PMC-UART-28
PMC Compatible UART Interface



The PMC BiSerial family has been updated to include a Spartan 6 [Xilinx] based card with expanded capabilities. BiSerial VI includes industrial temperature components, and more internal RAM, clocks and gates for more complex designs. Building on the knowledge and experience gathered from multiple IP and PMC BiSerial implementations and adding in the latest technology has created PMC-BiSerial-VI. BiSerial VI features completely isolated FIFO´s with 32 bit ports for increased adaptability and performance. The FIFO´s can be configured to support RX or TX or both directions. The [34] RS-485 / LVDS buffers have individual programmable termination, and direction controls allowing for any combination of "In´s and Out´s". Half-Duplex, Full-Duplex and uni-directional systems can be configured with software and VHDL. The denser, faster FPGA will implement the most complex state-machines.

The 34 IO can be configured to support one function, one function replicated several times, or multiple functions. For example the "RL1" has 8 UART channels, while the "ORB2" has 8 channels with 4 different functions. A real space saver when you need to have some Manchester to go with your UART and HDLC ports. A partial list of functions implemented in "Channels" includes: Manchester, Miller, SDLC, UART, Serial, Parallel, GPIO, COS, Custom, LADEE, NMS, Camera, Ternary, Low Speed, High Speed, Telemetry, Master & Target interactive IO, Adaptive. To support the functions the designs include: memory elements instantiated with FIFO, Dual Port RAM, register files, as well as state-machines, counters, timers, dividers, registers, CRC and Parity generation / checking, software drivers and applications, DMA [direct memory access] and the glue that goes with it. Our designs are all written in VHDL and done in a heirarchy allowing direct porting of different features to create new implementations.

More than 30 customerized versions of the PMC-BiSerial family and counting. PMC BiSerial VI is recommended for new designs.

The hardware has been used to interface with a wide variety of equipment. What do you need to communicate with? Control? Capture data from? Please see the bottom of this page and other BiSerial implementations for descriptions and manuals for our customerized versions. We have been doing custom versions of the BiSerial since 1998 when the IP version first came out. We will be doing custom versions in the future with the next generation parts and features.

A new custom version can be implemented in a very reasonable time. Typically 2-3 weeks of design time for a medium sized project including the new VHDL set, Windows® or Linux or VxWorks driver, reference software package, and documentation. Examples of the designs performed to date are listed toward the bottom of this page and pages for previous versions of BiSerial. Click here or or scroll down to see if the configuration you need already exists or if we need to work on a custom version for you.

We can be rapid with our response because the designs are structured to allow channels to be moved in and out to create new design sets. Most designs have a fairly large component of reused "known good" VHDL that we can pull from allowing us to focus on the new functions required for your implementation. You are getting the benefit of many man-years of design and test time with each new version created. Join our high reliability clients by taking advantage of our know-how to help speed your project to completion.

PMC-BiSerial-VI can be used along with a PCIe or other carrier/adapter to use with a variety of system types - PCI, PCIe, PC104p, VPX cPCI, etc.. Dynamic Engineering has PMC carriers for PCI, PCIexpress, cPCI, PC104p, and can do custom design´s specific to client requirements as well. Please use the handy JAVA pull-down menu at the top left of any page to navigate to other Dynamic Engineering products including carriers.

PMC´s are independently specificed through VITA for the form factor, connectors and pinouts of the PCI signaling; you can use the PMC BiSerial VI design with any carrier from any vendor that supports standard PMC´s. To make it even easier the PMC BiSerial VI has a universal PCI design to allow operation with VIO set to 3.3 or 5V.

