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Using GPIO Connector on D4100 Controller Board

Justin Aluko
Prodigy 60 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: ALP, DLPC410

Hello,


I have a .7" XGA DMD that is controlled via the Discovery 4100 controller board with application in microscopy. I want to be able to use the D4100 board to trigger a data acquisition device, and from reading around the literature I have found that using the GPIO connector is the way to do this. I have a few questions relating to this that I'm hoping someone can help me with:

  1. Is the signal given off from the GPIO port LVDS or CMOS?
  2. I am programming my software in LabVIEW. Do I have to programatically tell the controller board to give off this signal when ever the DMD display is changed, or does a signal automatically get generated and I just need to write the software to read this using the GET GPIO function from the LabVIEW DLL?
  3. Is there documentation explaining what the GPIO functions in the LabVIEW DLL do in more detail? I can somewhat infer what they do, but I'm hoping it will significantly reduce the time taken to debug the software if there is a proper explanation. Up until now I have not been able to find any myself outside of the context of using the Explorer software, which only explains the SET GPIO function (to some degree). If not, can an explanation be provided for GET GPIO and SET GPIO RESET DONE functions as well as the SET GPIO functions in the context of LabVIEW?

Many thanks in advance for any help.

Best wishes,

Justin

  • 0
    TI__Expert 6370 points
    Hi Justin,

    Thank you for your question, I have asked one of my colleagues to look into answering this. You should receive a response in the next day. Thank you for your patience.

    Best regards,
    Trevor
  • 0
    TI__Guru 54705 points

    Hello Justin,

    Please request access to the Discovery sections of the TI MySecureSoftware site through the Design Partner that you purchased the kit from.  Design houses screen requests to ensure compliance with U.S. import and export regulations.

    Once you have access you will find several documents helpful. 

    • Under DLP Discovery Documentation you will  find the controller board schematic under the 0.7 XGA 2xLVDS link.  This shows that GPIO-A (is TTL CMOS 2.5V).
    • Under DLP Discovery Software under the DLP Discovery 4100 software link you will find the DLP® Discovery™ 4100 Controller Board API Programmer's Guide.  It will explain the dll function calls, which the Labview code calls.  This explains how the GPIO is used when the GUI FPGA code is loaded into the Virtex 5 LX50. 
      • Bits 5, 6, & 7 can be read by GetGPIO (allows input to be sensed if you set one to 2.5 volts.
      • Bits 2, 3, & 4 can be set by SetGPIO to be used as output, for example to trigger a camera, sensor, or other recording device.
      • Bits 0 and 1 are not used.

    I hope this helps.  Please contact your Design Partner to request access. 

    Fizix

  • 0 in reply to Fizix
    Prodigy 50 points
    Hi Fizix,

    If I want to control the 4100 Kit by embedded processor, what I need do? I just want to send 1-bit figures and trigger the DMD. I guess it is impossible for me to use the USB connector. What is your advice?
  • 0 in reply to Jianmin Hu
    TI__Expert 6370 points
    Hi Jianmin,

    Fizix is currently out of the office on travel, but will return soon. He should be able to respond to this post in the first part of this week. Thanks for your patience!

    Best regards,
    Trevor
  • 0 in reply to Trevor Dowd
    TI__Guru 54705 points

    Hello Jianmin,

    In order to send information via USB you will need to understand how the PC sends and communicates with the USB interface and recreate the communication protocol with the Cypress USB chip on board.  The source code for the D4100 explorer GUI is available from MySecureSoftware.

    You will need to request access from the DLP Design Partner that you purchased the D4100 kit from.  If you have one of the ViALUX ALP versions you will need to contact them concerning this since their software uses proprietary communication protocols with the D4100.

    Fizix

  • 0 in reply to Trevor Dowd
    TI__Guru 54705 points

    The other possibility is to build your own interface to your embedded processor on the EXP bus connectors by writing your own VHDL code to run in the Xilinx Virtex5 LX50 USER_FPGA.  You can use the GUI_APPS_FPGA sample code as an example of how to send the data to the DLPC410 controller, but you will need to define your own input protocol to the APPS_FPGA.

    Again the GUI_APPS_FPGA sample code is available on the MySecureSoftware site. Please request access through the Design Partner that you purchased the kit from.

    Fizix

  • 0 in reply to Fizix
    Prodigy 50 points

    Hi Fizix,

    Thank you for your reply. You are so nice. I understand what I will do now.

    Jianmin Hu