Tektronix KPCMCIA-8AOU/B Primary User

KPCMCIA-8AOU/B

8-Channel Analog Output with Digital I/O
Data Acquisition Adapter
User’s Manual

A GREATER MEASURE OF CONFIDENCE

WARRANTY

Hardware

Keithley Instruments, Inc. warrants that, for a period of one (1) year from the date of shipment (3 years for Models 2000, 2001, 2002, 2010 and 2700), 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 Keithley shall have 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 (Keithley Software) 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 approved in writing by Keithley.

If Keithley receives notification of a Keithley Software nonconformity that is covered by this warranty during the warranty period, Keithley will review 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. 28775 Aurora Road • Cleveland, Ohio 44139 • 440-248-0400 • Fax: [phone]

1-888-KEITHLEY (534-8453) • www.keithley.com

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4/02

KPCMCIA-8AOU/B

8-Channel Analog Output with Digital I/O

Data Acquisition Adapter

User’s Manual

©1997, Keithley Instruments, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.

Third Printing, September 1999

Document Number: 98934 Rev. C

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 98934) .................................................................................................. July 1997

Revision B (Document Number 98934) ......................................................................................... December 1997

Revision C (Document Number 98934) ........................................................................................ September 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 and follow all installation,
operation, and maintenance information carefully before using the
product. Refer to the manual for complete product specifications.

If the product is used in a manner not specified, the protection pro­vided by the product may be impaired.

The types of product users are:

Responsible body is the individual or group responsible for the use

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 use the product for its intended function. They must be

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 perform routine procedures on the product

to keep it operating properly, 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 are trained to work on live circuits, and perform

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

Keithley products are designed for use with electrical signals that
are rated Installation Category I and Installation Category II, as de­scribed in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
Standard IEC 60664. Most measurement, control, and data I/O sig­nals are Installation Category I and must not be directly connected
to mains voltage or to voltage sources with high transient over-volt­ages. Installation Category II connections require protection for
high transient over-voltages often associated with local AC mains
connections. Assume all measurement, control, and data I/O con­nections are for connection to Category I sources unless otherwise
marked or described in the Manual.

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. A good safety practice is to expect

that hazardous voltage is present in any unknown circuit before
measuring.

Operators of this product must be protected from electric shock at
all times. The responsible body must ensure that operators are pre­vented access and/or insulated from every connection point. In
some cases, connections must be exposed to potential human con­tact. Product operators 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, no conductive part of

the circuit may be exposed.

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.

When installing equipment where access to the main power cord is
restricted, such as rack mounting, a separate main input power dis­connect device must be provided, in close proximity to the equip­ment and within easy reach of the operator.

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.

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.

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.

5/02

If or 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.

The WARNING heading in a manual explains dangers that might
result in personal injury or death. Always read the associated infor­mation very carefully before performing the indicated procedure.

The CAUTION heading in a manual explains hazards that could
damage the instrument. Such damage may invalidate the warranty.

Instrumentation and accessories shall not be connected to humans.
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.

1 Introduction

Table of Contents

General information ............................................................................................................................................. 1-2

KPCMCIA-8AOU .......................................................................................................................................1-2

KPCMCIA-8AOB........................................................................................................................................ 1-2

Technical support................................................................................................................................................. 1-3

2 Installation

Hardware installation ........................................................................................................................................... 2-2

Software setup......................................................................................................................................................2-2

3 Theory of Operation

Analog outputs .....................................................................................................................................................3-2

Data formats................................................................................................................................................. 3-2

Simultaneous analog output ................................................................................................................................. 3-3

Digital input/output .............................................................................................................................................. 3-3

Timer.................................................................................................................................................................... 3-4

D/A loading..........................................................................................................................................................3-4

External load control............................................................................................................................................ 3-4

External event ......................................................................................................................................................3-4

4 Register Descriptions

Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................... 4-2

D/A converter data (LSB, MSB).......................................................................................................................... 4-2

Control register ....................................................................................................................................................4-4

Simultaneous output register................................................................................................................................ 4-5

Timer register....................................................................................................................................................... 4-6

Digital I/O ............................................................................................................................................................4-6