It all starts with the PCB [Printed Circuit Board]. Quality design and quality materials are required to meet the strenuous requirements of many of our implementations. You can do the job quickly or you can do the design correctly. We pride ourselves on taking the time to put the extra work into our layouts. The quality goes in before the parts go on. In addition to routing strategy and layer counts, Via size, plating requirements, break-out trace widths, and materials are areas where quality comes into play. The via size and method of trace attachment to the via affect the signal shape and reliability. Using tear-drop trace connections to pads, via´s and through hole components enhance the reliability and minimize the impedance discontinuity resulting in a cleaner signal. Using 10/12 mil vias provides adequate copper for proper power distribution and more surface area to bond to where traces are interconnected. The combination provides better vibration endurance than smaller vias and traces would provide. The design has several power planes with sufficient copper weight and coverage to provide the references required for the routing plus the current and voltages needed by the various devices on the board. The larger features make the design work more difficult since there is less room to "play with" and the end result is worth it. Since 1998 when the IP BiSerial was introduced, the BiSerial family has enjoyed an excellent track record for reliability.

The PCI interface has a published set of requirements for compliance which restrict length, impedance, loading and other factors. PMC-BiSerial-VI is compliant with the PCI Specification. The IO section has requirements based on the IO type and the purpose for the IO. A very conservative approach has been taken to allow operation with any client requirement. The IO can be LVDS or RS-485. The IO on the connector side is differential with a 100 ohm impedance requirement. Between the FPGA and the tranceivers the IO is single ended. Each IO has separate direction, termination, and data lines to allow complete flexibilty. The design has matched length connections from the FPGA ball to the seating plane of the connector. The lengths are matched to the "mil". The Impedance is controlled and the signals routed with proper spacing to avoid cross talk etc. The other features including memory, PLL, oscillator, and power supplies are implemented within the PCB to exceed the operational requirements for those devices.

The Spartan VI has internal block RAM which can be configured in a variety of ways. Currently, up to 268 BRAMs can be configured for internal channel memory support. In addition the memory can be configured as Dual Port RAM to allow direct addressing and retransmission of repeated patterns.

Sometimes you just need more memory. Two external [to the FPGA] FIFO´s are available with 128Kx32 each. The FIFO´s are 32 bits wide to optimize data transfer from the PCI bus. Internal loop-back is supported. The loop-back test can be used for BIT and for software development. Programmable FIFO flags are supported on both sets of FIFO´s. Programmable Almost Full, Programmable Almost Empty, plus Full, Half Full, and Empty. The programmable flags can be set to any depth to allow the software a programmable delay from event to empty or full. The interrupts can be very useful when sending or receiving messages larger than the FIFO size. The interrupts are programmable and provisions are made to allow polling. In addition DMA can be programmed to fill or empty the FIFO with sizes larger than the FIFO size. The DMA is hardware controlled to be held off when no data is available or no room is available. With the "Channelized DMA"™ capability and large FIFO´s the software application can have reduced interrupt counts to deal with while supporting larger and faster IO transfer rates.

PMC-BiSerial-VI has 34 transceivers which can be used for any combination of input and output functions. Parallel and serial data, multiple channels, and different hand-shaking schemes can be implemented with the quantity of IO on the PMC-BiSerial. RS-485 transceivers support up to 40 Mhz rates. The LVDS transceivers are rated at better than 200 MHz.

The IO is available through either the front panel mounted SCSI III connector or Pn4 or some combination. Each transceiver pair is isolated from the connector with zero ohm resistors. The resistors are mounted front and rear and tied together at each pin to allow for a stub length of 1/16th in. The Connectors are routed from the resistor packs directly allowing for almost zero stub lengths and the option to connect front or rear IO options. In addition the IO have resistors tied between the IO and a power plane. The plane is strappable to allow 5V or GND on either rail. The IO can be set to provide a high or a low condition when not driven to support half duplex operation without adding resistors to your cables.

Clock options are frequently a major factor in embedded designs. Getting the right reference to the right part of the design and allowing for local control of exact frequencies. PMC BiSerial VI has a PLL with 4 programmable outputs, reference oscillator, internal DCM´s and buffering plus programable dividers instantiated within the VHDL. The PLL can be programmed to "any" fixed frequency, the DCM used to create phase variations, and local dividers to allow on-the-fly channel based frequency changes.

