Tektronix KTTI-TSP Communication,Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet User manual

Keithley Instruments

KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O

28775 Aurora Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44139
1-800-833-9200

tek.com/keithley

Accessory Instruction Sheet

Introduction

The KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory card provides instruments that have an accessory

®

card slot with a TSP-Link
equipped instruments.

Keithley Instruments TSP-Link is a high-speed trigger synchronization and communication bus that test-system
builders can use to connect multiple instruments in a master and subordinate configuration. Using TSP-Link,
multiple instruments can be connected and used as if they are part of the same physical unit for simultaneous
multi-channel testing. The test system can be expanded to include up to 32 TSP-Link-enabled instruments.

Once connected, all the instruments that are equipped with TSP-Link can be programmed and operated under
the control of the master instrument or instruments. This allows instruments to run tests more quickly because
they can be decoupled from frequent computer interaction. The test system can have multiple master and
subordinate groups that can handle multi-device testing in parallel. Combining TSP-Link with a flexible
programmable trigger model ensures speed.

interface that allows the instrument to trigger and communicate with other TSP-Link

The card provides six independently configurable digital input/output lines that can be used to control external
digital circuitry, for example, a handler that is used to perform binning operations. The digital I/O port is a
standard female DB-9 connector. You can also use these lines for triggering. The instrument can generate
output trigger pulses and detect input trigger pulses.

This card requires a shielded twisted-pair Category 5e LAN crossover cable that allows triggering
and communications between ethernet-enabled instruments and TSP-Link enabled instruments.

Figure 1: KTTI-TSP communications card

The item shipped may vary from the model pictured.

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KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet

TSP-Link Interface

Maximum connections:

Environmental conditions

I/O connector: CAT5/RJ-45
Digital I/O

Connector: 9-pin female D

Maximum sink current: –50 mA at 0.7 V (per pin, solid-state fuse protected)

Environmental conditions

Operating environment: Temperature 18 ºC to 28 ºC, 5% to 80% relative

General specifications

General ratings for the KTTI-TSP are listed in the following table.

Category Specification

I/O connector: RJ-45
Cable: Shielded twisted-pair Category 5e LAN crossover cable

Operating temperature: 0 °C to 55 °C
Storage temperature: –20 °C to 80 °C
Relative humidity: 5% to 95%, noncondensing
Power consumption: +5.0 V: 250 mA (typical), 300 mA (maximum)
Dimensions, (not including connectors): 120 mm (4.72 in.) x 64.5 mm

(2.54 in.)

5V Power supply Pin: Limited to 500 mA at > 4 V (solid-state fuse protected)
Lines: Six input/output, user-defined, for digital I/O or triggering
Input signal levels: 0.7 V (maximum logic low), 3.7 V (minimum logic high)
Input voltage limits: –0.25 V (absolute minimum), +5.25 V (absolute maximum)
Maximum source current: +2.0 mA at >2.7 V (per pin)

Connect up to 32 instruments

humidity, noncondensing

Storage environment: –25 ºC to 65 ºC

Unpack and inspect

Make sure to handle the KTTI-TSP carefully. Always grasp the card by the side edges. Do not touch board
surfaces, components, or areas adjacent to electrical contacts. Contamination from foreign materials such as
dirt, dust, and body oils can substantially degrade card performance.

To unpack and inspect your card:

1. Inspect the box for damage.

2. Open the box.

3. Remove the card and inspect for any obvious signs of physical damage.

4. Report any damage to the shipping agent immediately.

Installation

Slot covers must be installed on unused slots to prevent personal contact with high-voltage
circuits. Failure to recognize and observe standard safety precautions could result in
personal injury or death due to electric shock.

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KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet

To install the communications card:

1. Turn the instrument off and disconnect the power line cord and any other cables connected to the rear
panel.

2. Position the instrument so that you are facing the rear panel.

3. Remove the slot cover plate from the slot on the back of the instrument. Retain the plate and screws for
future use.

4. Align the card with the connector toward the inside edge of the slot and slide the card into the chassis. For
the last ¼ inch, press in firmly to mate the card to the connector.

5. On each side of the card, there is a spring-loaded mounting screw. Tighten these two screws, either by
hand or with a Phillips-head screwdriver, to secure the card in the case. Do not overtighten.

6. Reconnect the power line cable and any other cables to the rear panel.

7. Turn on the instrument.

Making TSP-Link connections

The TSP-Link expansion interface uses CAT5 and RJ-45 connectors to connect up to 32 devices.

