National Instruments NI 6232, NI 6233 - page 88

Chapter 7 Counters

© National Instruments Corporation 7-15 NI 6232/6233 User Manual

Consider a frequency measurement on a 50 kHz signal using an

80 MHz Timebase. This frequency corresponds to 1600 cycles of the

80 MHz Timebase. Your measurement may return 1600 ±1 cycles

depending on the phase of the signal with respect to the timebase. As

your frequency becomes larger, this error of ±1 cycle becomes more

significant. Table 7-1 illustrates this point.

• Method 1b (measuring K periods of F1) improves the accuracy of the

measurement. A disadvantage of Method 1b is that you have to take

K + 1 measurements. These measurements take more time and

consume some of the available PCI or PXI bandwidth.

• Method 2 is accurate for high frequency signals. However, the

accuracy decreases as the frequency of the signal to measure

decreases. At very low frequencies, Method 2 may be too inaccurate

for your application. Another disadvantage of Method 2 is that it

requires two counters (if you cannot provide an external signal of

known width). An advantage of Method 2 is that the measurement

completes in a known amount of time.

• Method 3 measures high and low frequency signals accurately.

However, it requires two counters.

Table 7-2 summarizes some of the differences in methods of measuring

frequency.

Table 7-1. Frequency Measurement Method 1

Task Equation Example 1 Example 2

Actual Frequency to Measure F1 50 kHz 5MHz

Timebase Frequency Ft 80 MHz 80 MHz

Actual Number of Timebase

Periods

Ft/F1 1600 16

Worst Case Measured Number of

Timebase Periods

(Ft/F1) – 1 1599 15

Measured Frequency Ft F1/(Ft – F1) 50.125 kHz 5.33 MHz

Error [Ft F1/(Ft – F1)] – F1 125 kHz 333 kHz

Error % [Ft/(Ft – F1)] – 1 0.06% 6.67%

Contents

Main Page Important Information Warranty Copyright Trademarks Patents Page Compliance Compliance with FCC/Canada Radio Frequency Interference Regulations Determining FCC Class FCC/DOC Warnings Class A Contents About This Manual Chapter 1 Getting Started Chapter 2 DAQ System Overview Chapter 3 Connector Information Chapter 4 Analog Input Chapter 5 Analog Output Chapter 6 Digital Input and Output Chapter 7 Counters Page Chapter 8 PFI Chapter 9 Isolation and Digital Isolators Chapter 10 Digital Routing and Clock Generation Page About This Manual Conventions Related Documentation NI-DAQ NI-DAQmx for Linux NI-DAQmx Base LabVIEW LabWindows/CVI Measurement Studio ANSI C without NI Application Software .NET Languages without NI Application Software Device Documentation and Specifications Training Courses Technical Support on the Web Getting Started Installing NI-DAQmx Installing Other Software Installing the Hardware Device Pinouts Page DAQ System Overview DAQ Hardware DAQ-STC2 Calibration Circuitry Sensors and Transducers Cables and Accessories Custom Cabling Programming Devices in Software Connector Information I/O Connector Signal Descriptions Table 3-1. I/O Connector Signals (Continued) Page Analog Input Analog Input Circuitry Analog Input Range Analog Input Ground-Reference Settings (10 V (10 V)) 216 = 305 mV Page Configuring AI Ground-Reference Settings in Software Multichannel Scanning Considerations Use Low Impedance Sources Use Short High-Quality Cabling Carefully Choose the Channel Scanning Order Avoid Switching from a Large to a Small Input Range Insert Grounded Channel between Signal Channels Minimize Voltage Step between Adjacent Channels Avoid Scanning Faster Than Necessary Example 1 Example 2 Analog Input Data Acquisition Methods Software-Timed Acquisitions Hardware-Timed Acquisitions Buffered Non-Buffered Analog Input Triggering Connecting Analog Voltage Input Signals Types of Signal Sources Floating Signal Sources Ground-Referenced Signal Sources Differential Connection Considerations Differential Connections for Ground-Referenced Signal Sources Differential Input Biasing Differential Connections for Non-Referenced or Floating Signal Sources Single-Ended Connection Considerations Single-Ended Connections for Floating or Grounded Signal Sources Field Wiring Considerations Analog Input Timing Signals Page Page AI Sample Clock Signal Using an Internal Source Using an External Source Routing AI Sample Clock Signal to an Output Other Timing Requirements AI Sample Clock Timebase Signal AI Convert Clock Signal Using an Internal Source Using an External Source Routing AI Convert Clock Signal to an Output Using a Delay from Sample Clock to Convert Clock Other Timing Requirements AI Convert Clock Timebase Signal AI Hold Complete Event Signal AI Start Trigger Signal Routing AI Start Trigger to an Output Terminal AI Reference Trigger Signal Routing AI Reference Trigger Signal to an Output AI Pause Trigger Signal Routing AI Pause Trigger Signal to an Output Getting Started with AI Applications in Software Analog Output Analog Output Circuitry Minimizing Glitches on the Output Signal Analog Output Data Generation Methods Software-Timed Generations Hardware-Timed