ADLINK LPCIe/LPCI/USB-3488A GPIB interface card

ADLINK LPCIe/LPCI/USB-3488A GPIB interface card

Product Overview

1. Product positioning and core capabilities

All three hardware models are fully compatible with the IEEE488.1/IEEE488.2 standards, and a single controller can mount up to 14 independent GPIB instruments. Based on Linghua's self-developed FPGA IP, stable bus control is achieved, meeting the high-speed, compatible, and portable development needs of industrial testing equipment.

2. Core performance advantages

High speed FIFO cache eliminates bus speed difference

LPCI/LPCIe-3488A: on-chip 2KB read-write FIFO, compensating for the speed difference between PCIe/PCI high-speed bus and GPIB low-speed bus (up to 1.5MB/s);

USB-3488A: Equipped with a 32KB large capacity FIFO, with a maximum transfer rate of 1.2MB/s.

Ultimate software compatibility (core selling point)

The driver API is binary compatible with NI GPIB-32.DLL, and the original LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, VC++, VB, and Delphi programs can be run directly without modification;

Fully supports the industrial standard VISA library and is compatible with the vast majority of instrument drivers on the market.

Differentiated hardware form adaptation scenarios

Model Bus Interface Applicable Equipment

LPCI-3488A 32-bit 3.3V/5V standard PCI old industrial control computer, desktop standard PCI slot

LPCIe-3488A PCI Express 1.1 x1 new compact industrial control, low rise chassis (half height size)

USB-3488A USB2.0 notebook, no extra slots for industrial control computer, supports hot swapping

3. Hardware functional characteristics by model

(1) LPCIe/LPCI-3488A (card type)

Half height Low Profile size, suitable for the vast majority of industrial computers;

LPCI has a maximum transmission speed of 1.5MB/s, while LPCIe has a maximum transmission speed of 1.1MB/s;

Equipped with interactive GPIB diagnostic tools, supporting bus scanning and communication debugging.

(2) USB-3488A (portable external)

Comes with a 2-meter USB cable, no external power supply required, powered by the USB bus;

Support hot plugging, devices can be plugged in and out without shutting down the computer;

Suitable for notebook field testing and portable measurement systems.

4. General Electric, Environmental, and Mechanical Specifications

(1) GPIB bus basic parameters

The total number of bus devices is limited to 15 (including the controller itself), with a recommended length of 2m for a single cable segment and a total bus length of ≤ 20m;

8-bit parallel data transmission, three wire handshake protocol;

Certification: CE, FCC Class A industrial electromagnetic compatibility standards.

(2) Power supply parameters

LPCI：+5V， Typical 250mA, maximum 300mA;

LPCIe:+3.3V typical 45mA,+12V typical 65mA;

USB：USB5V， Typical 190mA, peak 500mA; it is recommended to use an active power supply hub with a USB hub.

(3) Environment and Size

Working temperature: 0~55 ℃; Storage -20~80 ℃, humidity 10%~90%, no condensation;

Dimensions (excluding connectors):

LPCI：120×64mm；

LPCIe：67×68.9mm；

USB：81.6×61.5×27.8mm；

USB model vibration test: working 1G three-axis, non working 2.5G three-axis.

(4) Software system support

Original ADL-GPIB driver compatible with Windows XP/7/8; The driver CD contains diagnostic tools and VC++programming example source code; Other operating systems require separate contact with Linghua technical support.

Software and Hardware Installation Guide

1. Packing list

LPCIe/LPCI version: GPIB board, driver CD, paper user manual;

USB version: USB-GPIB converter (integrated with 2m USB cable), driver CD, user manual;

Missing/damaged parts upon receipt must be immediately contacted by the distributor and packaging materials must be retained.

2. Requirements for electrostatic protection

The board integrates an electrostatic sensitive FPGA chip, and the disassembly and assembly operation must:

Operate the grounding anti-static pad;

Wear a grounded anti-static wristband;

Only hold the edge of the board and do not touch PCB components;

Hardware damage is prohibited from powering on.

