Hi, I am looking for pointers regarding the design of an unidirectional interface between a digital sensor output and a PC (USB or RS-232). I give the specs below.
I am awaiting info on the software this is supposed to communicate with on the windows platform but i think it's enough to get started...
Questions:
1) Do protocols exist which cover serial 16-bit asynchronous rs-232 transfers db9 connectors? I am looking also looking for references on the matter if any is online, or examples. I haven't found much.
2) For a windows platform, in order to permit most pre-existing software to accept this serial data, is it easier to receive the serial 16-bit word via USB and have the custom device driver reformat the data as needed?
I suppose this requires USB specific IC's, but if it eliminates the need for a micro-controller....
3) If i have to go down the standard 8-bit RS232 road, then my best solution would be to use a micro-controller to generate and transmit the two 8 bit words from the 16-bit word received from the sensor. Or is there a simpler solution?
Thanks for your input!
Signal specs ---------
The sensor has 3 x balanced outputs (i presume this is the RS-422 standard?).
1) Clock (around 24Khz). Asymmetric, 12uS high time.
2) Read ("1" when data on signal line )
3) Signal: serial series of bits at clock rate. Non return-to-zero.
Bit 1: Control Bit (always 1)
bit 2: Reliability bit (1 when valid)
bit 3: LSB
...
bit 15:MSB
bit 16:Unused (0)
A 16-bit word is output from Signal every 41.5 msec (24hz) and lasts around 670 usecs.
I am awaiting info on the software this is supposed to communicate with on the windows platform but i think it's enough to get started...
Questions:
1) Do protocols exist which cover serial 16-bit asynchronous rs-232 transfers db9 connectors? I am looking also looking for references on the matter if any is online, or examples. I haven't found much.
2) For a windows platform, in order to permit most pre-existing software to accept this serial data, is it easier to receive the serial 16-bit word via USB and have the custom device driver reformat the data as needed?
I suppose this requires USB specific IC's, but if it eliminates the need for a micro-controller....
3) If i have to go down the standard 8-bit RS232 road, then my best solution would be to use a micro-controller to generate and transmit the two 8 bit words from the 16-bit word received from the sensor. Or is there a simpler solution?
Thanks for your input!
Signal specs ---------
The sensor has 3 x balanced outputs (i presume this is the RS-422 standard?).
1) Clock (around 24Khz). Asymmetric, 12uS high time.
2) Read ("1" when data on signal line )
3) Signal: serial series of bits at clock rate. Non return-to-zero.
Bit 1: Control Bit (always 1)
bit 2: Reliability bit (1 when valid)
bit 3: LSB
...
bit 15:MSB
bit 16:Unused (0)
A 16-bit word is output from Signal every 41.5 msec (24hz) and lasts around 670 usecs.