Interrupt register................................................................................................................................................... 4-7

i

5 I/O Connections

KCAB-AO cable assembly...................................................................................................................................5-3

A Specifications

ii

1 Introduction

List of Illustrations

Figure 1-1 KPCMCIA-8AO card and KCAP-AO cable assembly........................................................................................ 1-3

3 Theory of Operation

Figure 3-1 Basic KPCMCIA-8AO digital I/O schematic...................................................................................................... 3-3

5 I/O Connections

Figure 5-1 Output connector..................................................................................................................................................5-2

Figure 5-2 KPCMCIA-8AO output connections using the KCAB-AO ................................................................................5-3

iii

3 Theory of Operation

List of Tables

Table 3-1 KPCMCIA-8AOB data format ............................................................................................................................3-2

Table 3-2 KPCMCIA-8AOU data format ............................................................................................................................ 3-2

4 Register Description

Table 4-1 KPCMCIA-8AO register descriptions ................................................................................................................. 4-2

Table 4-2 Control register bit descriptions........................................................................................................................... 4-4

Table 4-3 Simultaneous output register bit descriptions ...................................................................................................... 4-5

Table 4-4 Interrupt register bit descriptions ......................................................................................................................... 4-7

v

1

Introduction

1-2 Introduction KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual

General information

The KPCMCIA-8AO is an 8-channel analog output adapter for systems equipped with a type II
PCMCIA slot. Two versions of the adapter are available:

•

KPCMCIA-8AOU

KPCMCIA-8AOB

•

KPCMCIA-8AOU

Eight independent unipolar analog outputs.

•

•

Output voltages from 0 to +5V in 1.22mV increments.

KPCMCIA-8AOB

•

Eight independent bipolar analog outputs.

Output voltages from -5 to +5V in 2.44mV increments.

•

Features common to both adapter versions include:

•

12-bit resolution.

Less than 10 µ s settling time to 1/2 LSB (Least Significant Byte).

•

•

1mA output current on each analog channel.

Simultaneous output on two to eight channels.

•

•

Eight bits of digital I/O individually programmable as input or output.

On-board event timer to control output data rates.

•

•

External interrupt input.

NOTE

Figure 1-1 illustrates a complete system. If you do not want to interface to the KPCMCIA-8AO’s

0.8mm, I/O connector, an adapter cable is provided to convert this connector into an industry­standard D-37 male connector. For applications requiring discrete wire hook-ups, an optional
screw terminal adapter is available to convert the D-37 connector into 37 discrete screw terminal
blocks.

Throughout this manual, any reference to the KPCMCIA-8AO refers
to information common to both the U and the B versions.

KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual Introduction 1-3

Figure 1-1

KPCMCIA-8AO card and KCAB-AO cable assembly

PCMCIA Card KCAB-AO Cable

Assembly

Standard D-37

Technical support

Before returning any equipment for repair, call Keithley Instruments, Inc., 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.

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, OH 44139

NOTES

Telephone 1-888-KEITHLEY

FAX [phone]

If you are submitting your equipment for repair under warranty, you
must include the invoice number and date of purchase.

To enable Keithley Instruments, Inc., to respond as quickly as possible,
you must include the RMA number on the outside of the package.

2

Installation

2-2 Installation KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual

A Windows 95 INF configuration file has been written for the KPCMCIA-8AO hardware.

Hardware installation

To physically install the KPCMCIA-8AOU/B PC card, insert the card into an available Type II
KPCMCIA socket.

Software setup

Refer to your DriverLINX documentation for a detailed description of the software installation
and setup procedures.

3

Theory of Operation

3-2 Theory of Operation KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual

Analog outputs

The KPCMCIA-8AO is constructed with four dual-channel, 12-bit, serial load, D/A converters.
The D/A converters may be written using 8 or 16-bit I/O instructions, although 16-bit instructions
are recommended. If 8-bit I/O transfers are used, the least significant byte (LSB) must be written
before the most significant byte (MSB) as the contents of the data register are transferred to the
appropriate D/A converter after the MSB is written.

