NETWORK PRODUCTS DIVISION


Network Products > Use Cases > Networked Data Acquisition

Networked Data Acquisition Use Case

The customer required an network-capable suite of Data Acquisition & Encoding Units (DAUs). Signal inputs included legacy serial interface buses, analog sensors for temperature, pressure and position, ARINC 664, 429, and 629 buses, Ethernet UDP and TCP data, and analog video and audio input. Each DAU would process data for transmission via Ethernet to a network switch fabric in a network cloud that would contain recorders, post-processing devices, and analytical equipment. Two-way Ethernet communication would support remote capability for a management server to upload configuration files to the DAUs, permit real-time changes to configuration via web pages, and provide real-time monitoring and troubleshooting capability with Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

Building on its established COTS product line of miniature analog acquisition DAU modules, processors, and power supplies, TTC has supplied the customer with a tested array of DAUs, module firmware, and network management software synchronized using the IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP). For many of the DAU types, TTC has integrated simulation data for testing.

IEEE 1588 clock data is transmitted to the DAU interface's FPGA through a time bus. The DAU interface to the data bus timestamps each incoming wordstring in nanoseconds. DAU-unique controllers process and encode wordstrings according to DAU type and data format. For example, redundant data is dropped; and multi-channel inputs are sorted. Encoded data is passed to the DAU's processor module, which assigns the multicast group and a Data Source Identifier (DSID) based on previously defined data capture rules. Finally, an Ethernet controller builds a packet and transmits it to the network for recording and distribution.

For details of the hardware and technology used, please see web pages describing MnVID-2001, MnACQ-2000, MnENT-2000, and Mn429-2000 products and IEEE 1588, SNMP, XML, and HTTP applications.