NI Vision NI PCI-1426 User Manual Base Configuration Camera Link Image Acquisition Device NI PCI-1426 User Manual February 2007 374040C-01
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Important Information Warranty The NI PCI-1426 is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the warranty period. This warranty includes parts and labor.
Compliance Compliance with FCC/Canada Radio Frequency Interference Regulations Determining FCC Class The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rules to protect wireless communications from interference. The FCC places digital electronics into two classes. These classes are known as Class A (for use in industrial-commercial locations only) or Class B (for use in residential or commercial locations). All National Instruments (NI) products are FCC Class A products.
Conventions The following conventions are used in this manual: <> Angle brackets that contain numbers separated by an ellipsis represent a range of values associated with a bit or signal name—for example, AO <3..0>. This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information. bold Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter names.
Contents Chapter 1 Introduction Software Overview ........................................................................................................1-2 NI-IMAQ Driver Software ..............................................................................1-2 National Instruments Application Software ....................................................1-2 Vision Builder for Automated Inspection.........................................1-3 Vision Development Module ........................................
Contents Appendix A Cabling Appendix B Technical Support and Professional Services Glossary Index NI PCI-1426 User Manual viii ni.
1 Introduction The NI 1426 is an interface device that supports a diverse range of Camera Link-compatible cameras. The NI 1426 acquires digital images in real time and stores the images in onboard frame memory or transfers them directly to system memory. Featuring a high-speed data flow path, the NI 1426 is ideal for both industrial and scientific environments. The NI 1426 is easy to install and configure.
Chapter 1 Introduction Software Overview Programming the NI 1426 requires the NI-IMAQ driver software for controlling the hardware. National Instruments also offers the following application software packages for analyzing and processing your acquired images. • Vision Builder for Automated Inspection—Allows you to configure solutions to common inspection tasks. • Vision Development Module—Provides customized control over hardware and algorithms.
Chapter 1 Introduction Vision Builder for Automated Inspection NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection (AI) is configurable machine vision software that you can use to prototype, benchmark, and deploy applications. Vision Builder AI does not require programming, but is scalable to powerful programming environments. Vision Builder AI allows you to easily configure and benchmark a sequence of visual inspection steps, as well as deploy the visual inspection system for automated inspection.
Chapter 1 Introduction LabVIEW VI creation wizard, Vision Assistant can create LabVIEW VI diagrams that perform the prototype you created in Vision Assistant. You can then use LabVIEW to add functionality to the generated VI. Integration with DAQ and Motion Platforms that support NI-IMAQ also support NI-DAQ and a variety of National Instruments DAQ devices. This allows integration between image acquisition devices and National Instruments DAQ devices.
2 Hardware Overview This chapter provides an overview of NI 1426 hardware functionality and explains the operations of the NI 1426 functional units. Functional Overview The NI 1426 features a flexible, high-speed data path optimized for receiving and formatting video data from Camera Link cameras. Figure 2-1 illustrates the key functional components of the NI 1426.
Chapter 2 Hardware Overview Camera Link and the NI 1426 The NI 1426 supports the Camera Link Base configuration. Base Configuration The Camera Link Base configuration places 24 data bits and four enable signals (Frame Valid, Line Valid, Data Valid, and a spare) on a single Channel Link part and cable. The Base configuration includes asynchronous serial transmission as well as four digital camera control lines for controlling exposure time, frame rates, and other camera control signals.
Chapter 2 Hardware Overview Hardware Binarization The NI 1426 supports binarization and inverse binarization. Binarization and inverse binarization segment an image into two regions: a particle region and a background region. Use binarization and inverse binarization to isolate objects of interest in an image. To separate objects under consideration from the background, select a pixel value range. This pixel value range is known as the gray-level interval, or the threshold interval.
Chapter 2 Hardware Overview Multiple-Tap Data Formatter Many digital cameras transfer multiple taps, or channels, of data simultaneously to increase the frame rate of the camera. However, the data in each tap may not be transferred in the traditional top-left to bottom-right direction. Also, the taps may not transfer data in the same direction. The multiple-tap data formatting circuitry on the NI 1426 can reorder the data from up to three taps.
