USB drivers for new cRIO processors

[Dave_Langstaff]

Hi there,

I'm doing a feasibility study for a series of instruments we'd like to build for processing signals from radio telescopes.

One solution we're considering is to use a spectrum analyser to acquire and process the RF signals from the telescope and to combine this with a cRIO chassis containing a GPS receiver. The cRIO then will take data from the GPS timestamp and the spectrum analyser, pre-process the data and combine them together in a suitable format and serve them up using FTP for researchers around the world to pick off for further analysis. We-re looking at building 4 of these receievers for a number of telescopes around the world.

My query concerns the comms between the spectrum analyser and the cRIO, the spectrum analyser (R&S FSH300) has a USB port and windows drivers are available. Looking at the R&S web site, the c source code for the USB driver is available, would it be possible to convert this to run on the 9012/9014 or should I be looking at a serial port solution ?

regards

dave Langstaff

[JoshuaP]

The USB port on those controllers can only be used for mass storage, so you wont be able to use it for communication.  I would suggest looking for a serial or ethernet solution.  You can use NI-VISA to talk to both from a cRIO controller.

-Josh

[Bassett_Hound]

Hi Dave,

Josh is partially correct but let me elaborate a little more.  The supported software that ships with the 9012 and 9014 controllers is restricted to USB mass storage devices as no other USB drivers have been developed for these controllers.  However, creating a custom USB driver for communication in your application is not out of the question,  but would most likely require development using a WindRiver VxWorks development seat so you can recompile your C code.

If you decided to go this route you would probably do the following:

1.  Purchase a VxWorks development seat.  Just using our gcc compiler distribution would not be sufficient, if for no other reason than you would likely to need support from WindRiver.

2.  Get familiar with the USB API ( although since you have the c code already you might not need to get too familiar  )  )

3. Consider getting an eval board from Windriver for development of the USB driver.

Bottom line is that a you could theoretically write a USB driver for the 9012 and 9014 just like any other developer writing a USB driver for VxWorks. 

Hope that helps your feasibility study,

Regards

Steve Bassett

[Dave_Langstaff]

Steve,

Many thanks for the pointers, I've got a better idea of what is involved now.

regards

dave L