1. The MONSOON Generic Pixel Server Software Design
A Re-Configurable Image Acquisition System
N. C. Buchholz
P. N. Daly
(NOAO)
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2. The MONSOON Image Acquisition System
An Extensible architecture, Designed for large pixel count detectors & mosaics focal planes
Defined by Interface Control Doc’s at each level.
Based on COTS Technology and a small number of reusable in-House boards.
Allows for IR FPAs, CCDs, OTAs, digitizing Focal Planes.
Not tied to a specific hardware set.
Three Level System architecture.
MSL - Single control point for the entire focal plane.
PAN - Intelligence for a section of the focal plane.
DHE - Low-level Hardware control for a section of the focal plane.
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3. The MONSOON Image Acquisition System
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4. Design Philosophy
Libraries provide ease of use & modification, functionality Layered & isolation between layers enforced.
Use processes to perform identifiable tasks. Build-in monitoring of system processes. Allow kill/restart of rogue processes.
Idiosyncrasies of different observatory systems left to observatory staffers.
Unique DHS requirements.
Observatory specific systems (EPICS, WIYN router, etc).
Unique GUI tools.
Don’t rewrite provided facilities unless necessary.
KISS
Allow for shared libraries to simplify build run test cycle
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5. MONSOON Level 0 Context
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6. Supervisor Layer Functions
System start-up and initialization. (multiple PAN’s).
Network/client connection control/security.
Multiple connection accept & Setup.
Connection error detection and recovery.
Primary client communications interface (GPX).
Command distribution to multiple pans.
Response gathering from multiple PANs.
Data transfer control (organizing the transfer).
Configuration/Mode name->database translation.
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7. Pixel Acquisition Node (PAN) Functions
Secondary communications interface (PPX).
PAN/DHE start-up and initialization.
Command/parameter verification, setting security, PAN name to DHE address translation.
Pixel data capture, Image data pre-processing, Calls DHS library to archive image and meta-data.
Emergency image archiving (FITS image on disk).
Status Tracking, Notification, Logging.
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8. DHE (Detector Head Electronics) Functions
Low–level hardware control.
Detector timing pattern control.
Integration timing.
Image data conversion and transmission.
Hardware housekeeping & status response.
Detector protection, Bias power control, hardware test facilities, ESD Protection.
Error Detection and Recovery, Power glitches/outages, Electronic component failures.
These functions implemented in FPGAs in the DHE.
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9. Interface Definitions
Client System to Generic Pixel Server.
ICD 4.0 Generic Pixel Server - Communications, Command & Response and Data Stream Interface Description. (GPX).
MONSOON Restrictions on Science Client Access.
ICD 4.1 MONSOON Command and Parameter Restriction Lists.
Supervisor Layer to Pixel Acquisition Node.
ICD 5.0 Generic Pixel Acquisition Node – Communications, Command & Response Description. (PPX).
PAN to Generic DHE (Detector Controller).
ICD 6.0 Generic Detector Head Electronics - Command and Data Stream Interface Description.
MONSOON PAN to MONSOON DHE.
NICD 6.1 MONSOON Detector Head Electronics - Command & Data Stream Interface Description.
Published interface
TBD
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10. MONSOON Software Layering
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11. Library Structure & Architecture
Libraries divided into classes of function, Call sequence similar for all functions.
Functions provide inherited status value & text status string.
Libraries provide user selectable debug levels and Simulation mode.
Individual test program built for each library, Library API documentation extracted from source code.
Generic Makefile, Static and shared library versions built.
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12. General Functionality Libraries
libavUtil - Attribute-Value pair search, add & modify routines.
libcliUtil- command line interface; parse, search & help.
libqueUtil - queue functions; new, add, remove, full, empty.
libsemUtil - semaphore functions; new, init, give, take, release…
libshmUtil - shared memory functions; attach, detach…
libsockUtil - socket functions; new, listen, accept, read, write…
libmiscUtil - a set of routines used by many pan processes.
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13. Generic Interface Libraries
libcomUtil - generic communications link routines.
Modeled on POSIX I/O library facilities.
Open, Close, Read, Write, IOCTL …
libdheUtil - generic DHE interface routines (ICD 6.0).
Open, Close, Read, Write, IOCTL.
readValue, writeValue, readDetector, resetDHE,
abortReadout, dhePowerCntl, shutterCntl, biasPwrCntl,
startExp, pauseExp, stopExp, abortExp, resumeExp,
readValArray, writeValArray, loadWaveform,
asyncResponse,
testDataLink, testClockDrvr, testDCBiasSup,
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14. Generic Interface Libraries
libppxUtil - PAN pixel server interface routines. (ICD 5.0).
PAN implementation of simplified ICD 4.0 (GPX).
Converts gpxXXX->ppxXXX.
Single Attribute-Value pair set/read, additional Low level Set/Read implemented for engineering consoles.
libpanUtil - shared memory setup & init routines.
Shared Memory Allocate, Release,
Shared Memory Initialization.
Image data buffer setup and Initialization.
Get/Set Attribute by name.
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15. Hardware Specific Libraries
libsystran.
Implements the SL240 specific interface to the com link.
Open, Close, Configure hardware link & COTS software.
Systran hardware functions, read, write, IOCTL functions.
libmonsoon.
Implements the MONSOON DHE access routines (ICD6.1).
Open, Close, Reset, Read, Write, IOCTL, etc.
asyncResponse, Test routines, error detection/recovery.
MONSOON DHE Exposure control commands.
MONSOON DHE Data Capture Routines.
Specific command routines implementing ICD 6.0.
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16. Hardware Specific Libraries
libdetector.
Implements routines unique to a detector/instrument.
Implements OUV, IR, Guider, etc. differences.
Integration Time Calculations, ROI checking & setup,
Unique Array Initialization & Setup requirements.
OTI details, charge/image shift commands, etc.
User Function name to ‘C’ function translation provided.
Same structure as runtime command configuration.
Translation compiled into library.
Shared Library loaded at run time.
One Library for each unique detector/instrument combination.
Library loaded from detector/instrument directory.
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17. PAN Process Coordination
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18. PAN Process Coordination (Cont.)
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19. MONSOON Team
August, 2003
L to R: Peter Moore, Dee Stover, Paul Schmitt, Dave Dryden, John Garcia, Jerry Penegor, Nick Buchholz, Phil Daly and Dave Sawyer. (Not shown: Gustavo Rahmer, Mike Warner, Ricardo Schmidt, Mark Hunten).
11/29/2018
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20. MONSOON Results 8 August 2003: First Light Aladdin_II
19 September 2003: First Light Hawaii II
29 September 2003: First Light CCD
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21. Future Developments
Complete current projects - NEWFIRM, IR Detector LAB, CCD Detector LAB, CCD Multi-Object Spectrometer, OTA test system, Quota, ODI, etc. etc., etc.
Develop database/XML system configuration tools to replace current excel based configuration system.
Implement more convenient waveform generation tools.
Develop observation, and detector set-up mode database to replace mode files.
Complete outstanding documentation.
Improve run-time configuration to include adding new functions on-the-fly.
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