National Instruments NI PCI-8254R IEEE 1394 and NI 8254R, Functional Overview

Chapter 1 Introduction

Vision Assistant generates a Builder file, which is a text description

containing a recipe of the machine vision and image processing functions.

This Builder file provides a guide you can use for developing applications

in any ADE, such as LabWindows™/CVI™ or Visual Basic, using the

Vision Assistant machine vision and image processing libraries. Using the

LabVIEW VI creation wizard, Vision Assistant can create LabVIEW VI

diagrams that perform the prototype you created in Vision Assistant.

Youcan then use LabVIEW to add functionality to the generated VI.

IEEE 1394 and NI 8254R

The NI 8254R uses FireWire® (IEEE 1394) technology, compatible with

more than 50 machine vision grade cameras. FireWire is a cross-platform

implementation of the high-speed serial data bus—defined by the

IEEE1 394-1995 and IEEE 1394a-2000—that can move large amounts of

data between computers and peripheral devices. It features simplified

cabling via twisted pairs, hot swapping, and transfer speeds of up to 400

megabits per second. You can support up to 63 devices on the high speed

bus with IEEE 1394.

The IEEE 1394a standard offers up to 400 Mb/s bandwidth. The NI 8254R

provides two direct-connect IEEE 1394a ports, but more IEEE 1394

devices can be added with the addition of IEEE 1394 hubs. The NI 8254R

can acquire images from IEEE 1394 cameras conforming to the IIDC

1394-based Digital Camera Specification, Version 1.30 and higher.

The IEEE 1394 bus provides a fixed amount of bandwidth that is shared

between the two IEEE 1394a ports on the NI 8254R. These ports provide

direct connection for up to two DCAM-compliant IEEE 1394 cameras,

depending on the amount of bandwidth each camera requires. Higher frame

rates and larger image sizes require a higher data transfer rate and use more

bandwidth.

Functional Overview

The NI 8254R features a flexible, high-speed data path optimized for

receiving and formatting video data from IEEE 1394 cameras.

The following block diagram illustrates the key functional components of

the NI8 254R.