Chapter 2 Hardware Overview Table 2-1. Trigger Configuration Options for the NI 1426 Single-ended Input/Output Trigger Number Note Alternative Input Only 0 TTL_TRIG(0) ISO_IN(0) 1 TTL_TRIG(1) ISO_IN(1) 2 TTL_TRIG(2) RS422_IN(0) 3 TTL_TRIG(3) RS422_IN(1) If not configured as single-ended I/O lines, triggers have input only capability. Wiring an Isolated Input to Output Devices You can wire an isolated input to both sourcing and sinking output devices.
Chapter 2 Hardware Overview Sensor Power Vcc IN+ NPN (Sinking) Output Device Current Limiter IN– NI 1426 Sensor Common Figure 2-4. Example of Connecting an Isolated Input to a Sinking Output Device Connecting to a Quadrature Encoder The NI 1426 accepts differential (RS-422) line driver inputs. Shielded encoder cables are recommended for all applications. Unshielded cables are more susceptible to noise and can corrupt the encoder signals.
Chapter 2 Hardware Overview High-Speed Timing Built from high-speed counters, the high-speed timing circuitry on the NI 1426 can generate precise real-time control signals for your camera. Map the output of this circuitry to a trigger line to provide accurate pulses and pulse trains. Map these control signals to the camera control lines to control exposure time and frame rate. For your convenience, the external control for cameras that support the NI 1426 has been preprogrammed into the camera file.
Chapter 2 Hardware Overview Scatter-Gather DMA Controllers The NI 1426 uses three independent onboard direct memory access (DMA) controllers. The DMA controllers transfer data between the onboard SDRAM memory buffers and the PCI bus. Each of these controllers supports scatter-gather DMA, which allows the DMA controller to reconfigure on-the-fly. The NI 1426 can perform continuous image transfers directly to either contiguous or fragmented memory buffers.
Chapter 2 Hardware Overview Serial Interface The NI 1426 provides serial connections to and from the camera through two LVDS pairs in the Camera Link cable. All Camera Link serial communication uses one start bit, one stop bit, no parity, and no hardware handshaking. The NI 1426 supports the following baud rates: 56000, 38400, 19200, 9600, 7200, 4800, 3600, 2400, 2000, 1800, 1200, 600, and 300 bps. You can use the serial interface interactively with MAX and clsercon.
3 Signal Connections CAMERA LINK Figure 3-1 shows the connectors on the front panel of the NI 1426. TRIGGERS 1 2 1 MDR 26-Pin Connector 2 15-Pin D-SUB Connector Figure 3-1.
Chapter 3 Signal Connections Connectors This section describes the MDR 26-pin connector and the 15-pin D-SUB connector on the NI 1426. MDR 26-Pin Connector The MDR 26-pin connector provides reliable high-frequency transfer rates between the camera and the acquisition device. To access this connector, use a 3M Camera Link cable. Refer to the Camera Link Cables section of Appendix A, Cabling, for additional information about Camera Link cables, including available cable lengths and ordering information.
Chapter 3 Signal Connections 15-pin D-SUB Connector The 15-pin D-SUB connector connects to general purpose digital I/O. The general purpose digital I/O available on this connector includes four TTL I/O lines, two optically isolated input lines, and two RS-422 input lines. National Instruments provides a generic 15-pin cable assembly kit (part number 190912-04) that breaks the connector out into 15 color-coded wires for easy connectivity.
Chapter 3 Signal Connections Connector Signal Connection Descriptions Table 3-1 describes the MDR 26-pin and 15-pin D-SUB signal connections. Table 3-1. I/O Connector Signals Signal Name Description TTL_TRIG<3..0> TTL external triggers/DIO lines (I/O). DGND Direct connection to digital GND on the NI 1426. ISO_IN<1..0>± 30 V isolated input only lines. Use these lines instead of, not in addition to, TTL_TRIG<1..0>.
A Cabling This appendix contains cabling requirements for the NI 1426, including Camera Link cable ordering information. 15-Pin D-SUB Cable Specifications National Instruments provides a generic 15-pin cable assembly kit (part number 190912-04) that breaks the connector out into 15 color-coded wires for easy connectivity. Visit the National Instruments Web site at ni.com/catalog to purchase a cable assembly kit for the NI 1426.