Approximately 8 µ s is required to transfer the data into the D/A converter, and no D/A converter
may be written to until this transfer is complete. During non-simultaneous output operations, the
analog output of the D/A converter begins changing as soon as all of the data bits are received and
settles to less than 1/2 LSB of the final value within 10 µ s under all conditions.

The analog outputs of the KPCMCIA-8AO are each rated for 1mA of load current. The total ana­log output current must remain less than 12mA, or damage to the KPCMCIA-8AO may result.

CAUTION The KPCMCIA-8AO may be permanently damaged if the total load

on the analog outputs exceeds 12mA or if individual channel load
exceeds 1mA.

Data formats

The bipolar KPCMCIA-8AOB uses 2’s complement digital codes ranging from -2048 to +2047
(see Table 3-1). The unipolar KPCMCIA-8AOU uses straight binary digital input codes ranging
from 0 to 4095 (see Table 3-2). Both adapters reset to 0 volts on power-up and after a software
reset.

Table 3-1

KPCMCIA-8AOB data format

Table 3-2

KPCMCIA-8AOU data format

Vout = (Value / 4096)  10

Value Data bits DA11 ... DA0 Output

-2048 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -5.00000

-1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -0.00244

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00000

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.00244

2047 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4.99756

Vout = (Value / 4096)  5

Value Data bits DA11 ... DA0 Output

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00000

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.00122

2047 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2.49878

2048 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.50000

4095 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4.99878

KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual Theory of Operation 3-3

Simultaneous analog output

The KPCMCIA-8AO is capable of simultaneous output on two through eight analog outputs. To
perform simultaneous output, the associated simultaneous load bit(s) in the KPCMCIA-8AO’s
simultaneous output register must be set to logic 1 before any data is written to the D/A convert­ers. As long as a channel’s simultaneous load bit is set to logic 1, any data written to that D/A
converter is held in an internal data buffer and is not converted to an analog output voltage. After
all of the D/A channels have been written, the analog outputs may be updated simultaneously by
clearing the simultaneous load bits. The simultaneous load bits may be cleared under software
control by writing logic 0s to the associated bit locations or under hardware control by generating
a low-to-high transition on the external load control input (pin 30 on the I/O connector).

Digital input/output

The KPCMCIA-8AO is equipped with eight bits of digital I/O that may be individually pro­grammed as input or output. To use a digital I/O bit as an output, set the corresponding bit in the
KPCMCIA-8AO’s digital I/O register to a logic 0 or logic 1 for the desired output value. To use
a digital I/O bit as an input, the corresponding bit in the digital I/O register must be set to logic 1.

All of the digital I/O bits are reset to the input mode upon power-up and after a hardware reset.
Each digital input is equipped with a 4.7KΩ pull-up resistor and will read a logic 1 if discon­nected. Refer to Figure 3-1.

Figure 3-1

Basic KPCMCIA-8AO digital I/O schematic

+5

Digital
output

Digital
input

Read
input

4.7KΩ

Digital I/O

Each digital output is capable of sinking 4mA. The output source current is provided by a 4.7kΩ
pull-up resistor on each output bit resulting in approximately 1mA of output current. If additional
drive current is required, a 2kΩ or larger pull-up resistor may be connected externally to the
KPCMCIA-8AO.

3-4 Theory of Operation KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual

Timer

The KPCMCIA-8AO is equipped with an event timer to pace events under CPU or interrupt con­trol. The timer circuit features an 8-bit software programmable timer that counts the output of a
selectable pre-scaler. The timer counts at a rate of 100kHz (100µs) or 1kHz (1ms) resulting in
timer output rates ranging from 50kHz to 4Hz (200µs to 250ms).

Whenever the timer expires, a timer event and/or an optional timer interrupt (if used) are gener­ated. This event and/or interrupt may be monitored by software to pace other operations. The
timer output is also available on pin 27 of the I/O connector as a TTL level signal going high
(logic 1) for one count each time the timer expires.

D/A loading

The D/A loading signal is a TTL level output available on pin 28 of the I/O connector. D/A load­ing changes to a logic 0 state while data transfers to one of the eight D/A converters and returns
to a logic 1 when the transfer is complete.

