/O connection, check the individual inputs one at a time for shorts and opens.

5. If operation remains normal to this point, the problem is in the KPCI-3101–4 board(s) originally in the computer. If you were using more than one board, try each board one at a time in the computer to determine which is faulty.

6. If you cannot isolate the problem, refer to the following paragraph for information on obtaining technical support.

6-6 Troubleshooting KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

T echnical support

Before returning any equipment for repair, call Keithley for technical support at:

1-888-KEITHLEY Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time

An applications engineer will help you diagnose and resolve your problem over the telephone. Please make sure you have the following information available before calling the factory for

technical support:

KPCI-3101–4 Board Conﬁguration

Computer Manufacturer

Operating System DOS version

Software Package Name

Compiler (if applicable)

Accessories Type

Model Serial # Revision code Base address setting Interrupt level setting Number of channels

CPU type Clock speed (MHz) KB of RAM Video system BIOS type

Windows version Windows mode

Serial # Version Invoice/Order #

Language Manufacturer Version

Type Type Type Type Type Type Type

____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Troubleshooting 6-7

Returning equipment to Keithley

If a telephone resolution is not possible, the applications engineer will issue you a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number and ask you to return the equipment. Include the RMA number with any documentation regarding the equipment.

When returning equipment for repair, include the following information:

• Your name, address, and telephone number.

• The invoice or order number and date of equipment purchase.

• A description of the problem or its symptoms.

• The RMA number on the outside of the package.

Repackage the equipment, using the original anti-static wrapping, if possible, and handle it with ground protection. Ship the equipment to:

ATTN.: RMA# _______ Repair Department Keithley Instruments, Inc. 28775 Aurora Road Cleveland, Ohio 44139

Telephone 1-888-KEITHLEY FAX (440) 248-6168

NOTE If you are submitting your equipment for repair under warranty, you

must include the invoice number and date of purchase.

To enable Keithley to respond as quickly as possible, you must include the RMA number on the outside of the package.

6-8 Troubleshooting KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

Speciﬁcations

A-2 Specifications KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

T able A-1 lists the speciﬁcations for the A/D subsystem.

Table A-1

A/D subsystem speciﬁcations

KPCI-3101/302

Feature

Number of analog inputs

Single-ended/

pseudo-differential

Differential Number of gains 4 (1, 2, 4, 8) Resolution 12 bits 12 bits Data encoding Offset binary System accuracy (full-scale)

Gain = 1

Gain = 2

Gain = 4

Gain = 8 Nonlinearity (integral) ±1.0 LSB ±1.0 LSB Differential linearity ±0.5 LSB (no missing

Range (V)

Bipolar

Unipolar

Drift

Zero

Speciﬁcations

16 8

0.03%

0.04%

0.05%

codes)

±1.25, 2.5, 5, 10

0 to 1.25, 0 to 2.5, 0 to 5, 0 to 10

±30µV+ (+20µV * Gain)/°C

KPCI-3103/304 Speciﬁcations

0.03%

0.04%

0.05%

±0.5 LSB (no missing codes)

±1.25, 2.5, 5, 10

0 to 1.25, 0 to 2.5, 0 to 5, 0 to 10

±30µV+ (+20µV * Gain)/°C

Gain Input impedance

Off

On Input bias current ±20nA Common mode voltage ±11V maximum (operational) Maximum input voltage ±40V maximum (protection) A/D converter noise 0.3 LSB rms Ampliﬁer input noise 20µV rms +

Channel-to-channel offset ±40.0µV Channel acquisition time 3µs 1µs A/D conversion time 6.6µs3µs

±30ppm/°C

100MΩ, 10pF 100MΩ, 100pF

(10µV rms*gain)

200pA rms (current)

±30ppm/°C

20µV rms + (10µV rms*gain)

200pA rms (current)

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Specifications A-3

Table A-1

A/D subsystem speciﬁcations (cont.)

KPCI-3101/302

Feature

Effective number of bits (ENOB) 11.5 bits 11.5 bits Total Harmonic Distortion −80 dB typical −80 dB typical Channel crosstalk −80 dB @ 1kHz Data throughput

Single analog channel

Multiple channels (scan)

Single digital channel

External A/D sample clock

Input type Input load High-level input voltage Low-level input voltage Hysteresis High-level input current Low-level input current Minimum pulse width Maximum frequency Termination

External A/D digital (TTL) trigger

Input type Input load High-level input voltage Low-level input voltage Hysteresis High-level input current Low-level input current Minimum pulse width Termination

Speciﬁcations

225kSamples/s (0.03% accuracy)

225kSamples/s (0.05% accuracy)

200kSamples/s (.03% accuracy)

3MSamples/s

Schmitt trigger, falling-edge sensitive 1 HCT14 (TTL)

