.

Release Note
xxx_A301.fpg

MPI Version
FPGA Version
03.04.12
251_A301.fpg
03.04.09
246_A301.fpg
03.04.00
Production Release
245_A301.fpg
03.03.00
Production Release
233_A301.fpg
03.02.00
Production Release
224_A301.fpg
03.01.01
224_A301.fpg
03.01.00
Production Release
221_A301.fpg

  Table of Contents
     
    Changes and Bug Fixes
     

251_A301.fpg
      sqRecoveryTest fails (injectError register) - Bug - Fix- FP774
      Intermittent CRC errors occur during idle cable test - Fixed Bug - FP735

245_9301.fpg
      ZMP fails SynqNet initialization with single node - Fixed Bug - FP496

241_9301.fpg
      Improved cable length discovery for SynqNet HotReplace - New Feature - FP456

240_9301.fpg
      Support for SynqNet HotReplace (miiBlocker) - New Feature - FP446

233_A301.fpg
      SynqNet Fault Recovery bug (invalid cable length after idle cable check) - Fixed Bug - FP379

232_A301.fpg
      TEST packet status bug (idle cable check fails) - Fixed Bug - FP375
      Added "Change Pkt Enable" bit to the Rx DMA Control register - Change Feature - FP373

231_A301.fpg
     RxPropDelay Packet N Feature - New Feature - FP348
     Modification of RxMiiBuffer Fix - Change Feature - FP346
     Addition of Promiscuous Mode - New Feature - FP345
     Addition of Valid Status Bit - New Feature - FP344
     Addition of Receive Port Disables - New Feature - FP343
     Single Trigger Bit - New Feature - FP342

224_A301.fpg
     Rincon rxOutPort flicker - Fixed Bug - FP241

223_A301.fpg
     Rincon rxPropDelay cable length 0 - Fixed Bug - FP236

222_A301.fpg
     Rincon upstream packet errors during recovery - Fixed Bug - FP222
     Addition of Rincon opto input debounce filter - New Feature - FP221

221_A301.fpg
     Rincon rxPropDelay hang on ZMP - Fixed Bug - FP209


251_A301.fpg

  sqRecoveryTest fails (injectError register)
    Reference Number: FP 774
    Type: Bug Fix
    FPGA Version: 251
   

Problem/Cause:

The sqRecoverTest program may fail due do malfunction of the injectError register. Other test programs which use this test register are likely to fail also. No errors were observed in normal operation.

For ZMP FPGA images 250_A301.fpg and 250_A501.fpg, a logic error allowed a test register to intermittantly malfunction. This error was latent in all prior versions, although never observed until now. Note XMP images 250_9201.fpg and 250_9601.fpg are not affected.

   

Fix/Solution:

The FPGA source code has been corrected in version 251.

 

250_A301.fpg

  Intermittent CRC errors occur during idle cable test
    Reference Number: FP 735
    Type: Fixed Bug
    FPGA Version: 250
   

Problem/Cause:
Nodes on the cables attached to the controller IN or OUT ports may intermittantly report a CRC error when Idle Cable Test is run on that cable. The error is benign (no packet data is lost) but causes confusing statistics.

   

Fix/Solution:
The FPGA logic was corrected to prevent disabling a transmit port while a packet is in progress.

 

245_A301.fpg

  ZMP fails SynqNet initialization with single node
    Reference Number: FP 496
    Type: Fixed Bug
    FPGA Version: 245
   

Problem/Cause:
SynqNet initialization errors intermittently occurred on ZMP-SynqNet systems with one or more nodes. When the problem occurred, all nodes on the system failed to enter cyclic operation. It was caused by a clock domain problem in the RinconZ timer module. Although this latent problem existed in RinconZ (build 244) and all prior versions, it was masked in prior MPI releases due to different timing schedules. This problem does not exist on XMP-SynqNet systems where both the source and destination of the signal exist in the same clock domain.

   

Fix/Solution:
FPGA code was corrected in Rincon Build 245 and later versions to eliminate the clock domain problem on ZMP-SynqNet systems.

 

241_A301.fpg

  Improved cable length discovery for SynqNet HotReplace
    Reference Number: FP 456
    Type: New Feature
    FPGA Version: 241
   

Description:
In order to support the new SynqNet HotReplace feature, improvements were made to the cable length discovery routine. A new module, testEcho, was added for support.

 

240_A301.fpg

  Support for SynqNet HotReplace (miiBlocker)
    Reference Number: FP 446
    Type: New Feature
    FPGA Version: 240
   

Description:
Support was added for the new SynqNet HotReplace feature. The packet types TEST, CHANGE, REQUEST_RESTART, and RESET_COMPLETE are now blocked in hardware under certain conditions.

 

233_9301.fpg

  SynqNet Fault Recovery bug (invalid cable length after idle cable check)
    Reference Number: FP 379
    Type: Fixed Bug
    FPGA Version: 233
   

Problem/Cause:
In Rincon version 231 and 232, SynqNet Fault Recovery may fail. This was caused by an invalid cable length discovered on the last cable after an "idle cable" check is performed. The problem could have only occurred if the MPI idle cable function was called just prior to a SynqNet initialization call. This problem could not have occurred after a normal controller reset. The invalid cable length does not have an effect unless fault recovery forced SynqNet to switch to the idle cable (last cable) in the ring. If this occurred, one or more nodes may have declared sqPllFail and shut down. This problem was a combination of both hardware and software bugs. The hardware bug existed in Rincon version 231 and 232 only. The software bug existed in MPI 03.03.Beta4 and prior versions.