If the D/A converter being written is not configured for simultaneous output mode, its analog out­put begins to update to its new voltage level when the D/A loading signal makes the low-to-high
transition. The analog output settles to within 1/2 LSB of this low-to-high transition.

If the D/A converter being written is configured for simultaneous output mode, D/A loading may
be used to determine when the transfer is complete so the external load control input does not
occur until the data transfer is complete.

External load control

The external load control signal is a TTL-compatible input on pin 30 of the I/O connector and
may be used to control the loading of the D/A converters configured for simultaneous output
mode. A low-to-high transition of the external load control input clears all of the simultaneous
load bits in the KPCMCIA-8AO’s load control register. This causes any D/A converters config­ured for simultaneous output operation to update their analog output(s). The load event and the
optional load event interrupt are also generated by the low-to-high transition of this input.

The external load control input is equipped with a 4.7kΩ pull-up resistor and may be discon­nected when not in use.

External event

The KPCMCIA-8AO offers a TTL-compatible external event input on pin 31 of the I/O connector
that uses the CPU to monitor external hardware events. The external event and the optional exter­nal event interrupt are generated by a low-to-high transition of this input.

The external event input is equipped with a 4.7kΩ pull-up resistor and may be disconnected when
not in use.

4

Register Descriptions

4-2 Register Descriptions KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual

Introduction

The KPCMCIA-8AO uses eight consecutive I/O locations within the I/O address map of the sys­tem. The base address of the adapter is determined by the client driver or enabler software pro­grams as discussed in Section 3. The next eight I/O locations are used by the KPCMCIA-8AO for
the functions listed in Table 4-1. Each register of the KPCMCIA-8AO is discussed in detail in the
following paragraphs.

Table 4-1

KPCMCIA-8AO register descriptions

A2 A1 A0 I/O address Register description

0 0 0 base address + 0 D/A converter data - LSB

0 0 1 base address + 1 D/A converter data - MSB

0 1 0 base address + 2 Control register

0 1 1 base address + 3 Simultaneous output register

1 0 0 base address + 4 Timer register

1 0 1 base address + 5 Digital I/O

1 1 0 base address + 6 Interrupt register

1 1 1 base address + 7 Reserved for future use

D/A converter data (LSB, MSB)

The D/A converter data register, located at base address + 0 and base address + 1, is used to output
data to one of the D/A converters. Sixteen-bit I/O transfers should be used to access this register.
If 8-bit I/O transfers are used, the LSB register must be written before the MSB register because
the contents of the data register are transferred to the D/A converter when the MSB register is
written. After the MSB register is written, approximately 8µs is required to transfer the contents
of the data register into the D/A converter. The data register must not be written to during this
interval. The READY bit, located in the control register, can be used to determine when data can
be safely written to the data register. The data register can be read at any time and returns the last
value written.

The format of the data written to the data register is:

D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0

MSB 0 C2 C1 C0 DA11 DA10 DA9 DA8

LSB DA7 DA6 DA5 DA4 DA3 DA2 DA1 DA0

KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual Register Descriptions 4-3

where Cx selects the D/A converter:

C2 C1 C0

DAC 0 0 0 0

DAC 1 0 0 1

DAC 2 0 1 0

DAC 3 0 1 1

DAC 4 1 0 0

DAC 5 1 0 1

DAC 6 1 1 0

DAC 7 1 1 1

and DAx represents the data bits transferred to the D/A converter:

Decimal Data bits DA11 ... DA0 B U

-2048 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -5.00000 n/a

-1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -0.00244 n/a

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00000 0.00000

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.00244 0.00122

2047 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4.99756 2.49878

2048 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a 2.50000

4095 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 n/a 4.99878

4-4 Register Descriptions KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual

Control register

The control register, located at base address + 2, is used to control the KPCMCIA-8AO’s event
timer and interrupt selections. Upon power-up, all bits in the control register are set to logic 0.
Refer to Table 4-2.

Table 4-2

Control register bit descriptions

Bit Name Description

7 RESET During write operations, setting this bit to logic 1 generates a hard-

ware reset to the D/A converters and resets the analog outputs to
0V. RESET is self clearing.

