Description

The sqMac module (the network interface logic) was upgraded to support up to 64 nodes. Key changes include:

larger packet forwarding buffer. Previously 128 bits deep, now 2048 bits (Spartan2/2e) or 8196 bits (Spartan3/3e).

Improved support for pipelined service commands.

A new unified Capture module was created to replace the older versions of both the Capture and Probe modules. In addition, new trigger features were introduced.

All Capture modules have a base feature set: Single-shot capture with the new trigger select, pre-trigger condition, and filter options. This Single-shot capture replaces the basic capture in prior FPGA versions. Some FPGAs support an additional Auto-arm mode. When enabled by software, Auto-arm uses a capture buffer memory to store multiple capture events (replaces the Probe module in prior FPGA versions).

The new trigger logic is common to all FPGAs (and slightly different to prior FPGA versions). Up to 32 trigger source inputs are available. The exact set of trigger source signals depends on the IO for each node. A trigger event can be selected from any input, with rising, falling, or both edges active. An optional filter function can be used to deglitch the signal. An optional pre-condition (based on the same trigger sources) can be specified: pre-condition high, low, rising edge, falling edge, or both.

For more information about using the new capture features, see Capture Objects.

Fix/Solution:
The FPGA bit, driveResetComplete, has been removed from the dedicatedIo Fault and Fault Mask registers. This bit has been replaced with driveBootComplete in the dedicatedIo Config register. This bit is monitored solely by the sqNodeLib utility. It is currently not visible through MPI calls or through Motion Console.
NOTE: This change causes compatibility issues between new FPGAs and old software (or old FPGAs with new software). FPGA version x0400 and later require the 03.04.00 MPI software release and later.

Fix/Solution:
The FPGA was changed so that if the watchdog fault was the trigger to enter into the stop mode, the watchdog fault would not disable itself, thus allowing the fault to stay latched and also trigger the nodeIo fault.

Description:
The sqNode x0400 FPGA release introduces an upgraded network module, sqMac version 0300. Upgraded features include:

• SynqNet HotReplace - allows one or more more nodes to be shutdown, replaced, and brought back on-line without interrupting other nodes.
• Revised Cable Length Discovery - a new node-to-node method was added to make discovery more accurate.
• sqPll shutdown - a controlled shutdown of individual nodes for HotReplace.

The sqMac 0300 version is NOT fully compatible with MPI versions prior to 03.04.00. Using 0300 sqMac with older software (for some configurations) might cause the "idle cable" check function to accidently corrupt normal packet traffic. But, the MPI will issue a warning if old/new FPGA/MPI are mixed by accident.

Fix/Solution:
In FPGA versions 0x0400 and later, the notAmpPowered fault bit is now latched. If active, it can be cleared by writing a "1" to bit 5 of the dedicatedIo fault status register.

Description:
In FPGAs 0x0347, 0x0400, and later, the maximum quadrature encoder count rate has been improved to be 50MHz. In previous FPGA releases, the maximum count rate was 25MHz.

Fix/Solution:
In FPGA version x0346 and later, an ioAbort event still forces gpio "output" pins to "input" mode, which allows external resistors to pull pins from either high or low for a "safe" state. The resistors may or may not be present depending on the PCB assembly. However, during an ioAbort event, service writes to the gpio configuration register no longer cause momentary "output" direction. After the ioAbort event is cleared, gpio pins will resume their previous "output" state without software intervention.

Fix/Solution:
The FPGA code was corrected in version x0346 and later releases. This fix is required for systems using the Dual String or IN Port String topologies. This fix is NOT required for systems using normal OUT Port String or Ring topologies.

Description:
0x00 will be read for dataType NULL in the status and feedback packets.

Fix/Solution:
The fault recovery problems was corrected in FPGA build versions x0346 and later. The rcvMiiBuffer will correctly clear itself after an overflow. The xmitMiiReg will release xmitHoldRcvBuf within 8 clocks after a fault, preventing an rcvMiiBuffer overflow. 8 clocks will guarantee that there is minimum packet spacing between the packets. sqPll will ignore the second SYNQ packet after fault recovery (in case packet delays were effected in the cycle where fault recovery occurred). The rcvMii will correctly handle a valid packet with data length of 0. No software changes are required.

Problem/Cause:
The pulse engine (step/direction logic) may appear to have a momentary position error after network packet errors (or fault recovery). The FPGA pulseFeedback value was not updated when DEMAND packet errors occurred. The "old" pulseFeedback value was sent back to the controller until valid DEMAND packets arrived, which may look like zero velocity to the controller. If a fault recovery is in progress, and the controller does not receive the FEEDBACK packet, the controller will interpolate the expected position based on constant velocity, then at the end of recovery, the controller may get one FEEDBACK packet with "old" pulseFeedback position (correct pulseFeedback will arrive in subsequent packets). This issue existed in all FPGAs prior to version x0345.

Fix/Solution:
The FPGA code was corrected in versions x0345 and later. No software changes are required.

Fix/Solution:
The FPGA code was corrected in versions x0341 and later. No software changes are required.

