Network Controller Using GPIB

Overview

The eZ80F91 processor is used by the network GPIB controller for a number of critical functions to be integrated into a single device to provide a feature-rich solution that is low cost.

Details

The General Purpose Interface BUS (GPIB) is a multipoint, 8-bit parallel bus that uses a 3-wire handshake to acknowledge each byte data, which is invented by Hewlett-Packard back in the 1960’s. The reason for this creation is due to the existence of test equipment such as signal generators, power supplies, oscilloscopes, and others that are usually used in compliance, manufacturing, and other applications where they are required. The GPIB allows such equipments to be easily controlled and connected together.

The GPIB driver is the heart of the controller where a fully compliant GPIB bus controller in software is implemented using the external GPIO lines of eZ80F91. The cost and complexity of the processor are reduced with the inclusion of an embedded Ethernet MAC. A total of 15 devices are allowed by the bus with up to 2m of separation between each device and a maximum bus length of 20m. the ZTP TCP/IP protocol stack is used to build the software in controller.