READY During read operations, this bit indicates the status of the D/A con-

verter control circuitry. When set to logic 1, the KPCMCIA-8AO is
ready and data may be safely written to the D/A converter data reg­ister. When set to logic 0, the KPCMCIA-8AO transfers the con­tents of the data register to one of the D/A converters. The data
register must not be written while READY = 0.

6 Reserved This bit returns a logic 0 during read operations and must be set to

logic 0 for write operations.

5 TIMER_EVENT During read operations, a logic 1 indicates the event timer has

expired at least once since TIMER_EVENT was last reset. An
interrupt can be generated from TIMER_EVENT by setting the
TIMER_IRQ_EN bit in the KPCMCIA-8AO’s interrupt register.
TIMER_EVENT is reset by writing a logic 1 to this bit location or
by halting the event timer (setting TIMER_RUN = 0).

4 EXT_EVENT During read operations, a logic 1 indicates at least one low-to-high

transition of the external event input (pin 31 of the I/O connector)
has occurred since EXT_EVENT was last reset. An interrupt may
be generated from EXT_EVENT by setting the EXT_IRQ_EN bit
in the KPCMCIA-8AO’s interrupt register. EXT_EVENT is reset
by writing a logic 1 to this bit location.

3 Reserved This bit returns a logic 0 during read operations and must be set to

logic 0 for write operations.

2 Reserved This bit returns a logic 0 during read operations and must be set to

logic 0 for write operations.

1 TIMER_SOURCE When set to logic 1, the event timer operates from a 100kHz clock

source (100µs per count). When set to logic 0, the event timer oper­ates from a 1kHz clock source (1ms per count).

0 TIMER_RUN When set to logic 1, this bit enables the operation of the event

timer. When set to logic 0, the timer is disabled.

KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual Register Descriptions 4-5

Simultaneous output register

The simultaneous output register, located at base address + 3, is used to control the simultaneous
output capabilities of the KPCMCIA-8AO. Upon power-up, all bits in the load register are set to
logic 0. Refer to Table 4-3.

Table 4-3

Simultaneous output register bit descriptions

Bit Name Description

7 Reserved This bit returns a logic 0 during read operations and must be set to

logic 0 for write operations.

6 Reserved This bit returns a logic 0 during read operations and must be set to

logic 0 for write operations.

5 Reserved This bit returns a logic 0 during read operations and must be set to

logic 0 for write operations.

4 LOAD_EVENT During read operations, a logic 1 indicates at least one low-to-high

transition of the external load control input (pin 30 of the I/O
connector) has occurred since LOAD_EVENT was last reset. An
interrupt may be generated from LOAD_EVENT by setting the
LOAD_IRQ_EN bit in the KPCMCIA-8AO’s interrupt control
register. LOAD_EVENT is cleared by writing a logic 1 to this bit
location.

3 LOAD_67 When set to logic 1, D/A converter channels 6 and 7 are configured

for simultaneous output and any data written to their data registers is
not converted to an analog output. Clearing LOAD_67 to logic 0
returns D/A channels 6 and 7 to the standard operating mode and
causes the last value output to each of their data registers to be con­verted to an analog output. A low-to-high transition of the external
load control input (pin 30 of the I/O connector) also clears LOAD_67
to logic 0. Additional information on simultaneous output operation
is available in Section 3.

2 LOAD_45 When set to logic 1, D/A converter channels 4 and 5 are configured

for simultaneous output and any data written to their data registers is
not converted to an analog output. Clearing LOAD_45 to logic 0
returns D/A channels 4 and 5 to the standard operating mode and
causes the last value output to each of their data registers to be con­verted to an analog output. A low-to-high transition of the external
load control input (pin 30 of the I/O connector) also clears LOAD_45
to logic 0. Additional information on simultaneous output operation
is available in Section 3.

1 LOAD_23 When set to logic 1, D/A converter channels 2 and 3 are configured

for simultaneous output and any data written to their data registers is
not converted to an analog output. Clearing LOAD_23 to logic 0
returns D/A channels 2 and 3 to the standard operating mode and
causes the last value output to each of their data registers to be con­verted to an analog output. A low-to-high transition of the external
load control input (pin 30 of the I/O connector) also clears LOAD_23
to logic 0. Additional information on simultaneous output operation
is available in Section 3.

