MATRIX VISION - mvBlueLYNX-M7 Technical Documentation
HRTC - Hardware Real-Time Controller

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Hardware Real-Time Controller (HRTC) is built into the FPGA. The user can define a sequence of operating steps to control the way how and when images are exposed and transmitted. Instead using an external PLC, the time critical acquisition control is directly build into the camera. This is a very unique and powerful feature.

Operating codes

The operating codes for each step can be one of the followings:

OpCode Parameter Description
Nop - No operation
SetDigout Operation array on dig out Set a digital output
WaitDigin State definition array on dig in Wait for a digital input
WaitClocks Time in us Wait a defined time
Jump HRTC program address Jump to any step of the program
TriggerSet Frame ID Set internal trigger signal to sensor controller
TriggerReset - Reset internal trigger signal to sensor controller
ExposeSet - Set internal expose signal to sensor controller
ExposeReset - Reset internal expose signal to sensor controller
FrameNrReset -

Reset internal sensor frame counter

JumpOnZero HRTC program address Jump to location if a certain register contains zero
JumpOnNotZero HRTC program address Jump to location if a certain register differs from zero
RegisterSet Register Set a registers value
RegisterAdd Register Add a constant value to a register
RegisterSub Register

Subtract a constant value from a register

256 HRTC steps are possible.

Program controls

The Hardware Real-Time Controller also supports a basic program control mechanism as the following sample shows:

0. a = 10
1. a = a - 1
2. WaitClocks 50
3. Jump 0 While a > 0

The section How to use the HRTC should give the impression what everything can be done with the HRTC.

Webcast
wxPropView - Working with the Hardware Real-Time Controller



How to use the HRTC

To use the HRTC you have to set the trigger mode and the trigger source. With object orientated programming languages the corresponding camera would look like this (C++ syntax):

CameraSettings->triggerMode = ctmOnRisingEdge
CameraSettings->triggerSource = ctsRTCtrl

When working with wxPropView this are the properties to modify in order to activate the evaluation of the HRTC program:

Figure 1: wxPropView - Setting up the HRTC usage

Following trigger modes can be used with HRTC:

  • OnLowLevel
  • OnHighLevel
  • OnFallingEdge
  • OnRisingEdge
  • OnHighExpose

Further details about the mode are described in the API documentation:

See also
TCameraTriggerMode and TCameraTriggerSource in
  • "Enumerations (C developers)"
  • "CameraSettingsBlueCOUGAR (C++ developers)"

In the Use cases chapter there are the following HRTC sample: