NI Device Plus DDK ethernet and usb interface details

[RJS]

At what level does NI-Device Plus DDK interface to GPIB, LAN and USB hardware for non-Windows operating systems?

Our test instrument will be running an embedded RTOS such as VelOSity, ThreadX or MQX.  These products support USB "device" stacks and TCP/IP Ethernet stacks.

For GPIB, we're planning on a TNT4882 which is not supported by the OS, but we're quite familiar with it.

I'm looking for information or documentation regarding how the DDK interfaces with each device, and at what level.  Some of the networking stacks have optional components, and we can't tell which are required for NI-Device Plus DDK to operate.  Same goes for the USB stacks - they have optional "class" drivers.

If a documentation download (full help files or full PDF manual) is available for NI-Device Plus DDK, it would be most useful.

TIA to any who can help...

Message Edited by RJS on 07-25-2006 03:03 PM

[Chris_R.]

Hi RJS,

It may be best for you to e-mail us directly with these questions.  Please submit and e-mail support request at www.ni.com/support and be sure to select GPIB as your hardware.  We will be happy to assist you.  If you have any trouble reaching us via email, please let me know.

Have a great day!

[RJS]

Hi Chris,

I just tried to send a question, but I can't access "email support" at the link you provided, as NI-Device is not one of the "supported NI software packages" in the drop-down list, and the Email Support screen says I need to already have a maintenance contract.  We are trying to determine whether this software will work in a system we are planning.  (We already use NI-Device Plus for Windows in a different product).

If there is a direct email address to send to rather than going through the restrictions of the support for, this would help.  I have already tried asking for assistance several times through the local sales office, and have not received any.

Thanks.

-rjs

Message Edited by RJS on 07-27-2006 07:18 AM

[JasonSmith]

Hi RJS,

I believe that I can help to answer your technical questions regarding the NI-Device Plus DDK. 

The TCP/IP functionality utilizes BSD style sockets, making it easily portable to any compatible operating system.  NI-Device Plus DDK utilizes an operating system abstraction layer which can be modified if your operating system utilizes different commands for the control of TCP/IP Sockets.

The USB functionality is provided through direct register level control of a Net2280 USB chipset.  No other USB chipsets are supported by NI-Device, and it cannot work with the standard USB Host chipsets present on most computers.  The Net2280 includes a native PCI interface, so it is controlled through commands to the PCI bus.  Once again, the operating system layer defines how the DDK will communicate with the PCI bus, and can be modified to work with your operating system.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions,

Jason S.
National Instruments

[RJS]

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the reply.  That sounds clear enough for the ethernet.  So all I'll need to purchase is the basic TCP/IP "socket" and not all the optional stack components like bootp, telnet, html, pop3, etc?

Regarding the USB, my target CPU has a built-in USB "device" interface, but it sounds like I can't use this, and will have to add a NAT2880 chip.  Thankfully, my CPU does include a PCI interface.

Does this mean that the USB function is completely handled at the chip level, and we do not need to purchase ANY type of USB support from the OS (assuming we don't need to use it for any other purpose) such as the "USB Device Stack" sold by the various OS vendors?  I realize there are still some OS level and hardware level functions that will need to be written for a non-Windows system.

If yes, I guess it's bad news for our hardware design, but good news on the software costs.

Thanks in advance...

- rjs

[JasonSmith]

Hi RJS,

That is correct, the only thing that matters is that NI-Device is able to communicate with a PCI device through the operating system.  NI-Device DDK includes example OS layers for Linux and VxWorks, so you may be able to work from one of these if our operating system is similar.

As far as the hardware, you will need a Net2280.  You may want to confirm the device chipset on your board.  If it is a Net2280, you should be able to use it with NI-Device, otherwise you would have to add a new USB chip.

Jason S.
National Instruments

[RJS]

Thanks again.  Hopefully the OS will support PCI devices - I'm finding out.  The existing USB device controller is built into the CPU, and is not compatible with the NET2280, so we'll definitely need to add the hardware.

We had been planning on using a TNT4882 in generic or ISA bus configuration for the GPIB interface, but if we need to implement the PCI bus for the NET2280, it ties up some of those bus pins.  In that case, will the NI-Device Plus DDK function with the TNT5002 GPIB chip connected via the PCI bus instead?