Generations Non-Buffered Buffered Analog Output Triggering Connecting Analog Voltage Output Signals Figure 5-2. Analog Output Connections Analog Output Timing Signals Figure 5-3 summarizes all of the timing options provided by the analog output timing engine. AO Start Trigger Signal Routing AO Start Trigger Signal to an Output AO Pause Trigger Signal Routing AO Pause Trigger Signal to an Output AO Sample Clock Signal Page AO Sample Clock Timebase Signal Getting Started with AO Applications in Software Page Digital Input and Output I/O Protection Programmable Power-Up States Connecting Digital I/O Signals Logic Conventions Getting Started with DIO Applications in Software Counters Figure 7-1. M Series Counters Counter Input Applications Counting Edges Single Point (On-Demand) Edge Counting Buffered (Sample Clock) Edge Counting Non-Cumulative Buffered Edge Counting Controlling the Direction of Counting Pulse-Width Measurement Single Pulse-Width Measurement Buffered Pulse-Width Measurement Period Measurement Single Period Measurement Buffered Period Measurement Semi-Period Measurement Single Semi-Period Measurement Buffered Semi-Period Measurement Frequency Measurement Method 1Measure Low Frequency with One Counter Method 1bMeasure Low Frequency with One Counter (Averaged) Figure 7-12. Method 1b Method 2Measure High Frequency with Two Counters Method 3Measure Large Range of Frequencies Using Two Counters Choosing a Method for Measuring Frequency Page Position Measurement Measurements Using Quadrature Encoders X1 Encoding X2 Encoding X4 Encoding Channel Z Behavior Measurements Using Two Pulse Encoders Two-Signal Edge-Separation Measurement Single Two-Signal Edge-Separation Measurement Buffered Two-Signal Edge-Separation Measurement Counter Output Applications Simple Pulse Generation Single Pulse Generation Single Pulse Generation with Start Trigger Retriggerable Single Pulse Generation Pulse Train Generation Continuous Pulse Train Generation Frequency Generation Using the Frequency Generator Frequency Division Pulse Generation for ETS Counter Timing Signals Counter n Source Signal Routing a Signal to Counter n Source Routing Counter n Source to an Output Terminal Counter n Gate Signal Routing a Signal to Counter n Gate Routing Counter n Gate to an Output Terminal Counter n Aux Signal Routing a Signal to Counter n Aux Counter n A, Counter n B, and Counter n Z Signals Routing Signals to A, B, and Z Counter Inputs Routing Counter n Z Signal to an Output Terminal Counter n Up_Down Signal Counter n HW Arm Signal Routing Signals to Counter n HW Arm Input Counter n Internal Output and Counter n TC Signals Routing Counter n Internal Output to an Output Frequency Output Signal Default Counter Terminals Counter Triggering Arm Start Trigger Start Trigger Pause Trigger Other Counter Features Cascading Counters Counter Filters Prescaling Duplicate Count Prevention Duplicate Count Prevention Example Duplicate Count Example Example Application That Prevents Duplicate Count When To Use Duplicate Count Prevention Enabling Duplicate Count Prevention in NI-DAQmx Synchronization Modes 80 MHz Source Mode Other Internal Source Mode External Source Mode PFI Using PFI Terminals as Timing Input Signals Exporting Timing Output Signals Using PFI Terminals Using PFI Terminals as Static Digital Inputs and Outputs Connecting PFI Input Signals PFI Filters I/O Protection Programmable Power-Up States Connecting Digital I/O Signals Figure 8-5. NI 6232 Digital I/O Connections (DO Source) Page Isolation and Digital Isolators Digital Isolation Benefits of an Isolated DAQ Device Digital Routing and Clock Generation Clock Routing 80 MHz Timebase 20 MHz Timebase 100 kHz Timebase External Reference Clock 10 MHz Reference Clock Synchronizing Multiple Devices Real-Time System Integration Bus (RTSI) RTSI Connector Pinout Using RTSI as Outputs Using RTSI Terminals as Timing Input Signals RTSI Filters Page PXI Clock and Trigger Signals PXI_CLK10 PXI Triggers PXI_STAR Trigger PXI_STAR Filters Page Bus Interface DMA Controllers PXI Considerations PXI Clock and Trigger Signals PXI and PXI Express Using PXI with CompactPCI Data Transfer Methods Direct Memory Access (DMA) Interrupt Request (IRQ) Programmed I/O Changing Data Transfer Methods between DMA and IRQ Triggering Triggering with a Digital Source Page A Device-Specific Information NI 6232 NI 6232 Pinout Figure A-1. NI 6232 Pinout Table A-1. NI 6232 Device Default NI-DAQmx Counter/Timer Pins NI 6232 Specifications NI 6232 Accessory and Cabling Options Screw Terminal RTSI NI 6233 Figure A-2. NI 6233 Pinout Table A-2. NI 6233 Device Default NI-DAQmx Counter/Timer Pins NI 6233 Specifications NI 6233 Accessory and Cabling Options Screw Terminal RTSI Page B Troubleshooting Analog Input Page Analog Output Counters C Technical Support and Professional Services Page Glossary Numbers/Symbols A Page B C Page D Page E F G H I Page K L M N O P Q R S Page T U V W Index Symbols Numerics A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U