Real-time target to arduino communication

[jp101]

Hi, I am currently working on controlling a two-link flexible robotic manipulator using fuzzy logic. I am using a real-time target ni pci-6221 and ethernet card for most of the system outputs, inputs and for communicating with the host pc (to deploy the labview program). I have created a control panel with lcd displays and push buttons, from which the user will select an end-point target (x,y). The lcd displays and pushbuttons are connected to an arduino mega board. I somehow need to communicate this (x,y) coordinate to the ni pci-6221 (from the arduino), so that I can use it in the labview code and control algorithm. The host pc can obviously not be used for reading in the (x,y) coordinate, as this needs to be a stand alone system (hence the real-time target). Problem... How does an arduino communicate with a real-time target? I've looked at possibly adding an I2C usb, as I know that the arduino is I2C capable. The I2C usb I would use is the ni usb 8451 (not sure if its real-time target compatible?). Is there a programatical way of achieving this communication between the two? Is there any other way of communicating between the two (at a reasonable university-like cost)?

Many thanks in advance for any much needed insight.

[wiebe@CARYA]

Isn't the pci-6221 an I\O module? If you have something like that in the RT system, you could consider bit-banging the r2c data from the Arduino. It depends on what you consider "real time", but usb would not be my first choice. I2c isn't that hard to parse on e.g. an fpga.

[jp101]

Hi, so the PCI-6221 is an I/O module. Bit banging would essentially work, but I'm not too familiar with how to produce and decode the information, through programming. I failed to mention that there is a PCI-8232 ethernet card (as seen in picture). The ethernet port is for the host connection, while I am trying to use the 24 pin centronics (D-sub) connector to communicate. What I have done is connect 2 of the centronics pins to the arduino serial ports. Is this a feasible idea? I am pretty new at communication interfaces.