C-Motion Engine Functions; On-Card Dual-Ported Memory - Performance Motion Devices Prodigy Series User Manual

Dual-ported RAM
(trace buffer)
64 KB
Access via
PRP messages
To communication bus
The dual-ported RAM trace buffer is a powerful feature that allows various Magellan Motion Processor parameters
and registers to be continuously captured and stored to a memory buffer. The captured data may be downloaded to
the C-Motion Engine or to an off-card host using the Prodigy/CME PC/104 card's serial, CANbus, or Ethernet
communication channels. Magellan data traces are useful for optimizing DC brush and brushless DC servo
performance, verifying trajectory behavior, capturing sensor data, or to assist with any type of monitoring where a
precise time-based record of the system's behavior is required. For more information on how to set up a trace within
the Magellan Motion Processor, see the "Trace Capture" section of the Magellan Motion Processor User's Guide.
2.3.8.1 Accessing the dual-ported RAM
To access the contents of the trace buffer via the Magellan port the Magellan's built in memory buffer commands are
used. The Magellan provides a sophisticated command set that lets you set up, monitor, and read from the trace buffer.
See the Magellan Motion Processor User's Guide for more information on these commands. In this read configuration, the
Magellan Motion Processor stores data to the DPRAM autonomously, and the host controller reads the data using the
Magellan Motion Processor as well.
An alternate path for reading the trace buffer after it has been written to by the Magellan Motion Processor is via the
Prodigy/CME PC/104 card's high speed communication bus. In this mode the dual-ported RAM is referred to as a
resource, and is accessed via the PMD Resource Access Protocol. See Section 2.6.4, "Dual-Ported RAM (Trace
Buffer)," on page 51 for more information on this access method.
The contents of the dual-ported RAM are volatile. They are not saved during power-down of the card.
2.4

C-Motion Engine Functions

The C-Motion Engine on the Prodigy/CME PC/104 card allows C-Motion code to be downloaded and executed on
the card. The C-Motion Engine is a powerful and flexible engine that can be used to:
• Operate Prodigy motion cards in a standalone mode
• Offload time-critical code from the host to the motion card
• Create a complete machine controller that communicates via PC/104 bus, serial, CANbus, or Ethernet
to a cell controller or other high level controller
Prodigy/CME PC/104 User's Guide
Magellan Motion
Processor
Access via
Magellan
Command Packets
Operation
To communication bus
2
Figure 2-2:
On-card Dual-
ported Memory
41