3. Mechanical structure dimensions

The manual provides complete CAD outline drawings for three products, indicating installation hole positions, PCB length and width, and baffle dimensions:

LPCI standard full-length PCI version;

LPCIe compact short board, suitable for ultra-thin chassis;

USB all-in-one portable case with built-in indicator light (self/test/ready).

4. PCI plug and play configuration logic

The board is a standard PNP device, and interrupt IRQ, base address, and DMA are all automatically allocated by the system BIOS without the need for DIP jumpers;

Troubleshooting: Abnormal startup is likely due to interrupt resource conflicts, and it is necessary to enter BIOS to adjust hardware interrupt allocation.

5. Hardware installation steps

(1) PCI/PCIe card installation

The entire machine and peripherals are powered off;

Open the chassis and insert the corresponding 32-bit PCI (LPCI)/PCIe x1 (LPCIe) slot;

After releasing static electricity by touching the chassis, insert the edge of the holding board and fix the baffle with screws;

Reinstall the chassis cover and install the driver when turned on.

(2) USB-3488A installation

Directly connect to the USB 2.0 interface of the computer;

After a few seconds, the Ready green light will remain on, indicating readiness;

Prioritize the use of USB hubs with independent power sources for expanding multiple devices.

6. GPIB bus wiring specification

Supports two connection methods: linear series, star topology, and hybrid topology:

Single cable not exceeding 4m, recommended 2m standard cable; The total length of the bus is strictly ≤ 20m;

Total equipment ≤ 15 units, at least 2/3 of the instruments should be powered on to ensure stable bus level;

When the number of interface cables for a single instrument in a star topology is less than 3, the bus load is lower and communication stability is better.

7. Software driver installation process

Minimum driver version requirement: ADL-GPIB v4.0 or above;

Insert the driver CD and execute the Setup. exe installation wizard;

After installation, the computer must be restarted for the driver configuration to take effect;

The built-in ADLINK GPIB Utility debugging tool for the driver has the following core functions:

Automatically scan all GPIB controllers and mounted instruments on the bus, displaying device models and addresses;

Bus parameter configuration: GPIB master address, timing (350ns), IO timeout, automatic polling, controller mode;

Interactive command sending and receiving window: Send * IDN? 、 *RST、*TST? Wait for standard SCPI instructions, read instrument return data for hardware communication verification.

Working principle and hardware architecture of GPIB bus

1. GPIB 24 pin connector pin definition

The bus consists of 24 lines, divided into 4 categories:

8 data cables DIO1~DIO8: transmit 7-bit ASCII instructions/data, with the 8th bit used for parity check;

Three three wire handshake cables (DAV/NRFD/NDAC): ensure reliable byte transmission between control devices;

DAV: Data cable data is valid;

NRFD: The device is not ready to receive;

NDAC: The device has not completed data reception;

5 system management control lines (ATN, IFC, SRQ, REN, EOI): global bus scheduling, reset, interrupt, remote local switch, data end marker;

8 grounding/shielding wires: differential shielding anti-interference, pin 12 is the shielding ground of the shell.

2. Internal hardware diagrams of three products

LPCI-3488A: PCI controller+CPLD state machine+FPGA built-in 2KB FIFO GPIB IP+bus transceiver;

LPCIe-3488A: The PCIe bus is directly connected to the FPGA (integrated with 2KB FIFO), simplifying the CPLD circuit;

USB-3488A: 8051 main control+SRAM large capacity 32KB FIFO+FPGA GPIB IP+USB transceiver circuit.

Safety regulations

General Safety Operating Guidelines

Power must be cut off before installation and maintenance; Stay away from liquids and high temperatures, ensure ventilation;

It is prohibited to disassemble and repair the machine by oneself. Malfunctions can only be repaired by authorized engineers from Linghua;

Lithium battery spare parts pose a risk of explosion, and replacement must use the same specifications and models. Waste batteries should be recycled according to regulations;

When the power cord of the equipment is damaged, water enters, gets damp, falls, or reports abnormal errors, immediately cut off the power and report for repair.