Tektronix PIO-SSR Users Guide

PIO-SSR Series

User’s Guide

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.

Sales Offices: BELGIUM: Bergensesteenweg 709 • B-1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw • 02-363 00 40 • Fax: [phone]

CHINA: Yuan Chen Xin Building, Room 705 • 12 Yumin Road, Dewai, Madian • Beijing 100029 • 8610-6202-2886 • Fax: [phone]
FINLAND: Tietäjäntie 2 • 02130 Espoo • Phone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
FRANCE: 3, allée des Garays • 91127 Palaiseau Cédex • 01-64 53 20 20 • Fax: [phone]
GERMANY: Landsberger Strasse 65 • 82110 Germering • 089/84 93 07-40 • Fax: [phone]
GREAT BRITAIN: Unit 2 Commerce Park, Brunel Road • Theale • Berkshire RG7 4AB • 0118 929 7500 • Fax: [phone]
INDIA: Flat 2B, Willocrissa • 14, Rest House Crescent • Bangalore 560 001 • 91-80-509-1320/21 • Fax: [phone]
ITALY: Viale San Gimignano, 38 • 20146 Milano • 02-48 39 16 01 • Fax: [phone]
JAPAN: New Pier Takeshiba North Tower 13F • 11-1, Kaigan 1-chome • Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0022 • 81-3-5733-7555 • Fax: [phone]
KOREA: 2FL., URI Building • 2-14 Yangjae-Dong • Seocho-Gu, Seoul 137-888 • 82-2-574-7778 • Fax: [phone]
NETHERLANDS: Postbus 559 • 4200 AN Gorinchem • 0183-635333 • Fax: [phone]
SWEDEN: c/o Regus Business Centre • Frosundaviks Allé 15, 4tr • 169 70 Solna • 08-509 04 679 • Fax: [phone]
SWITZERLAND: Kriesbachstrasse 4 • 8600 Dübendorf • 01-821 94 44 • Fax: [phone]
TAIWAN: 1FL., 85 Po Ai Street • Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C. • 886-3-572-9077• Fax: [phone]

28775 Aurora Road • Cleveland, Ohio 44139 • 440-248-0400 • Fax: [phone]

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

4/02

The information contained in this manual is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, the
manufacturer assumes no responsibility for its use; nor for any infringements of patents or other rights
of third parties that may result from its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under any
patent rights of the manufacturer.

Note:

The manufacturer shall not be liable for any special, incidental, or
consequential damages related to the use of this product. This product is
not designed with components of a level of reliability that is suited for use
in life support or critical applications.

Note:

DriverLINX, SSTNET, and LabOBJX are registered trademarks
and DriverLINX/VB is a trademark 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.

Copyright © Keithley Instruments, Inc., 1999, 1995.

All rights reserved. Reproduction or adaptation of any part of this documentation beyond that permitted
by Section 117 of the 1979 United States Copyright Act without permission of the Copyright owner is
unlawful.

KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS, INC.

28775 Aurora Road

Cleveland, OH 44139

TEL: [phone]
FAX: [phone]

Website: http://www.keithley.com

PIO-SSR Series User’s Guide

Revision C - April 2001

Part Number: 95390

S

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.

age 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,

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.

afety Precautions

A good safety practice is to expect that hazardous volt-

no conductive part of the circuit

5/02

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.

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

associated information very carefully before performing the indicated procedure.

The

CAUTION

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.

heading in a manual explains dangers that might result in personal injury or death. Always read the

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

Table of Contents

Preface

Overview

1

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

Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Supporting Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Functional Description

2

Setup and Installation

3

Unpacking and Inspecting a Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Installing and Configuring DriverLINX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Before Installing DriverLINX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Selecting the DriverLINX Components to Install . . . . . . . . 3-3

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

Configuring a Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Setting the Base I/O Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

Setting the IRQ Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Clamping Cables to the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Installing Cable Shielding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Installing a Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Configuring DriverLINX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

4

Cabling and Wiring

Connecting an STP-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Connecting a PB-24 or PB-24SM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Monitoring Contact Closure at an Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Eliminating Contact Bounce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Boosting Relay Drive Current . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Testing Your Board

5

I/O Bit Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Output Set Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Input Read Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10

i

ii

Programming Options

6

Selecting an Application Programming Interface . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