4-6 Register Descriptions KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual

Table 4-3

Simultaneous output register bit descriptions (cont.)

0 LOAD_01 When set to logic 1, D/A converter channels 0 and 1 are configured

for simultaneous output and any data written to their data registers is
not converted to an analog output. Clearing LOAD_01 to logic 0
returns D/A channels 0 and 1 to the standard operating mode and
causes the last value output to each of their data registers to be con­verted to an analog output. A low-to-high transition of the external
load control input (pin 30 of the I/O connector) also clears LOAD_01
to logic 0. Additional information on simultaneous output operation
is available in Section 3.

Timer register

The timer register, located at base address + 4, is used to set the rate of the on-board event timer.
Each time the timer expires, a timer event and an optional timer interrupt, if used, are generated
(see “Control register” and “Interrupt register”). This event and/or interrupt can be monitored by
software to pace other operations. The output of the timer is also available on pin 27 of the I/O
connector.

Digital I/O

The value written to the timer register determines the number of input clock cycles required
before the timer expires and must be in the range 1 ≤ timer register value ≤ 255. A read of the
timer register returns the last value written. The timer’s output rate, which is equal to the timer’s
event rate, may be calculated using the equations:

output rate (Hz) =

output rate (sec) = input clock rate (sec) * (register value + 1)

where the timer’s input clock rate is set to 100kHz (10µs per count) or 1kHz (1ms per count) using
the TIMER_SOURCE bit located in the control register.

Upon power-up, the timer register is initialized to 0. A valid timer register value must be written
to this register before the timer is enabled.

The digital I/O register, located at base address + 5, directly controls the digital I/O signals on the
output connector. To use a digital I/O bit as an output bit, write a logic 0 or a logic 1 to the asso­ciated location in the digital I/O register. To use a digital I/O bit as an input bit, a logic 1 must first
be written to the associated bit in the digital I/O register. A read of the digital I/O register returns
the current value of the digital inputs and the last value written to the digital outputs. Upon power­up, all digital I/O bits are set to input mode (logic 1).

input clock rate (Hz)

register value + 1

- or -

KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual Register Descriptions 4-7

Interrupt register

The interrupt register, located at base address + 6, is used to enable and disable interrupts and to
determine the source of an interrupt during interrupt processing. Refer to Table 4-4.

Table 4-4

Interrupt register bit descriptions

Bit Name Description

7 Reserved This bit returns a logic 0 during read operations and must be set to

logic 0 for write operations.

6 EXT_IRQ During read operations, a logic 1 indicates an EXT_EVENT inter-

rupt is pending. The external event interrupt must be disabled
(EXT_IRQ_EN = 0) or the external event status must be reset (see
EXT_EVENT in Table 4-2) before additional interrupts can be
received. EXT_IRQ should be set to logic 0 during write accesses to
this register.

5 LOAD_IRQ During read operations, a logic 1 indicates a LOAD_EVENT inter-

rupt is pending. The load event interrupt must be disabled
(LOAD_IRQ_EN = 0) or the load event status must be reset (see
LOAD_EVENT in Table 4-3) before additional interrupts can be
received. LOAD_IRQ should be set to logic 0 during write accesses
to this register.

4 TIMER_IRQ During read operations, a logic 1 indicates a TIMER_EVENT inter-

rupt is pending. The timer event interrupt must be disabled
(TIMER_IRQ_EN = 0) or the timer event status must be reset (see
TIMER_EVENT in Table 4-2) before additional interrupts can be
received. TIMER_IRQ should be set to logic 0 during write
accesses to this register.

3 Reserved This bit returns a logic 0 during read operations and must be set to

logic 0 for write operations.

2 EXT_IRQ_EN When set to logic 1, an interrupt is generated on each occurrence of

EXT_EVENT. (See EXT_EVENT in Table 4-2.) When set to logic
0, external event interrupts are disabled.