"Channelized DMA"™ is an important feature of the PMC-BiSerial-VI design. With "Channelized DMA"™ you have a separate DMA engine for each transmitter and each receiver within each channel. Each state-machine can be serviced independently with DMA without requiring intervention from the host. Large data transfers can happen between multiple connections while the CPU is off doing something else. In non-channelized designs the CPU will have to intervene each time a different port needs to be serviced. With a channelized approach the hardware takes care of the local arbitration, and eliminates the intervention for better system performance and less latency.

If your situation demands a custom application we will update the Xilinx FPGA and IO components. Send us your timing and we will send you the interface. Please refer to the bottom of this page for previously completed "customerized" PMC BiSerial VI implementations.
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PMC-BiSerial VI Example Block Diagram

PMC BiSerial VI ORB2 version block diagram
See the bottom of Dynamic Data Sheet for more options


PMC-BiSerial-VI Features

Interface Types	Custom programmed interfaces are available. Please send us a timing diagram, and we can program one for you. Most interfaces can be adapted from our large library of designs within 2-3 weeks including the updated VHDL, Windows or Linux or VxWorks Driver, reference manuals etc. We can support on-site [ours] integration to help you get your application level software working. Alternatively choose one of the already completed versions and purchase off-the-shelf. Common requested and implemented interface types include: Manchester, Miller, SDLC, UART, Serial, Parallel, GPIO, COS, Custom, LADEE, NMS, Camera, Ternary, Low Speed, High Speed, Telemetry, Master & Target interactive IO, Adaptive. Mix and Match. Just like but different...
Signaling	34 RS-485 / RS-422 / LVDS compatible IO are provided. Any combination of transmit or receive channels can be created. LVDS and RS-485 can be mixed. RS-485 bandwidth is lower when mixed [16 Mbps]. Programmable termination. Pull-up and Pull-down option on IO to allow controlled level when tri-stated. Option for marking or low state.
IO	The IO is available via the PMC bezel connector and / or the PMC "user IO" connector Pn4. The differential IO is properly routed with impedance control, pitch, and space plus matched lengths across all of the pairs. 0 ohm resistors are used to isolate the front and rear panel IO to allow single port designs to remove the bus stub to the removed port. Please note that the lower 32 channels [only] are routed to Pn4 due to pin limitations.
Transmit Speeds and Clocking	Up to 40 MHz RS485, and up to 200 MHz LVDS signaling supported. 4 channel software programmable PLL. Reference oscillator. Counters / Dividers / DCM for local clock control.
PCI Speed	PCI 33 MHz. operation Standard Target accesses, and "Channelized DMA"™ supported. "Channelized DMA"™ is a full DMA capability on each function in a multi-function implementation. Standard 32 bit operation supported.
Software Interface	PMC registers are read-writeable. VxWorks, Linux and Windows® drivers available. Design help for alternate OS implementations.
DIP Switch	An 8 bit "DIP Switch" is provided for user purposes. The DIP switch can be used to allow the application software to positively identify a PMC BiSerial VI in a multi-board implementation. The PCI bus enumerates the address which means the application software can´t rely on the address to always match up with a particular card. With the DIP switch the particular BiSerial can be identified and postive control over a particular asset provided. Could be important depending on what you are connected to. The switch can also be used for software control, a debugging aide or other user purposes.
Interrupts	Software programmable interrupts on status, errors, completion of transfer, DMA, FIFO levels, custom events. Status can be polled for non-interrupt driven operation as well.
Memory	Separate FIFO´s / Dual Port RAM are provided for all channels. Internal FPGA Block RAM memory modules for fast access. Optional discrete FIFO´s -128K x 32 are available.
FPGA	Xilinx Spartan VI 100 3I is the base FPGA installed. FLASH is used to program the FPGA. In many cases any feature updates can be sent to your facility to reprogram without down time.
Power	+5, 3.3V. 2.5V and 1.2V converted with on-board power supply.
Temperature	Industrial Temperature is standard. [-40 <=> +85].
Assembly	Standard [leaded] processing or ROHS compliant processing are available. See ordering options.
Conformal Coating	Conformal Coating is available to support operation in condensing environments.
Size	Standard Single PMC
Statement of Volatility	Download PDF here