Description:
Add support for multiple packets to the rxMiiBuffer. This improves tolerance to network jitter. Prior to version x0341, the rxMiiBuffer could absorb up to 32 clocks (1.28 µS) of delay for a single packet, but only 8 clocks for multiple packets with minimum spacing. This change is required to meet theoretical worst-case network jitter in large networks (32 nodes). The improvement may also help at network startup, since the node's PLL phase error is larger than normal (as the PLL pulls into nominal lock). No software changes are required.

Description:
Add double-buffering to the ADC input data. This change eliminates the need for a SynqNet scheduling limit (and the corresponding software error check). Prior to version x0341, a software error check prevented operation if the controller cycle time was less than the time required to complete the full ADC read sequence of all enabled channels. Otherwise, there would be a chance that packet data might be sent while new ADC data was arriving. This might result in some data from the "new" ADC read, and some data from the "old" (previous) read. If one 16-bit ADC value contained 8 bits of "old" and 8 bits of "new" data, this could cause an invalid value. For version x0341 and later, the ADC read data is double-buffered to prevent the possibility of bad data. If the controller cycle is faster than the ADC cycle, the node will send "old" data in multiple packets while the ADC cycle completes, then switch to "new" data.

NOTE: For existing systems, with controller cycles longer than ADC cycles, there is no change in ADC behavior. However, for new systems (with new MPI releases) it is possible to use higher controller rates without reducing the number of enabled ADC channels.

New FPGAs (x0341 and later) are fully backwards compatible with old MPI software releases. New MPI releases (starting with 03.02.xx) are generally compatible with old FPGAs (prior to version x0341). However, the former error check for ADC cycle period has been eliminated, so it is possible to configure a controller cycle rate fast enough to cause a problem when using old FPGAs with new MPI.

Description:
Add BranchRev register. This extends the existing 16 bits of FPGA version number with 8 bits of branch and 8 bits of revision ID.

Description:
Expand the dedicatedIn word from 16 bits to 32 bits and add the status bits Feedback 0 Fault and Feedback 1 Fault. Note: Although the FPGAs now supports additional bits, the MPI does not yet enable them.

Problem/Cause:
Clearing the driveWatchdogFault and driveChecksumError required two service comands—a write to start the clear, and a write to end the clear. MPI releases prior to the 03.01.00 did not clear the bits.

Fix/Solution:
Corrected the Drive Watchdog Fault and Drive Checksum Error bits to clear with a single service command. MPI releases 03.01.00 and later support this new behavior and clear the bits after a network reset.

Description:
Set unused pins to FLOAT after the FPGA configuration process. After a power-on, but prior to FPGA configuration, SynqNet FPGA pins should be high-impedance outputs.

NOTE: The mode pins can enable internal pullups, but this is not recommended for SynqNet.

After configuration, unused pins will be high-impedance outputs with no internal pull-up or pulldown. In earlier versions, unused pins would default to weak internal pulldowns. This was not ideal since it could have conflicted with an external pull-up.

Problem/Cause:
There was a problem where SqMax NodeStatus cyclic status bits may have been corrupted after reading some of the FPGA registers (via the service command). The bits that could have been corrupted are: analogPowerFault, ioAbort, nodeAlarm, and nodeDisable. This issue has existed since release x0100.

Fix/Solution:
This problem has been fixed.

Description:
Support has been added for a number of different flash component vendors. Flash components that are currently supported are:

Problem/Cause:
There was a problem with the inverted polarity option for the FPGA inputs nodeDisable and analogPowerFault. Prior to this fix, only the default polarity was functional. The problem happened because the hardware invert logic was inserted after the hardware latch function. Therefore, when "invert" was selected, the input would typically latch the negated state, and would not report a fault unless the latch was cleared by a software command. If the "invert" option was NOT used, the input would function correctly. This issue did not exist until the x020C release, where these inputs were first latched.

Fix/Solution:
This problem has been fixed.

Problem/Cause:
There was a problem in the sqPll function of the sqMac. With certain timing values, one node in the network may have fail to hold lock and then aborts cyclic operation. For a typical 3-node network, this timing typically occurred with TxTime set to 95%. Other TxTime values may fail in other network configurations.

Fix/Solution:
This problem has been fixed.

Description:
The drive current of GPIO pins has been increased to +/-24mA. Other outputs which may drive opto isolators (LED outputs, nodeAlarm, ampEnable, brakeApplied) were already configured for 24mA drive current. See individual FPGA specifications for complete details of I/O characteristics.

Problem/Cause:
There was a problem in the receive data unload function of the sqMax. In certain situations where the packet size did not match the configured packet size, invalid sqMax outputs were observed to cause "glitches" in the I/O output signals. The glitches would occur at the transition from cyclic to asynq operation, but the ioAbort signal would normally prevent these glitches from reaching external logic.

Fix/Solution:
This problem has been fixed.

Description:
Improvements have been made to the secondary encoder features. These changes allow the use of encoder faults and capture with secondary encoders. Secondary feedback for drives has also been added. The changes are NOT backwards compatible with software releases prior to 20031222 (secondary encoder feedback is not fully functional with prior software).

Description:
Improvements have been made to the ADC features to use the new "nodeIo" conventions. These changes allow up to 8 ADC channels per node (prior to this, the default was 1 ADC channel per motor). The changes are NOT backwards compatible with software releases prior to 20031222 (ADCs are not functional with prior software).