Project Files
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Acquisition Engine for Hand-held X-Ray Spectrometer, with CMOS Image Sensor Input
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Innov-X produces a line of Handheld X-Ray Flourescence Metal
Analyzers that are used to determine the metal content at
scrap yards, in mining, and in other metrology applications.
Each system consists of an HP iPaq PDA that performs the
spectral analysis and displays the results, and a custom
data acquisition and processing card that samples and
consolidates detector data.
Additional information about the Innov-X’s products may be
found at their website:
http://www.innovx.com/products/alpha
The Innov-X Acquisition Engine had interfaced to the iPaq
PDAs using a serial interface, but suddenly HP had announced
that new models would replace the serial ports with USB
ports. Innov-X turned to Bolton Engineering to rapidly
produce a new design that was form-compatible with their
original board, but would incorporate a high speed (480Mbps)
USB port. In addition, Innov-X wanted to add an interface to
a VGA-size CMOS camera module to allow future products to
store a picture when taking a sample.
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System
Overview
The Acquisition Engine consists of:
- Dual Blackfin BF561 Digital Signal Processor (DSP).
- 8Mbytes Flash Memory, and 4Mbytes SDRAM.
- High Speed (480Mbps) Slave USB port for communication
to a PC
- 1.5Msps 14-bit A/D converter, with programmable gain
front-end.
- On-board DSP core power supply, and peripheral power
supplies
- VGA CMOS Camera Interface
- Various bit I/O and expansion port
- RS-232 console port
Project Scope
Bolton Engineering worked with Innov-X to create a
specification, designed the schematics and circuit
board, wrote test and driver firmware, wrote USB mass
storage driver software, fabricated and debugged the
hardware. Innov-X was responsible for all mechanical and
industrial design, and wrote PC-resident software. The
first-pass boards worked and fit perfectly without
requiring changes. |
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Consumer and Computer