DriverLINX Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Direct I/O Application Programming Interface . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Installing the Direct I/O Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Configuring the Direct I/O Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Programming the Direct I/O Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

IISAPIO Intel 8255 Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Using the Direct I/O Driver in Visual Basic . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Creating a Simple Visual Basic Application . . . . . . . . . . 6-6

Register-Level Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

I/O Address Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8

Control Word Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10

IRQ Control Registers 1 and 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11

IRQ Status Registers 1 and 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13

7

Troubleshooting

Using the DriverLINX Event Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Device Initialization Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Problem Isolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Identifying Symptoms and Possible Causes . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Testing the Board and Host Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5

Testing the Accessory Slot and I/O Connections . . . . . . . . . 7-6

Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

A

Specifications

Connector Pin Assignments

B

CE Mark Information for the PIO-SSR Series

C

Limitation of Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Cabling Instructions for the CE Mark Configuration . . . . . . . . C-3

Index

List of Figures

Figure 2-1. Block Diagram of a PIO-SSR-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Figure 2-2. Block Diagram of PIO-SSR-48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Figure 2-3. Block Diagram of PIO-SSR-120 . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Figure 3-1. Switch and Jumper Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

Figure 3-2. Base-Address Switch Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Figure 3-3. Jumper Block for Selection of IRQ Level . . . . . 3-8

Figure 3-4. Cable Clamp on a Mounting Plate . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Figure 3-5. Cabling in Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11

Figure 3-6. Cable Clamp Securing Single Cable . . . . . . . . . 3-11

Figure 3-7. Cabling Taped to Show Shield Boundary . . . . 3-12

Figure 3-8. Cabling Wrapped with Jacket to

Tape Boundary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Figure 3-9. Jacket Trimmed with Scissors to Make

½

-Inch Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13

Figure 3-10. Jacket with Flaps Folded Back to Expose

Shield Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13

Figure 3-11. Cabling Reconnected, Placing Shield Surface

in Line with Clamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13

Figure 3-12. Detail of Clamped Cable Showing

Installed Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14

Figure 4-1. Connecting an STP-50 to a PIO-SSR Series

Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Figure 4-2. Connecting Two STP-50s to a PIO-SSR Series

Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Figure 4-3. Connecting a PB-24 or PB-24SM to a

PIO-SSR Series Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Figure 4-4. Connecting Two PB-24 or PB-24SM

Accessories to a PIO-SSR Series Board . . . . . . . 4-3

Figure 4-5. Contact-Closure Monitoring at an Input of a

PIO-SSR Series Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Figure 4-6. Bounce Circuit for an Input of a PIO-SSR

Series Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Figure 4-7. NPN Transistor Relay Control for an Output

of a PIO-SSR Series Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Figure 5-1. An AIO Panel example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Figure 5-2. DIO channel tab example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Figure 5-3. Configuring the digital I/O channels as inputs

and outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5

Figure 5-4. Configuring channel 0 for output bit

pattern A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5

Figure 5-5. An AIO Panel example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7

iii

Figure 5-6. Configuring the digital I/O channels as

inputs and outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Figure 5-7. Configuring channel 0 for output bit

pattern A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Figure 5-8. Configuring channel 0 for output bit

pattern B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9

Figure 6-1. Block Diagram of IRQ Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11

Figure B-1. Pin Assignments for I/O Connectors

J1 to J5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1

Figure B-2. Pin Assignments for Edge Connector on

CAB-SSR Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

List of Tables

Table 3-1. Priorities for IRQ Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9

Table 6-1. I/O Address Map for a PIO-SSR-24 . . . . . . . . . . 6-8

Table 6-2. I/O Address Map for a PIO-SSR-48 . . . . . . . . . . 6-8

Table 6-3. I/O Address Map for a PIO-SSR-120 . . . . . . . . . 6-9

Table 6-4. Bit Assignments for a Control Word

Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10

Table 6-5. Addresses of IRQ Control Register Bits for a

PIO-SSR-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Table 6-6. Addresses of IRQ Control Register Bits for a

PIO-SSR-48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Table 6-7. Addresses of IRQ Control Register Bits for a

PIO-SSR-120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13

Table 7-1. Troubleshooting Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3

Table A-1. Digital Input/Output Specifications . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Table A-2. Interrupt Request Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Table A-3. Input Parameter Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

Table A-4. Output Parameter Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

Table A-5. General Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

iv

Preface

The

PIO-SSR Series User’s Guide

for handling and using PIO-SSR-24, PIO-SSR-48, and PIO-SSR-120
boards. Unless this guide refers specifically to one or more of these
models, it refers collectively to all models as the PIO-SSR Series.