   

Fix/Solution:
The problem has been fixed in software version 03.03.Beta5 and later. The problem was fixed for the hardware in Rincon version 233 and later. Note Rincon 233 or later is recommended for MPI versions between 03.03.00 and 20031222.

 

232_9301.fpg

  TEST packet status bug (idle cable check fails)
    Reference Number: FP 375
    Type: Fixed Bug
    FPGA Version: 232
   

Problem/Cause:
The TEST packet status was not reported correctly in Rincon version 214 and later. This caused the MPI "idle cable" check to fail for cables connected to the controller. However, fault recovery and all other SynqNet functions still operated correctly. This issue affected MPI 20031015 and later.

   

Fix/Solution:
The FPGA code as been corrected in Rincon version 232 and later. No software changes are required.


  Added "Change Pkt Enable" bit to the Rx DMA Control register
    Reference Number: FP 373
    Type: New Feature
    FPGA Version: 232
   

Description:
Added a new bit ChangePktEnable to the Rincon RxDMAControl register. This is useful for testing SynqNet.

 

231_9301.fpg

  RxPropDelay Packet N Feature
    Reference Number: FP 348
    Type: New Feature
    FPGA Version: 231
   

Description:
The Rx Prop Delay counter can now measure the Nth receive packet. This is useful for special situations.


  Modification of RxMiiBuffer
    Reference Number: FP 346
    Type: Change Feature
    FPGA Version: 231
   

Description:
Improved the RxMiiBuffer module to correctly handle simultaneous packets on both IN port and OUT port. This feature is required for reliable dual-string discovery.


  Addition of Promiscuous Mode
    Reference Number: FP 345
    Type: New Feature
    FPGA Version: 231
   

Description:
Added a "Promiscuous" feature to the Rincon receive state machine. This helps with certain discovery situations.


  Addition of Valid Status bit
    Reference Number: FP 344
    Type: New Feature
    FPGA Version: 231
   

Description:
Added new bit “Valid Status” to the Receive Control Block "Status" word. This bit may be useful in certain Asynch operations.


  Addition of Receive Port Disables
    Reference Number: FP 343
    Type: New Feature
    FPGA Version: 231
   

Description:
Added two bits to the Rx DMA Control register to disable packet reception on either IN port or OUT port. This feaure helps with the discovery of dual-string networks. These bits default to 0 (enabled) for backwards compatibility. No software changes are required.


  Single Trigger Bit
    Reference Number: FP 342
    Type: New Feature
    FPGA Version: 231
   

Description:
Modified the RinconZ timer control logic to provide a watchdog shutdown if ZMP firmware fails (RinconZ will stop transmitting if the firmware fails to rearm the RinconZ on each cycle, which will then cause the nodes to declare ioAbort and put the outputs into safe states). The previous control bit "External Trigger" was replaced by a bit named "Single Trigger." No software changes are required (although ZMP firmware must be changed to take advantage of the new feature).

 

224_A301.fpg

  Rincon rxOnOutPort flicker
    Reference Number: FP 241
    Type: Fixed Bug
    FPGA Version: 224
   

Description:
The rxOnOutPort bit may not be valid in the Receive Control Block status word. This does not affect basic operation, but may cause problems with idle cable detection after fault recovery (only if the system has more than 16 nodes). This problem depends on internal FPGA routing delays, and potentially exists in all builds prior version 224. Currently, the problem has only been observed in 223_A301.fpg.

 

223_A301.fpg

  Rincon rxPropDelay cable length 0
    Reference Number: FP 236
    Type: Fixed Bug
    FPGA Version: 223
   

Description:
XMP and eXMP controllers using FPGA versions 221 and 222 always discover cable lengths of 0. The MPI schedule will allow for actual cable lengths between 0 and 10 meters, but longer cables may not work reliably. ZMP controllers are not affected by this bug.

 

222_A301.fpg

  Rincon upstream packet errors during recovery
    Reference Number: FP 222
    Type: Fixed Bug
    FPGA Version: 222
   

Description:
When fault recovery occurs on a network with 9 or more nodes, excessive upstream packet error counts may be seen for all nodes, or some nodes may fail to recover. The errors occured if a CHANGE packet arrived while the receive FIFO was reset at the begining of the next controller cycle. This problem exists in all FPGAs prior to version 222.


  Addition of Rincon opto input debounce filter
    Reference Number: FP 221
    Type: New Feature
    FPGA Version: 222
   

Description:
A debounce filter has been added to all 6 opto inputs of the XMP and ZMP controller designs. The filter delays input changes 140 uS +/– 20 µS, with the delay restarting if the input bounces back to the previous value.

 

221_A301.fpg

  Rincon rxPropDelay hang on ZMP
    Reference Number: FP 209
    Type: Fixed Bug
    FPGA Version: 221
   

Description:
ZMP controllers may fail network initialization. Typically, the application (Motion Console, reset, etc.) will never complete initialization. For MPI releases prior to 03.01.00, the application halts and never reports an error. The program can be aborted successfully in some cases, while others require a reboot to fully recover. Occasionally, the host computer may hang. For MPI releases 03.01.00 and later, the application will report an error. This problem exits on all ZMP controllers prior to FPGA version 221. XMP controllers are not affected.


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