Appendix A Cabling Figure A-1 illustrates the Camera Link cable. 1 2 1 MDR 26-Pin Male Plug 2 2X Thumbscrews Figure A-1. Camera Link Cable Ordering Information Camera Link cables are manufactured by 3M corporation and are available from both National Instruments and 3M. Two-meter Camera Link cables (part number 187676-02) are available from the National Instruments Web site at ni.com/catalog. Camera Link cables are available in 1 to 10 m lengths from the 3M Web site at www.3m.com.
Technical Support and Professional Services B Visit the following sections of the National Instruments Web site at ni.com for technical support and professional services: • Support—Online technical support resources at ni.
Appendix B Technical Support and Professional Services • Calibration Certificate—If your product supports calibration, you can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at ni.com/calibration. If you searched ni.com and could not find the answers you need, contact your local office or NI corporate headquarters. Phone numbers for our worldwide offices are listed at the front of this manual. You also can visit the Worldwide Offices section of ni.
Glossary A acquisition window The image size specific to a video standard or camera resolution. active line region The region of lines actively being stored. Defined by a line start (relative to the vertical synchronization signal) and a line count. active pixel region The region of pixels actively being stored. Defined by a pixel start (relative to the horizontal synchronization signal) and a pixel count. API Application programming interface.
Glossary D DAQ Data acquisition. (1) Collecting and measuring electrical signals from sensors, transducers, and test probes or fixtures and inputting them to a computer for processing. (2) Collecting and measuring the same kinds of electrical signals with A/D or DIO boards plugged into a computer, and possibly generating control signals with D/A and/or DIO boards in the same computer. DMA Direct memory access.
Glossary Q quadrature encoder A device that converts angular rotation into two pulse trains, A and B. The phase difference between A and B transmits information about the direction of rotation and the number of transitions indicates the amount of rotation. R real time A property of an event or system in which data is processed as it is acquired instead of being accumulated and processed at a later time. resolution The smallest signal increment that can be detected by a measurement system.
Glossary T tap A stream of pixels from a camera. Some cameras send multiple streams, or taps, of data over a cable simultaneously to increase transfer rate. transfer rate The rate, measured in bytes/s, at which data is moved from source to destination after software initialization and set up operations. The maximum rate at which the hardware can operate. trigger Any event that causes or starts some form of data capture.
Index Numerics configuration, Camera Link Base configuration, 2-2 connectors 15-pin D-SUB connector, 3-3 I/O connector signals (table), 3-4 MDR 26-pin connector (figure), 3-2 NI 1426 connectors (figure), 3-1 signal description (table), 2-5, 3-4 conventions used in manual, v 15-pin D-SUB connector, 3-3 cable specifications, A-1 overview, 3-3 pin assignments (figure), 3-3 A acquisition and region of interest (ROI) circuitry, 2-7 acquisition start conditions, 2-8 acquisition window control active pixel regi
Index N bus master PCI interface, 2-8 Camera Link, Base configuration, 2-2 data transmission, 2-2 high-speed timing, 2-7 multiple-tap data formatter, 2-4 scatter-gather DMA controllers, 2-8 SDRAM, 2-4 serial interface, 2-9 start conditions, 2-8 trigger control and mapping circuitry, 2-4 wiring an isolated input to a sourcing/sinking output device, 2-5 wiring an isolated input to output devices, 2-5 help, technical support, B-1 high-speed timing circuitry, 2-5, 2-7 National Instruments application softwar
Index S T scatter-gather DMA controllers, 2-8 SDRAM, 2-4 serial interface, 2-9 SerTC± signal (table), 3-4 SerTFG± signal (table), 3-4 signal connections connectors 15-pin D-SUB connector, 3-3 MDR 26-pin connector, 3-2 NI 1426 connectors (figure), 3-1 signal descriptions, 3-4 software (NI resources), B-1 software controlled start conditions, 2-8 software programming choices, 1-2 integration with DAQ, 1-4 NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection, 1-3 NI Vision Development Module, 1-3 NI-IMAQ driver softw