PMC BiSerial VI Benefits

Speed	PMC-BiSerial-VI is optimized for differential interfacing requirements. The FIFO memories and programmable interrupts off-load the CPU from most of the management other implementations require. FIFO access is optimized for the PCI bus further reducing overhead by speeding up the data transfer. On the IO side the PMC BiSerial has independent channel functions. Channels can operate at maximum rate in parallel. With the Spartan VI "Channelized DMA"™ can be implemented and still have plenty of gates left for your application.
Price	PMC BiSerial is easily programmed to implement new functions. Many previously implemented "custom designs" are available too. Without the costs of schematic level design, layout, debugging etc. a modified PMC-BiSerial-VI will represent a large cost savings in your budget. With our large and growing VHDL library your function(s) may be close to complete when we start since we can modify existing implementations or repackage them as required.
Ease of Use	PMC-BiSerial-VI is easy to use. The registers are designed to be R/W without layering or other indirect control methods. Use the Dynamic Driver with Windows® VxWorks, or Linux or create your own. The HW manuals have the full address and bit maps plus definitions for each function. In most cases the interfaces are "Point and shoot" - just fill the FIFO and set the start bit to get your custom protocol transmitting. The driver and user application reference software have built in utilities for parsing new PLL frequency files, loading the PLL, reading the switch, doing loop-back using DMA via the IO and between FIFO´s. Built in loop-back capabilities and engineering kits help with integration into your system. We can write a custom for you.
Availability	Dynamic Engineering plans to keep the PMC BiSerial VI in stock. Send in your order and in most cases have your hardware the next day. With a custom design a 2-3 week design period is usually required. We can support immediately with the another version then send updated FLASH Files later to help get your project going - right away.
Size	PMC BiSerial VI is a standard single wide PMC card and meets the PMC mechanical specifications. The PMC BiSerial VI can be used in all PMC slots.
PMC Compatibility	PMC BiSerial is PMC compliant per the IEEE 1386 specification.
PCI Compatibility	PMC BiSerial is PCI compliant. You can develop with a PCI/PCIe etc. to PMC adapter - PCI2PMC or PCIePMCX1. Use the Java pull-down menu´s for more carrier options.

Due to the number of options for building and configuring PMC BiSerial VI is a quoted item. Please contact Dynamic Engineering with your requirements or the name of the model if one already exists that meets your needs.

Customer Special Versions & Manuals
You can order these too or request that we design one for you. Please refer to the PMC BiSerial III, PMC BiSerial II and PMC BiSerial for other completed designs. Any can be ported to this platform and if desired, upgraded to take advantage of the larger memory etc. available on the BiSerial VI.

PMC BiSerial VI version UART

Customer: Base Model
Current implementation has sixteen UART I/O channels each consisting of RS-485 transmit and receive data. The UART interface uses a 16x clock to detect received data bits. Received data is filtered with the 32 MHz. reference clock to remove line glitches. The interface can operate at up to 2 Mbits/second using a 32 MHz clock. Each UART channel has 255 x 32 FIFO for transmit and another 255x32 for receive in addition to Packet Definition FIFO´s. 3 modes can be selected per fully independent node: Standard UART (unpacked), Packed, and Packetized. In Packed mode 32 bit data is assumed allowing 4 characters to be read/written at a time. Packetized mode allows for non LW data lengths, and retains most of the efficiency of LW packing. Odd lengths [non LW boundaries] are loaded with the complete LW´s first then the remainder. The Packet length FIFO is programmed with the length to send. The Packet lengths can be loaded to transmit with minimal HW delay between Packets or with a programmed delay.

Download the PMC BiSerial III UART Hardware manual. Updated for BiSerial VI soon.


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