USBee DX Toolbuilder Source Code Library

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The USBee DX Test Pod System consists of the USBee DX Test Pod connected to a Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2000 PC High Speed USB 2.0 port through the USB cable, and to your circuit using the multicolored test leads and clips. Once connected and installed, the USBee can then be controlled using either the USBee DX Windows Software or your own USBee DX Toolbuilder software.

The USBee DX system is also expandable by simply adding more USBee DX pods for more channels and combined features.

The USBee DX Test Pod is ideal for students or designers that need to get up and running with High Speed USB immediately.  With a mini-B USB connector on one end and signal pin headers on the other, this simple pod will instantly USB 2.0 High-Speed enable your design.  Then using the source code libraries, drivers and DLL's that are included here you can write your own PC application to control and monitor the signal pins on the pod. 

The USBee DX has headers that are the interface to your circuits.  The signals on these headers represent a 16 bit data bus, a Read/Write#/TRG signal (T) and a clock line (C).  Using the libraries and source code provided you can do reads and writes to these signals.  The USBee DX acts as the master, driving the T and C signals to your circuit.

There are six modes of data transfers that you can use depending on your system needs. 

• Voltmeter Mode
• Signal Capture
• Digital Signal Generator
• Bi-Directional “bit-bang” mode 
• Uni-Directional High Speed mode

Voltmeter Mode

The simplest of the analog functions is the DVM (Digital Voltmeter) routine called GetAllSignals.  It simply samples all of the signals on the USBee DX pod and measures the voltage on both analog channels.  This measurement is taken over a second an the average is returned. 

The routine GetAllSignals () samples the specified channel and returns the measurement.

Signal Capture

The USBee DX has the ability to capture samples from the 16 digital signals and two analog channels at the same time.  Each analog sample is time synchronized with the corresponding digital samples.

In signal capture modes, there is a single capture buffer where each sample is a long value made up of 4 bytes.  The low order 2 bytes represent the 16 digital channels.  Digital Signal 0 is bit 0 of each long value.  The Analog samples are the high two bytes where each byte is an 8-bit ADC value taken during that sample period for that channel.  The samples range from 0 (at -10.0V) to 255 (at 10.0V).  Each count of the ADC equates to 78.125mV, which is the lowest resolution possible on the USBee DX without averaging.

The maximum sample rate that is possible in Signal Capture mode is 24Msps.  This value can depend on your PC system and available processing speed and how many byte lanes are sampling data.  The basic rule of thumb is that the maximum bandwidth through USB 2.0 is near 24Mbytes/second.  Therefore to capture 2 bytelanes (16 digital channels for example) would equate to a maximum sample rate of 12Msps.

The method for performing a single data capture, or sampling, using the Signal Capture routines is as follows:

• Allocate the sample buffers (MakeBuffer() )
• Start the capture running (StartCapture(…))
• Monitor the capture in progress to determine if it is triggered, filling, or completed. (CaptureStatus()).
• End the capture when it is finished. (StopCapture())
• Process the sample data that is now contained in the sample buffers.

Once the data is captured into a buffer, you can call the Bus Decoder routines to extract the data from these busses.

Digital Signal Generator

The USBee DX has the ability to generate (output) samples from 8 or 16 digital signals at up to 24Msps or 12Msps in Signal Generator mode. 

In this mode, there is a single buffer that stores the samples to generate.  Each sample is a long value made up of 4 bytes.  The low order 2 bytes represent the 16 digital channels.  Digital Signal 0 is bit 0 of each long value.   The high two bytes are not used.  These samples can then be generated on command. 

The maximum sample rate that is possible Signal Generator mode is 24Msps.  This value can depend on your PC system and available processing speed and how many byte lanes are generating data.  The basic rule of thumb is that the maximum bandwidth through USB 2.0 is near 24Mbytes/second.  Therefore to generate 2 bytelanes (16 digital channels for example) would equate to a maximum sample rate of 12Msps.

The method for generating a single output pattern using the Signal Generator routines is as follows:

• Allocate the sample buffer (MakeBuffer())
• Fill the sample buffer with the pattern data you want to generate.
• Start the generation running (StartGenerate (…))
• Monitor the generation in progress to determine if it is triggered, filling, or completed. (GenerateStatus()).
• Terminate the generation. (StopGenerate())

The USBee DX can not generate analog output voltages using this mode.  Variable analog outputs are possible using the PWM Controller and an external RC circuit.

Bi-Directional and Uni-Directional Modes

These two modes allow bit-level data transfers to and from the USBee DX pod.  The first offers complete flexibility of the 8 digital signal lines, while the other gives you very high transfer rates.

In the Bi-Directional Mode, each of the 16 data signals can be independently setup as inputs or outputs.  When sending data to the pod, only the lines that are specified as outputs will be driven.  When reading data from the pod, all 16 signals lines will return the actual value on the signal (whether it is an input or an output)

In the High-Speed Mode, all of the 16 data signal lines are setup in the same direction (as inputs or outputs) at the same time.  When sending data to the pod, all signals become outputs.  When reading data from the pod, all signals become inputs.

Also in High Speed mode, you can specify the CLK rate.  Available CLK rates are 24MHz, 12MHz, 6MHz, 3MHz, and 1MHz.  For slower rates you can use the bi-directional mode

In each of the modes you can specify the polarity of the CLK line.  You can set the CLK line to change data on the falling edge and sample on the rising edge, or visa versa.

The routines used to read and write the data to the pod are the same for both modes.  You call the SetMode function to specify the mode you want to use.  All subsequent calls for data transfers will then use that mode of transfer.

The following table shows the possible transfer rates for the various modes.  This assumes that your USB 2.0 host controller can achieve these rates.  USB 2.0 Host controllers can vary greatly.