1 LOAD_IRQ_EN When set to logic 1, an interrupt is generated on each occurrence of

LOAD_EVENT. (See LOAD_EVENT in Table 4-3.) When set to
logic 0, load event interrupts are disabled.

0 TIMER_IRQ_EN When set to logic 1, an interrupt is generated on each occurrence of

TIMER_EVENT. (See TIMER_EVENT in Table 4-2.) When set to
logic 0, timer event interrupts are disabled.

5

I/O Connections

5-2 I/O Connections KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual

The KPCMCIA-8AO is fitted with a 33-pin, 0.8mm shielded connector with the pins assigned as
shown in Figure 5-1.

Figure 5-1

Output connector

33

30

25

20

15

10

5

1

GND

GND

EXT_EVENT

LOAD_CNTRL
GND

D/A LOADING

TIMER_OUT

GND

DIGIO7

DIGIO6

DIGIO5

DIGIO4

GND

DIGIO3

DIGIO2

DIGIO1

DIGIO0

GND

DAC7

GND

DAC6

GND

DAC5

GND

DAC4

GND

DAC3

GND

DAC2

GND

DAC1

GND

DAC0

KPCMCIA-8AO

KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual I/O Connections 5-3

KCAB-AO cable assembly

A cable assembly, Keithley part number KCAB-AO, is provided to convert the KPCMCIA-8AO’s
33-pin, 0.8mm I/O connector to a standard D-37 male connector. The first 31 connections on the
KPCMCIA-8AO map directly to the first 31 pins of the D-37 connector. Refer to Figure 5-2. Note
that two of the KPCMCIA-8AO’s ground connections (pins 32 and 33) are not available when
using the KCAB-AO.

Figure 5-2

KPCMCIA-8AO output connections using the KCAB-AO

DIGIO2

DIGIO1

DIGIO0

GND

DAC7

GND

DAC6

GND

DAC5

GND

DAC4

GND

DAC3

GND

DAC2

GND

DAC1

GND

DAC0

19

37

36

35

34

33

32

31

30

29

28

27

26

25

24

23

22

21

20

N/C

N/C

N/C

N/C

N/C

N/C

EXT_INTR

EXT_LOAD

GND

LOADING

TIMER

GND

DIGIO7

DIGIO6

DIGIO5

DIGIO4

GND

DIGIO3

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

A

Specifications

A-2 Specifications KPCMCIA-8AOU/B User’s Manual

Resolution 12 bits

Relative accuracy ±1 LSB maximum

Offset error ±5 LSB maximum (KPCMCIA-8AOU)

±6 LSB maximum (KPCMCIA-8AOB)

Full-scale error

1

±6 LSB maximum

Settling time to ±1/2 LSB

Positive full-scale change 10µs maximum (3µs typical)
Negative full-scale change 10µs maximum (5µs typical)

Glitch-impulse 30nV-sec typical

Digital feedthrough 10nV-sec typical

Digital crosstalk 10nV-sec typical

Output load current

2

1mA per channel typical
12mA per adapter maximum

Power requirements

No load 120mA @ +5V maximum
Full-rated load 140mA @ +5V maximum
Power-down mode 20mA @ +5V maximum

Specifications subject to change without notice.

1

Full-scale error includes offset error.

2

Total output load currents in excess of 12mA may result in damage to the KPCMCIA-8AOU/8AOB.

Index

A

Analog outputs 3-2

C

Control register 4-4

D

D/A converter data 4-2
D/A loading 3-4
Data formats 3-2
Digital input/output 3-3
Digital I/O 4-6

E

External event 3-4
External load control 3-4

G

General information 1-2

H

Hardware installation 2-2

K

KCAB-AO cable assembly 5-3
KPCMCIA-8AOB 1-2
KPCMCIA-8AOU 1-2

R

Register descriptions 4-1

S

Simultaneous analog output 3-3
Simultaneous output register 4-5
Software setup 2-2
Specifications A-1

T

Technical support 1-3
Theory of operation 3-1
Timer 3-4
Timer register 4-6

I

I/O connections 5-1
Installation 2-1
Interrupt register 4-7
Introduction 1-1, 4-2

i-1

Specifications are subject to change without notice.
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9/02