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Analog G Series: Providing the best possible features in real data acquisition for delivering the true essence of the event controller

The Analog G Series includes a wide range of powerful features such as analog signal input/output, digital signal edge counting, and digital signal (ON/OFF) input/output. And in fact, it has an interface that goes beyond just enabling input and output of a variety of signals. The Analog G Series also incorporates the latest technologies and innovations to meet the needs of increasingly sophisticated data acquisition (DAQ): more accurate, faster, in real time, and more.

This will explain the features of the ultimate event controller while also showing the applications that the Analog G Series has made possible and how it has expanded the realm of possibilities for PC systems.

Each function is linked by the event controller

An “event controller” is literally a controller that controls events. To put it simply, it is a command post, so to speak, that defines and manages the operation of each function and its cause-and-effect relationship, and links them together. Analog input (A/D conversion), analog output (D/A conversion), counter, and timer functions are independent without any dependencies on each other, and each function receives signals for operating conditions. The system is also designed to signal (generate an event) when certain conditions are satisfied.

In the Analog G Series, user programs can define the combination of signals that serve as the operating conditions for each of these functions and the signals generated by each function. The event controller is the function that executes these signals while managing the signal traffic.

What is the difference from linking in the user program?

Although PCs are rapidly becoming more powerful with the evolution of CPUs and peripheral devices, the real-time performance of the workstation Windows OS may be challenged in high-end data acquisition systems that are complex and that do not tolerate large deviations in time series. In the Analog G Series, the event controller links each function at the hardware level for enabling time series processing with extremely low errors and independent of the OS load status and user program structure. This also frees the system designer from the troublesome task of external wiring of trigger signals.

Event controller setting example 1　Synchronizing “analog input” with “analog output”

Example application　Testing of filter circuits

A simulation signal with noise (analog output) is generated and connected to the input of the filter circuit and analog input ch0. By measuring the output of the filter circuit (connected to analog input ch1), the signals before and after the filter can be compared and evaluated in the time series.

Setting example　Receiving operation signals for “analog input” and linking with “analog output”

In this example, we assume that software commands are used to start and stop analog input conversion, and a timer (clock generator) built into the card is used as the sampling clock.

Conversion start and stop settings

Analog output is linked to start at analog input start, and analog output is linked to stop at analog input conversion.

STEP 1

The analog output conversion start condition is set to event controller output, and the analog output conversion stop condition is also set to event controller output.

STEP 2

Next, the connection target of the starting event controller is set to the analog output conversion start signal, and the connection source is set to the analog input software start. Also, the connection target of the stopping event controller is set to the analog output conversion stop signal, and the connection source is set to the analog input software stop.

Sampling clock setting

The sampling clock of the analog input is used as the sampling clock for the analog output.

STEP 3

The sampling clock of the analog output is set to event controller output.

STEP 4

The connection target of the event controller on the clock side is set to the analog output sampling clock, and the connection source is set to the analog input internal clock.

Completion

Analog input and analog output are started simultaneously by software command, continuously sampling at the same constant cycle, and analog input and analog output are stopped simultaneously by software command.

Event controller setting example 2　Synchronizing “analog input” for two devices

Example application　Synchronous measurement system for multi-point analog signals

The two devices are used to synchronously measure a large number of fast-changing analog signals (analog input) and analyze the correlation in a time series.

The Analog G Series can be linked to another device equipped with a synchronous connector. To link the analog inputs of two devices, set one device to master mode and the other to slave mode, and connect the sync connectors of the two devices using the dedicated cable (included). Also, the settings for the event controller of each device are configured as shown in the figure.

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