National Instruments NI cDAQ-9172 Buffered Digital Waveform Generation

NI cDAQ-9172 User Guide and Specifications 38 ni.com

Buffered Digital Waveform Generation

A buffer is a temporary storage in computer memory for generated

samples. In a buffered generation, data is moved from a host buffer to the

NIcDA Q-9172 onboard FIFO before it is written to the C Series I/O

modules. Buffered generations typically allow for much faster transfer

rates than nonbuffered generations because data is moved in large blocks,

rather than one point at a time. The DO sample clock causes all lines in the

task to update at the same time.

One property of buffered I/O operations is the sample mode. The sample

mode can be either finite or continuous:

• Finite—Finite sample mode generation refers to the generation of a

specific, predetermined number of data samples. After the specified

number of samples has been written out, the generation stops.

• Continuous—Continuous generation refers to the generation of an

unspecified number of samples. Instead of generating a set number of

data samples and stopping, a continuous generation continues until

you stop the operation. There are several different methods of

continuous generation that control what data is written. These methods

are regeneration, onboard regeneration, and non-regeneration modes:

– In regeneration mode, you define a buffer in host memory. The

data from the buffer is continually downloaded to the FIFO to be

written out. New data can be written to the host buffer at any time

without disrupting the output.

– With onboard regeneration, the entire buffer is downloaded to the

FIFO and regenerated from there. After the data is downloaded,

new data cannot be written to the FIFO. To use onboard

regeneration, the entire buffer must fit within the FIFO size. The

advantage of using on board regeneration is that it does not require

communication with the main host memory once the operation is

started, thereby preventing any problems that may occur due to

excessive bus traffic or operating system latency.

– With non-regeneration, old data is not repeated. New data must be

continually written to the buffer. If the program does not write new

data to the buffer at a fast enough rate to keep up with the

generation, the buffer underflows and causes an error.

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