HRTC - Hardware Real-Time Controller

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

256 HRTC steps are possible.

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

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 ImpactControlCenter this are the properties to modify in order to activate the evaluation of the HRTC program:

Figure 1: ImpactControlCenter - 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)"
  
• "CameraSettingsBlueFOX (C++ developers)"

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

• "Using single camera" :
  • Achieve a defined image frequency (HRTC)
  • Delay the external trigger signal (HRTC)
  • Creating double acquisitions (HRTC)
  • Take two images after one external trigger (HRTC)
  • Take two images with different expose times after an external trigger (HRTC)
• "Using multiple cameras" :
  • Delay the expose start of the following camera (HRTC)