To follow the information and instructions contained in this manual, you
must be familiar with data-acquisition principles, with your application,
and with an IBM PC AT

®

(or equivalent) in the MS DOS® or Windows
environments. The software that accompanies each board is compatible
with Windows 95/98 and Windows NT.

The

PIO-SSR Series User’s Guide

Section 1 provides an overview of the hardware and descriptions of

●

features, applications, supporting software, and accessories.

●

Section 2 provides a block diagram and descriptions of major
features.

Section 3 describes how to unpack, configure, and install the board

●

and how to install the software.

contains information and instructions

is organized as follows:

●

Section 4 describes how to connect accessories and circuits.

●

Section 5 describes how to start up and use the DriverLINX AIO
Panel test program; you use this utility to test your board.

Section 6 describes the I/O registers and programming options for the

●

board.

Section 7 describes how to isolate common problems, how to

●

troubleshoot your system, and how to obtain technical support.

Appendix A contains specifications.

●

●

Appendix B contains pin assignments for the I/O connectors.

●

An index completes the manual.

v

1

Overview

PIO-SSR Series boards are multi-channel, parallel, digital I/O devices.
The boards feature high-current-driver, programmable, TTL-level I/O
channels to provide a flexible interface for SSR (solid-state relay)
modules and for a variety of parallel I/O devices, including instruments,
displays, and user-assembled systems. The PIO-SSR-120 is a
120-channel board, the PIO-SSR-48 a 48-channel board, and the
PIO-SSR-24 a 24-channel board. Each of these boards fits an expansion
slot of an IBM PC AT or equivalent. This section describes the features,
applications, supporting software, and accessories for this series of
boards.

The PIO-SSR Series boards and computer with DriverLINX software
require:

●

an IBM PC or compatible (386, or Pentium CPU) with minimum of
2 MB of memory

at least one floppy disk drive, and one fixed disk drive

●

●

Microsoft Windows 95/98, or Windows NT 4.0 or higher

●

a compiler supporting Microsoft Windows development

a mouse is highly recommended

●

1-1

Features

Major features of PIO-SSR Series boards are as follows:

Each group of 24 digital I/O lines terminates in an onboard, 50-pin

●

header whose pin assignments are compatible with industry-standard
PB-24 and PB-24SM solid-state-relay baseboards.

Three board versions are available to drive one, two, or five PB-24

●

baseboards from a single expansion slot of your computer.

Each group of 24 digital I/O channels emulates Mode 0 of an Intel

●

8255, allowing most of the current application software for data
acquisition to work seamlessly with PIO-SSR Series boards.

●

All boards power up with all lines configured as inputs and pulled
high.

All boards provide high-current-drive capability.

●

All boards provides flexible interrupt capability.

●

●

An onboard 10kΩ pull-up resistor connected between each channel
and the +5V gives CMOS compatibility for TTL signals.

●

The software that accompanies each board is compatible with
Windows 3.x and Windows 95.

●

All PIO-SSR Series boards are ⅔ size.

Applications

Typical applications of PIO-SSR Series boards are as follows:

Machine control

●

Process monitoring and control

●

●

Control of solenoids, pumps, motors, and others

●

Contact-closure monitoring

1-2 Overview

Supporting Software

The following software is available for operating PIO-SSR boards:

PIO-SSR standard software package —

●

Shipped with PIO-SSR
boards. Includes DriverLINX for Microsoft Windows 95/98 or
Windows NT and function libraries for writing application programs
under Windows in a high-level language such as Microsoft Visual
C++, Microsoft Visual Basic; Borland Delphi support files;
LabVIEW; utility programs; and language-specific example
programs.

DriverLINX —

●

the high-performance real-time data-acquisition

device drivers for Windows application development including:

–

DriverLINX API DLLs

and drivers supporting the PIO-SSR

hardware

–

AIO Panel —

A DriverLINX program that verifies the installation
and configuration of DriverLINX to your PIO-SSR board and
demonstrates several virtual bench-top instruments

–

Learn DriverLINX —

an interactive learning and demonstration
program for DriverLINX that includes a Digital Storage
Oscilloscope

–

Source Code —

–

DriverLINX Application Programming Interface files —

for the sample programs

PIO-SSR compiler

for the

–

DriverLINX On-line Help System —

provides immediate help as

you operate DriverLINX

–

Supplemental Documentation —

on DriverLINX installation and
configuration; analog and digital I/O programming; counter/timer
programming; technical reference; and information specific to the
PIO-SSR hardware.

PIO-SSR Series utilities —

●

The following utilities are provided as

part of the PIO-SSR Series standard software package:

– Test Utility

Supporting Software 1-3

Accessories

The following accessories are available for use with a PIO-SSR Series
board:

●

PB-24

— A 24-channel baseboard for standard-size SSR modules.

PB-24SM

●

— A 24-channel baseboard for miniature SM Series SSR

modules.

Solid State Relay Modules

●

— Refer to Keithley’s Products catalog

for module choices and descriptions.

●

CAB-SSR

— A 3-foot ribbon cable for connecting a PIO-SSR Series

board to a PB-24 or PB-24SM accessory.

CACC-2000

●

— A 2-foot ribbon cable for connecting a PIO-SSR

Series board to an STP-50 accessory.

●

STP-50

— Universal screw-terminal panel with a 50-pin male

header.

●

Jacket

— Zipper-style shielded tubing available by the foot for
shielding flat cables; this shielding is designated
length or

Jacket nn

for custom-cut lengths (refer to the Keithley’s

Products catalog for more information).

Jacket

for a 2-foot

1-4 Overview

Functional Description

This section describes the features and operating characteristics of
PIO-SSR Series boards. Figure 2-1 shows a block diagram of a
PIO-SSR-24; Figure 2 -2 shows a block diagram of a PIO-SSR-48;
Figure 2-3 shows a block diagram of a PIO-SSR-120.

2

SA4

to

SA0

RESET

IOW
IOR

D7 to D0

SA15

to

SA5

IRQ

3 to 7

9 to 12

14, 15

Control

Bus

Buffer

I/O

Control

Circuit

Data

Bus

Buffer

Address
Decoder

IRQ

Control

Circuit

Control Bus

Data Bus

J1

I/O Mode

Selector

C0 and C3

Figure 2-1. Block Diagram of a PIO-SSR-24

J1 Data Buffer

Port A
Port B

Port C

A0 to A7
B0 to B7
C4 to C7
C0 to C3

2-1

SA4

to

SA0

RESET

IOW

IOR

SA15

to

SA5

D7 to D0

IRQ

Levels

3 to 7

9 to 12

14, 15

Control

Bus

Buffer

Address
Decoder

Data

Bus

Buffer

IRQ

Control

Circuit

I/O

Control

Circuit

Control Bus

Data Bus

I/O Mode

Selector

I/O Mode

Selector

Figure 2-2. Block Diagram of PIO-SSR-48

J1

C0 and C3

J2

C0 and C3

J1 Data Buffer

Port A
Port B

Port C

J2 Data Buffer

Port A
Port B

Port C

A0 to A7
B0 to B7
C4 to C7
C0 to C3

A0 to A7
B0 to B7
C4 to C7
C0 to C3

2-2 Functional Description

SA4

to

SA0

RESET

IOW

IOR

SA15

to

SA5

D7 to D0

IRQ

Levels

3 to 7

9 to 12

14, 15

Control

Bus

Buffer

Address
Decoder

Data

Bus

Buffer

IRQ

Control

Circuit

I/O

Control

Circuit

Control Bus

Data Bus

J1

I/O Mode

Selector

C0 and C3

J2

I/O Mode

Selector

C0 and C3

J3

I/O Mode

Selector

J1 Data Buffer

Port A
Port B

Port C

J2 Data Buffer

Port A
Port B

Port C

J3 Data Buffer

Port A
Port B

A0 to A7
B0 to B7
C4 to C7
C0 to C3

A0 to A7
B0 to B7
C4 to C7
C0 to C3

A0 to A7
B0 to B7

C0 and C3

J4

I/O Mode

Selector

C0 and C3

J5

I/O Mode

Selector

C0 and C3

Figure 2-3. Block Diagram of PIO-SSR-120

Port C

J4 Data Buffer

Port A
Port B

Port C

J5 Data Buffer

Port A
Port B

Port C

C4 to C7
C0 to C3

A0 to A7
B0 to B7
C4 to C7
C0 to C3

A0 to A7
B0 to B7
C4 to C7
C0 to C3

2-3

Functional features of a PIO-SSR Series board are described as follows:

●

Using software, you can set each port as an input or an output.

The capacity of each channel (when set as an output) is 24mA of sink

●

current or 15mA of source current, allowing a board to drive
industry-standard solid-state relays. The SSRs allow up to 4000V

rms

of isolation and AC or DC voltage sensing up to 240V.

●

All channels in all ports are TTL-compatible and are not electrically
isolated from external circuits.

●

Channels on any PIO-SSR Series board are structured in groups of
24; a PIO-SSR-24 contains one 24-channel group, a PIO-SSR-48
contains two 24-channel groups, and a PIO-SSR-120 contains five
24-channel groups.

Each 24-channel group is accessible through an onboard, 50-pin,

●

male connector whose pin assignments are compatible with the
industry-standard PB-24 and PB-24SM solid-state-relay-module
baseboards.

●

Each 24-channel group emulates the Mode 0 operation of the Intel
8255A PPI (Programmable Peripheral Interface) integrated circuit.

● A single group comprises three 8-channel ports whose designations

are Port A, Port B, and Port C.

● While Port A and Port B are each used as 8-channel ports, Port C is

used as one 8-channel port or two 4-channel ports.

● Input channels C0 and C3 of every Port C on a board can each

generate an interrupt request (IRQ) signal for gating into a single,
jumper-selectable IRQ level.

● The IRQ levels supported by PIO-SSR Series boards are 3 to 7, 9 to

12, 14, and 15.

● The input requirement for an interrupt is the rising edge of a

TTL-compatible input signal.

● You can disable the interrupts through software.

2-4 Functional Description

Setup and Installation

This section describes how to unwrap and inspect your board, install the
software, configure your board, create a configuration file, install the
board cabling, and install your board in the computer. These tasks are
described in the subsections that follow.

Unpacking and Inspecting a Board

After removing the wrapped board from its outer shipping carton,
proceed as follows:

1. Your PIO-SSR Series board is packaged at the factory in an anti-static
wrapper that must not be removed until you have discharged any
static electricity by either of the following methods:

3

– If you are equipped with a wrist grounding strap, you discharge

static electricity as soon as you hold the wrapped board.

– If you are not equipped with a wrist grounding strap, discharge

static electricity by holding the wrapped board in one hand while
placing your other hand firmly on a metal portion of the computer
chassis (your computer must be turned off, but grounded).

2. Carefully unwrap the board from its anti-static wrapping material.
(Store the wrapping material for future use.)

3. Inspect the board for signs of damage; if damage is apparent, return
the board to the factory. (See Technical Support on page 7-6).

4. Check the contents of your package against the packing list; report
any missing items to the factory immediately.

5. If inspection is satisfactory, proceed to install the software.

Unpacking and Inspecting a Board 3-1

Installing and Configuring DriverLINX

Important: As a precaution against a system crash the first time you

install and test any new hardware, you should exit all other programs and,
if you use a disk cache, disable write caching. If the system does crash
and you re using disk compression software or a disk cache utility, as a
precaution after any crash, run the utility that checks the directory
structures.

Important: Before you begin installing any hardware or software for the

PIO-SSR, read the DriverLINX Installation and Configuration Guide and
the Using DriverLINX with your Hardware Keithley PIO Series
manuals that are packaged with the DriverLINX software. They are
accessed from the DriverLINX CD-ROM after you have installed Adobe
Acrobat.

Before Installing DriverLINX

1. Inventory your PIO-SSR board’s configuration settings.

2. Determine the resources your PIO-SSR board requires.

3. Inventory your computer’s resources already allocated to other
installed devices.

4. Determine whether your computer has sufficient resources for your
PIO-SSR board.

5. Determine whether your PIO-SSR board can use your computer’s
free resources.

6. Set any jumpers/switches to configure your PIO-SSR board to use
your computer’s free resources.

7. Set any other jumpers/switches to configure your PIO-SSR board as
desired.

3-2 Setup and Installation

Selecting the DriverLINX Components to Install

For your convenience in installing and un-installing just the DriverLINX
components you need, the DriverLINX CD Browser will assist you in
selecting the components to install:

● Install Drivers — This required component installs only the files you

need for configuring your hardware and running third-party
data-acquisition applications that require DriverLINX.

● Install Interfaces — This optional component installs the files and

example programs that you will need to develop custom applications
for DriverLINX using C/C++, Visual Basic, Delphi, and LabVIEW.

● Install Documentation — This optional component installs

electronic documentation for DriverLINX that you can read, search,
and print using the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

● Install Acrobat — This optional component installs the Adobe

Acrobat Reader for the DriverLINX electronic documentation.

Installing DriverLINX

1. Insert the DriverLINX CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM
Drive.

2. Start the DriverLINX setup program. On most systems, wait a few
seconds for automatic startup. Otherwise, run the setup.exe program
from the CD-ROM.

3. The DriverLINX CD-ROM Browser Map window appears on the
screen. Click Install Drivers, and follow the series of on-screen
instructions.

Note: To display an explanation of a menu option on the DriverLINX CD

browser map that appears next and on subsequent setup screens, place the
mouse pointer over the menu item. A star next to a menu item means that
the item was selected previously.

4. Select Read Me First, and follow the instructions.

Installing and Configuring DriverLINX 3-3

5. Select Install Documentation. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat
installed on your computer, install it by selecting Install Adobe
Acrobat.

6. Open the manuals appropriate to the PIO-SSR installation and read
them before installing your PIO-SSR board or configuring
DriverLINX:

– Installation and Configuration

– Using DriverLINX with Your Hardware—Keithley PIO Series

– DriverLINX Technical Reference Manual

– DriverLINX Digital I/O Programming Guide

– DriverLINX Analog I/O Programming Guide

– DriverLINX Counter/Timer Programming Guide

– Appendix, I/O Port, Interrupt, and DMA Channel Usage

– Other manuals appropriate to your installation.

7. Before installing a PIO-SSR board in your computer, make sure that
the switches are set appropriately and that you have noted the switch
settings so that you can match these settings when you program the
configuration using DriverLINX. Refer to the DriverLINX

Installation and Configuration Guide and Using DriverLINX with
Your Hardware—Keithley PIO Series manuals.

8. Install your PIO-SSR board into an appropriate free slot in your
computer when DriverLINX prompts you to do so.

Note: If switches on the board are changed after the software has been

installed, the software will need to be reconfigured.

Refer to the documentation provided with your computer for more
information on installing boards.

Follow the DriverLINX on-screen instructions for installation of drivers
and interfaces. Refer to the DriverLINX Installation and Configuration

Guide and Using DriverLINX with Your Hardware—Keithley PIO Series
manuals.

3-4 Setup and Installation

Note: Be sure to note and follow all programming differences between

installations for Windows NT and Windows 95/98.

Note: Typically, base addresses between 300h and 370h are available for

use. However, keep in mind that a network board, a sound board, a
CD-ROM, or other data acquisition board may use a base address within
this space.

DriverLINX allows you to set base addresses between 200h and 3F0h
only. Therefore, if you are using your PIO-SSR board with software that
requires a configuration file, you must specify an even boundary of four
I/O addresses within the range of 200h to 3F8h.

Configuring a Board

Keithley configures your PIO-SSR Series board by presetting a base I/O
address and an IRQ level. While the factory settings are suitable for most
installations, ensure these settings are not already in use by other devices
in your computer. If your board requires reconfiguration, you must set a
new base address and/or select a new IRQ level by setting the
base-address switches and IRQ-level jumper. These components are
located as shown in Figure 3-1.

Configuring a Board 3-5

IRQ-Level Jumper

Blocks

IRQ-Level Jumper

Blocks

Base Address

Switches

PIO-SSR-24/48

Base Address

Switches

PIO-SSR-120

Figure 3-1. Switch and Jumper Locations

The following subsections describe how to set the base address and IRQ
level.

Setting the Base I/O Address

Addresses in the I/O space of your computer can range from 0000h to
FFFFh, for a total of 65,535 locations. IBM recommends a base I/O
address between 100h and 3FFh only and reserves some addresses in this
range computer and I/O device use. You can set your PIO-SSR Series

3-6 Setup and Installation