TSP-Link Operation

The instrument recognizes the installed communications card when the power is turned on. Once connected,
all instruments that are equipped with TSP-Link in a test system can be programmed and operated under the
control of the master instrument or instruments.

This allows instruments to:

 Run tests more quickly because they can be decoupled from frequent computer interaction.

 Have multiple master and subordinate groups.

 Handle multi-device testing in parallel.

 When combined with a flexible programmable trigger model, ensure speed.

 Use multiple instruments as if they are part of the same physical instrument for simultaneous multi-channel

testing.

You can run a script from the front panel of any connected instrument (node). When a script is run, all the other
instruments go into remote operation and the instrument running the script becomes the primary and the other
instruments become subordinates. When the script is finished running, all the nodes return to local operation
and the primary/subordinate relationship between nodes is dissolved.

Each instrument attached to the TSP-Link network must be identified by a unique TSP-Link node number.

Refer to the instrument reference manual for information about controlling the instrument from a remote
interface.

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KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet

TSP-Link Configuration

To configure the TSP-Link card from the front panel:

1. Press the MENU key.

2. Under the System column, select Communication. The SYSTEM COMMUNICATIONS window opens.

3. Select the TSP-Link tab.

4. Select the Node option. The TSP-Link Node screen appears.

5. Set the node number and select OK.

6. Select Initialize and the instrument forms a network with other connected TSP-Link instruments.

Digital I/O

The KTTI-TSP digital I/O port provides six independently configurable digital input/output lines.

You can use these lines for digital control by writing a bit pattern to the digital I/O lines. Digital control is used
for applications such as providing binning codes to a component handler. Digital control uses the state of the
line to determine the action to take.

You can also use these lines for triggering by using the transition of the line state to initiate an action. The
instrument can generate output trigger pulses and detect input trigger pulses. Triggering is used for applications
such as synchronizing the operations of a measurement instrument with the operations of other instruments.

You cannot configure or directly control the digital I/O lines from the front panel. To configure and control any of
the six digital input/output lines, you need to send commands to the KTTI-TSP over a remote interface. You can
use either the SCPI or TSP command set.

See "Remote digital I/O commands (on page 14
choosing a command set.

)" for information about setting up a remote interface and

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KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet

1

I/O line #1

2

I/O line #2

3

I/O line #3

4

I/O line #4

5

V

ext

line (relay flyback diode protection; maximum 33 V)

6

I/O line #5

7

+5 V line. Use this pin to drive external logic circuitry. Maximum

fuse (one-hour recovery time).

8

I/O line #6

9

Ground

Digital I/O connector and pinouts

The digital I/O port uses a standard female DB-9 connector. You can connect to the KTTI-TSP digital I/O using
a standard male DB-9 connector. The port provides a connection point to each of the six digital I/O lines and
other connections, as shown in the following table.

Figure 2: Digital I/O communication port

KTTI-TSP digital I/O port pinouts

Pin Description

current output is 500 mA. This line is protected by a self-resetting

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KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet

Digital I/O port configuration

The following figure shows the basic configuration of the digital I/O port.

To set a line high (nominally +5 V), write a 1 to it; to set a line low (nominally 0 V), write a 0 to it. To allow an

external device to control the state of the line, the line must be set to input mode or open-drain mode. An

attached device must be able to sink at least 50 µA from each I/O line.

Figure 3: Digital I/O port configuration

Vext line

The digital I/O port provides a line (V
circuitry such as relay coils or low-power solenoids. You can use the built-in 5 V supply or an external voltage
supply for these types of applications. The externally supplied voltage can be up to +33 V.

Do not apply more than 50 mA (maximum current) or exceed +33 V (maximum voltage) on the
digital I/O lines. Applying current or voltage exceeding these limits may damage the
instrument.

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) with a flyback diode clamp that you can use when controlling inductive

ext

KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet

Refer to the following figure for a simplified schematic of a sample control circuit for a relay. You can externally
power a different device by replacing the relay coil with the other device. The relay is actuated by configuring
the corresponding digital output line. Most of these types of applications use an active-low (set the bit to 0) to
turn the relay on (ON = 0 V). In the low state (0 V), the output transistor sinks current through the external
device. In the high state, the output transistor is off (transistor switch is open). This interrupts current flow
through the external device.

Figure 4: Digital I/O port (example external circuit)

+5 V line

The digital I/O port provides a +5 V output. You can use this line to drive external circuitry. The maximum
current output for this line is 500 mA. A self-resetting fuse with a one-hour recovery time protects this line.

If you are using this supply to drive a relay, it should be connected to the V
by the flyback diode clamp.

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line so that the relay is protected

ext

KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet

Digital I/O lines

You can place each digital I/O line into one of the following modes:

 Digital open-drain, output, or input

 Trigger open-drain, output, or input

 Trigger synchronous master or acceptor

When you configure the digital I/O lines for triggering applications, configure the output lines before
the input lines. This prevents possible false input trigger detection in certain situations.

Digital control modes

If you are setting a line for digital control, you can set the line to be open-drain, output, or input, as described in
the following topics.

Open-drain

When you place a line in open-drain mode, the line is configured to be an open-drain signal with a 100 kΩ

pull-up resistor. This makes the line compatible with other instruments that use open-drain digital I/O lines, such
as other Keithley Instruments products that only support open-drain for its digital I/O. In this mode, the line can
serve as an input, an output, or both. You can read from the line or write to it. When a digital I/O line is used as
an input in open-drain mode, you must write a 1 to the line to enable it to detect logic levels that are generated

from external sources.

Output

When you place a line in output mode, you can set the line as logic high (+5 V) or as logic low (0 V). The
default level is logic low (0 V). When the instrument is in output mode, the line is actively driven high or low.
Unlike the input or open-drain modes, it will not respond to externally generated logic levels.

When you read the line, it shows the present output status and an event message is generated.

Input

The input mode is similar to the open-drain mode, except that a line in this mode is intended to be used strictly
as an input. When you place a line in input mode, the instrument automatically writes a 1 to the line to enable it

to detect externally generated logic levels.

You can read an input line, but you cannot write to it. You also cannot change the logic level while the line is in
input mode. If you attempt to change the logic level of a line that is in input mode, an event message is
generated.

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KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet

Trigger control modes

You can use the trigger control modes to synchronize instrument operation with the operation of other
instruments. These modes either detect or generate transitions in the state of the line, from high to low (falling
edge) or from low to high (rising edge). The input edge detection setting of the instrument determines which
type of transition is detected as an input trigger. Output triggers are typically generated in the form of a pulse.
The type of transition that occurs on the leading edge of the pulse is determined by an output logic setting. The
duration of the pulse is determined by a pulse width setting.

You can use the trigger control modes with interactive triggering or with the trigger model. For more information
about the trigger modes and triggering, refer to the triggering section of the instrument reference manual.

Open-drain

When you set the instrument to trigger mode and place a line in open-drain mode, the line is configured to be

an open-drain signal with a 100 kΩ pull-up resistor. This makes the line compatible with other instruments that

use open-drain trigger signals, such as other Keithley Instruments products that only support open-drain for its
digital I/O. In this mode, you can use the line to detect input triggers or generate output triggers, or both. To use
this mode successfully, you must carefully configure the input edge and output logic settings because both of
these affect the initial state of the trigger line. It is recommended that you reset the line before selecting and
configuring this mode.

To use the line only as a trigger input:

1. Reset the line.

2. Set the input trigger edge detection type to falling, rising, or either.

The command that sets the detection type automatically sets the line high. This enables the line to respond to
and detect externally generated triggers.

Do not set the output trigger logic type to positive after setting the edge detection type. This sets the line low,
which will prevent the line from operating correctly as a trigger input.

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KTTI-TSP Communication and Digital I/O Accessory Instruction Sheet

To use the line only as a trigger output:

1. Reset the line.

2. Set the output trigger logic type to negative (falling edge) or positive (rising edge).

When you set the logic type to negative, the instrument automatically sets the line high. Setting the logic type to
positive automatically sets the line low.

Do not set the input trigger edge detection type after setting the positive logic type. This will set the line high,
which will prevent the line from operating correctly as a trigger output.

To use the line as both a trigger input and a trigger output (falling edge triggers only):

1. Reset the line.

2. Set the output trigger logic type to negative (falling edge).

3. Set the input trigger edge detection type to falling, rising, or either.

You can use these settings for triggering applications that use Keithley Instrument products offering Trigger
Link.

Output

When you place a line in output mode, it is automatically set high or low depending on the output logic setting.
Use the negative logic setting when you want to generate a falling edge trigger. Use the positive logic setting
when you want to generate a rising edge trigger. You cannot detect incoming triggers on a line configured as a
trigger output.

Input

When you place a line in input mode, it is automatically set high to allow it to respond to and detect externally
generated triggers. Depending on the input edge detection setting, the line can detect falling-edge triggers,
rising-edge triggers, or both.

The line cannot generate an output trigger if it is set to the trigger input mode.

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