National Instruments NI cDAQ-9172 AI Reference Trigger Signal

NI cDAQ-9172 User Guide and Specifications 22 ni.com

Using an Analog Source

Some C Series I/O modules can generate a trigger based on an analog

signal. In NI-DAQmx, this is called the Analog Comparison Event.

When you use an analog trigger source for ai/StartTrigger, the acquisition

begins on the first rising edge of the Analog Comparison Event signal.

Routing AI Start Trigger to an Output Terminal

You can route ai/StartTrigger to any output PFI terminal. The output is an

active high pulse.

AI Reference Trigger Signal

Use a reference trigger (ai/ReferenceTrigger) signal to stop a measurement

acquisition. To use a reference trigger, specify a buffer of finite size and

a number of pretrigger samples (samples that occur before the reference

trigger). The number of posttrigger samples (samples that occur after the

reference trigger) desired is the buffer size minus the number of pretrigger

samples.

Once the acquisition begins, the NI cDAQ-9172 chassis writes samples to

the buffer. After the NI cDAQ-9172 chassis captures the specified number

of pretrigger samples, the NI cDAQ-9172 chassis begins to look for the

reference trigger condition. If the reference trigger condition occurs before

the NI cDAQ-9172 captures the specified number of pretrigger samples, the

NI cDAQ-9172 ignores the condition.

If the buffer becomes full, the NI cDAQ-9172 continuously discards the

oldest samples in the buffer to make space for the next sample. This data

can be accessed (with some limitations) before the NI cDAQ-9172 chassis

discards it. Refer to the KnowledgeBase document, Can a Pretriggered

Acquisition be Continuous?, for more information. To access this

KnowledgeBase, go to ni.com/info and enter the info code rdcanq.

Contents

Main USER GUIDE AND SPECIFICATIONS NI cDAQ-9172 DeutschFranais ni.com/manuals Contents Page Page Introduction Safety Guidelines Safety Guidelines for Hazardous Voltages Related Documentation Page Page Device Documentation and Specifications Training Courses Technical Support on the Web Installing the Software National Instruments Corporation 11 NI cDAQ-9172 User Guide and Specifications Installing the NI cDAQ-9172 Figure 2 shows the dimensions of the NI cDAQ-9172 chassis. Figure 2. NI cDAQ-9172 with Dimensions in Millimeters (Inches) Mounting the NI cDAQ-9172 NI 9901 Desktop Mounting Kit NI 9910 DIN-Rail Kit NI 9905 Panel Mount Kit Page Setting Up the NI cDAQ-9172 Page Understanding LED Indications Active LED Ready LED Using the NI cDAQ-9172 C Series I/O Modules Correlated vs. Static DIO Modules cDAQ Module Interface USB-STC2 AI and AO Sample Timing Triggering Modes Analog Input Analog Input Triggering AI Start Trigger Signal Routing AI Start Trigger to an Output Terminal AI Reference Trigger Signal Routing AI Reference Trigger Signal to an Output Terminal AI Pause Trigger Signal Analog Input Timing Signals AI Sample Clock Routing AI Sample Clock to an Output Terminal AI Sample Clock Timebase Convert Behavior For Analog Input Modules Scanned Simultaneous Sample-and-Hold Sigma-Delta Slow Sample Rate Modules Getting Started with AI Applications in Software Analog Output Analog Output Data Generation Methods Software-Timed Generations Hardware-Timed Generations Buffered Analog Output Analog Output Triggering Analog Output Timing Signals AO Sample Clock Routing AO Sample Clock to an Output Terminal AO Sample Clock Timebase Signal AO Start Trigger Signal Routing AO Start Trigger Signal to an Output Terminal AO Pause Trigger Signal Minimizing Glitches on the Output Signal Getting Started with AO Applications in Software Digital I/O Correlated vs. Static DIO Modules Static DIO Digital Waveform Acquisition (Correlated Input) DI Sample Clock Signal Using an Internal Source Using an External Source Digital Waveform Generation (Correlated Output) Buffered Digital Waveform Generation Change Detection Event Routing Change Detection Event to an Output Term ina l Change Detection Acquisition Digital Input/Output Configuration for NI 9401 PFI Counters Figure 15. NI cDAQ-9172 Counters Counter Input Applications Counting Edges Single-Point (On-Demand) Edge Counting Buffered (Sample Clock) 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) Method 2Measure High Frequency With Two Counters Method 3Measure Large Range of Frequencies Using TwoCounters Page Choosing a Method for Measuring Frequency 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 with Start Trigger Retriggerable Single Pulse Generation Pulse Train Generation Continuous Pulse Train Generation Frequency Generation Using the Frequency Generator Frequency Division 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 Counter n Internal Output and Counter n TC Signals Routing Counter n Internal Output to an Output Terminal Frequency Output Signal Routing Frequency Output to a Terminal Default Counter/Timer Routing Counter Triggering Other Counter Features Cascading Counters Counter Filters Prescaling Duplicate Count Prevention Example Application That Works Correctly (No Duplicate Counting) Example Application That Works Incorrectly (Duplicate Counting) 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 Digital Routing and Clock Generation Clock Routing 80 MHz Timebase 20 MHz Timebase 100 kHz Timebase Specifications Analog Input Analog Output Digital Waveform Characteristics (Slots 1 through 4 Only)1 PFI Characteristics (Slots 5 and 6 Only) General-Purpose Counter/Timers (Slots 5 and 6 Only)1 Frequency Generator (Slots 5 and 6 Only) External Digital Triggers (Slots 5 and 6 or with Some AI Modules) Module I/O States Power Requirements Bus Interface Physical Characteristics Safety Environmental Shock and Vibration Electromagnetic Compatibility CE Compliance RoHS Where to Go for Support