2.0V minimum

0.8V maximum

0.4V (minimum); 1.5V (maximum)

1.0µA

−1.0µA 100ns (high); 100ns (low) See Data Throughput spec above 22kΩ resistor pullup to +5V

Schmitt trigger, edge sensitive 1 HCT14 (TTL)

2.0V minimum

0.8V maximum

0.4V (minimum); 1.5V (maximum)

1.0µA

−1.0µA 100ns (high); 100ns (low) 22kΩ resistor pullup to +5V

KPCI-3103/304 Speciﬁcations

400kSamples/s (0.03% accuracy)

400kSamples/s (0.05% accuracy)

360kSamples/s (0.03% accuracy)

3MSamples/s

A-4 Specifications KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

T able A-2 lists the speciﬁcations for the D/A subsystem.

Table A-2

D/A subsystem speciﬁcations

Feature Speciﬁcations

Number of analog output channels

(KPCI-3102 and KPCI-3104) 2

Resolution

KPCI-3102, KPCI-3104 12 bits Data encoding (input) Offset binary Nonlinearity (integral)

KPCI-3102, KPCI-3104 ±1LSB Differential linearity

KPCI-3102, KPCI-3104 ±0.5LSB (monotonic) Output range

KPCI-3102, KPCI-3104 ±10V, 0 to 10V, ±5V, 0 to 5V Zero Error: Software-adjustable to zero Gain Error

KPCI-3102, KPCI-3104 ±2LSB + reference Current output ±5mA minimum (10V/2kΩ) Output impedance 0.3Ω typical Capacitive drive capability 0.001µF minimum (no oscillations) Protection Short circuit to Analog Common Power-on voltage 0V ±10mV maximum Settling time to 0.01% of FSR 50µs, 20V step;

10.0µs, 100mV step

Slew rate 2V/µs Multiplying Zero Error ±10mV maximum External Reference Output +10V ±10mV Reference Input Impedance 5kΩ typical

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Specifications A-5

T able A-3 lists the speciﬁcations for the DIN/DOUT subsystems.

Table A-3

DIN/DOUT subsystem speciﬁcations

Feature

Port A Speciﬁcations

Port B Speciﬁcations

Port C Speciﬁcations

Number of lines 8 (bidirectional) 8 (bidirectional) 7 (bidirectional) Termination 22kΩ resistor pullup to +5V;

22Ω series resistor

Inputs

Input type Input load High-level input voltage Low-level input voltage High-level input current Low-level input current

Level sensitive 2 FCT2574 (TTL)

2.0V minimum

0.8V maximum 3µA

−3µA

Level sensitive 2 FCT2574 (TTL)

2.0V minimum

0.8V maximum 3µA

−3µA

Level sensitive 1 ASIC (TTL)

2.0V minimum

0.8V maximum 100µA

−100µA

Outputs

Output driver Output driver high voltage

Output driver low voltage

FCT2574 (TTL)

2.4V minimum

= −15mA)

0.5V maximum (IOL = 12mA)

FCT2574 (TTL)

2.4V minimum (IOH = −15mA)

0.5V maximum (IOL = 12mA)

ASIC (TTL)

2.4V minimum (IOH = 4mA)

0.8V maximum (IOL = 4mA)

A-6 Specifications KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual

T able A-4 lists the speciﬁcations for the C/T subsystems.

Table A-4

C/T subsystem speciﬁcations

Feature Speciﬁcations

Number of counter/timer channels 4 Clock Inputs

Input type

Input load

High-level input voltage

Low-level input voltage

Hysteresis

High-level input current

Low-level input current

Minimum pulse width

Maximum frequency

Termination

Schmitt trigger, rising-edge sensitive 1 HCT14 (TTL)

2.0V minimum

0.8V maximum

0.4V (minimum); 1.5V (maximum)

1.0µA

−1.0µA 100ns (high); 100ns (low)

5.0MHz 22kΩ resistor pullup to +5V

Gate Inputs

Input type

Input load

High-level input voltage

Low-level input voltage

Hysteresis

High-level input current

Low-level input current

Minimum pulse width

Termination

Schmitt trigger, level sensitive 1 HCT14 (TTL)

2.0V minimum

0.8V maximum

0.4V (minimum); 1.5V (maximum)

1.0µA

−1.0µA 100ns (high); 100ns (low) 22kΩ resistor pullup to +5V

Counter Outputs

Output driver

Output driver high voltage

ALS244 (TTL)

2.0V minimum (I

= −15mA);

2.4V minimum (IOH = −3mA)

Output driver low voltage

0.5V maximum (IOL = 24mA);

0.4V maximum (IOL = 12mA)

Termination

22Ω series resistor

Keithley KPCI-3101 Series, KPCI-3104 Series, KPCI-3103 Series, KPCI-3102 Series User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual