introduction
For an integrated PXI system, if you want it to operate and run in accordance with your own commands and ideas, you must control the equipment. That is, the user issues machine instructions, the device performs operations, and feeds the results back to the user. There are usually two control methods, one is remote control and the other is embedded control. Today we will talk about the difference between the remote controller and the embedded controller in the test system.
Remote controller
For the PXI system, how to realize the remote control of the instrument? Users can use the PC or laptop via a PXI system control software transparent link , which further comprises a computer's PCI / PCI Express card , a PXI system slot PXI / PXI Express controller module , and means A copper wire or fiber optic cable connecting the two . The user inserts the controller board into the PC host through a bus slot such as PCI or PCIe, and uses ATEasy and other software for program development , and realizes the use of various instrument board resources through various interface parameters. Utilize the powerful processing power and computing power of PC to realize the control of IO module, DMM, PWM, signal generator and other instruments by reading the input signal and controlling the output signal.
Here is a brief introduction to several remote controllers. They are MXIe-Express series, MXI-4 series, MXI-4E series .
The MXIe PXI-Express bus expander allows any PCI Express slot in the computer or server to control the PXI-Express system. Its continuous data throughput rate can be up to 798 MB/s. A single PCI Express interface card can simultaneously control two PXIs. -Express case.
Figure 1 MXIe-Express series remote controller
The MXI-4 PXI bus expander allows direct control of PXI systems from any PCI slot in a desktop computer or server. It also supports multi-chassis system, MXI-4 bus extenders may be used in a star or daisy chain connected to the plurality of PXI chassis arranged in a single system, to connect together two PXI chassis, the MXI-4-PXI card installed To any peripheral slot of the main chassis, connect the corresponding cable to the second MXI-4-PXI in the slot of the slave chassis. At the same time, in the case of using optical fiber MXI-4 , users can isolate the PXI measurement hardware from the PC with a long-distance cable of up to 200 m.
Figure 2 MXI-4 series remote controller
The MXI-4E PXI bus expander allows direct control of PXI systems from PCI or PCI Express slots in desktop computers or servers. MXI-4E technology utilizes a high-bandwidth link that is transparent to software applications and drivers, thereby providing the ability to use high-performance desktop computers or servers to control PXI systems. At the same time, like the MXI-4 series, the MXI-4E series also supports multi-chassis systems.
Figure 3 MXI-4E series remote controller
Embedded controller
Embedded controller is a control system that is used to perform designated independent control functions and has the ability to process data in a complex manner. It is an electronic device or device controlled by embedded microelectronic technology chips (including a series of microelectronic devices such as microprocessor chips, timers, sequence generators or controllers), and can complete various automated processing tasks such as monitoring and control .
The embedded controller is mainly composed of a microprocessor chip, software solidified in the chip and other components. The embedded operating system can help users realize highly integrated control, remote collection, fault upload, storage and man-machine interface functions. It is a multifunctional universal controller with powerful communication capabilities. An embedded controller can usually connect one or more devices, so there are one or more interfaces in the controller.
The embedded controllers used in PXI systems are as follows: Hongke GX7944, Hongke GX7935, Hongke GX7936
The first introduction is the Hongke GX7944 embedded controller, which uses the Intel Core 2 dual-core processor, and the CPU frequency is 2.16GHz. With 4 USB ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a VGA port, it can meet the user's control requirements for multiple devices to the greatest extent. The embedded system uses Windows 7 Pro operating system, and it can also provide Windows XP Pro operating system as needed. When used in conjunction with a PXI chassis may be to construct a compact, high-performance embedded control apparatus is ideal PXI test system.
Figure 4 GX7944 embedded controller
The Hongke GX7935 embedded controller also uses the Intel Core 2 dual-core processor. The CPU frequency reaches 2.26GHZ and the main memory reaches 4GB. Use cPCIe bus interface, with 3 USB interfaces and 3 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, and a VGA interface. Can well meet the needs of automatic test equipment, data acquisition, process control, production testing and industrial systems.
Figure 5 GX7935 embedded controller
As the upgraded version of GX7935, Hongke GX7936 embedded controller has a great improvement in processor. The Intel Core i7 processor is used, and the processor is 4GB of DDR3 memory. Use cPCIe bus interface, with 3 USB interfaces and 3 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, and a VGA interface. It is connected to DVD-RW and hard disk through the internal I/O interface of the controller. The front panel I/O interface configuration of the controller is configured by default by the system, which can be applied to various PXIe or cPCIe chassis.
Figure 6 GX7936 embedded controller
to sum up
The remote controller can perform remote isolation operation of the equipment at a very remote location, which is especially suitable in certain test environments. At the same time, it can make good use of the computer's features of good functionality and high cost performance. However, the integration of the remote controller is poor and the overall movement is inconvenient. The embedded controller has the characteristics of high integration, with a built-in processor and operating system, which is convenient for operation and overall movement. But for most PXI chassis, there is no human-computer interaction interface, and screens are often required.
In general, remote controllers and embedded controllers have their own advantages and disadvantages. Users can choose flexibly according to their needs and actual conditions. If you want to know more about the automated test system, please pay attention to the official account at the end of the article !
about us
Hongke is a high-tech company with more than 10 years of experience in the test and measurement industry . Hongke has cooperated with world-renowned measurement industry giants Marvin Test and Pickering Interface for many years to provide top-level PXI/PXIe/PCI/LXI platforms in the field A variety of functional modules, as well as automated test software platforms and test systems. All members of the business department have received professional training at home and abroad, and have obtained professional qualification certification. All engineers have an average of 5 years + technical experience and consistent level to win excellent reputation from customers. We actively participate in the work of industry associations and have made important contributions to the popularization of advanced technologies. So far, Hongke has provided 100+ different solutions and projects to users across the country, and has won an excellent reputation among users in the industry.
