Daytronic Corporation - System 10

The purpose of this unique microprocessor-based card is to make, store, and selectively output digital recordings of numerical and logic data acquired by a System 10 "B-sized" mainframe.

The History Card is extremely useful when you need sequential recording of one or more data sets at a rate too fast for a computer or other data-receiving device, or the accumulation of data which is collected at a rate too slow to warrant tying up valuable computer time for its communication.

Through simple mnemonic commands, you can instruct each of the History Card's four independent RAM recorders to automatically record a predefined list of randomly selected data channels and logic bits (see the LIST (LST) and STORE (STO) commands and examples in the table below). Recording can be made to occur at preset time intervals�from 10 milliseconds to 24 hours�or can be triggered by a specific combination of system logic, limit, and/or time-interval conditions.

Similar conditions can also be specified for halting and restarting each recorder (see the HALT (HLT) and START FROM HALT (STH) commands in the table). If desired, a given recorder can be instructed to continue recording�up to a given number of "frames" of data�following the occurrence of a "halt-triggering" condition.

With the CLK = ON command in effect, recording of data by the History Card can be synchronized with the data sampling rate.

The outputting of recorded data to an external computer, printer, or display�via either the mainframe's Computer Interface Port or an optional Auxiliary Computer Interface Port�can occur in either of two ways:

"Emptying" of a recorder can be done while recording is in process, and lets you learn what has happened since the last such interrogation. Recorder contents are not literally "emptied" in the process. In fact, you can easily reaccess all "frames" of recorded data that have been previously "emptied" (see the RHM command in the table below).

"History dumping," on the other hand, is generally done after recording has stopped. It creates, in effect, an expandable "history window," consisting of a selected range of recordings made, if desired, both before and after occurrence of a halt-triggering condition. The latter capability lets you review the complete "data history" associated with, say, a critical limit violation or process shutdown. Specified regions of a recorder's history memory can, however, be "dumped" at any time. Such "dumping" is not affected by any previous "emptying" of the recorder.

Through the OUTPUT IMAGE (IMA) command (see table), you can select the variables you want to appear in a recorder's output (such as time, date, serial number, etc.), and the order in which these variables are to be transmitted. Here are only two of the many possible output formats (where "SBG" refers to "System Bit Group" and "Fractional Time" is precise to hundredths of a second):

The History Card's versatile playback function makes available for direct interrogation, monitoring, or video display all of the readings recorded for a given system data channel that are currently in history memory. thus, you can play back as a live data channel the data last recorded for any given system channel or the data recorded for that channel at a specified time in the past. You can easily arrange for simultaneous video display, on the same display page, or a set of "playback channels," and of the corresponding "live" data values (as in the display shown above).

When the History Card is accompanied by a Model 10BSPC384 High Density History SPC Option Card, special "statistical" playback functions allow the system to perform independent, "on-line" Statistical Process Control (SPC). When used in "front-end" applications, the mainframe can even be disconnected from the host computer during the production process, while it continues to collect, display, store, classify, and analyze all measurement data.

Through a special "time search" function, it is possible to quickly review the values recorded by a given history recorder for one or a set of data channels over a specific period of time. You can also "replay" all data for a given recorder's "nonstatistical" playback channels, from the "oldest" to the "newest," using a variable time scale. This permits "slow motion" playback of all data recorded during a fast event, or a fast review of all data recorded for a test or process of long duration.

The History Card's normal capacity is 32000 scaled data readings (click here for a discussion of "Calculating Recorder Memory Volume").

When you require history memory beyond 32K readings, you may install the Model 10BHDM384 High Density History Memory Card (or the Model 10BSPC384 High Density History SPC Option Card). You can easily arrange for the history memory to be either VOLATILE or NONVOLATILE. When volatile mode is in effect, all data recordings will be automatically and "truly" erased every time the History Card is powered up. When novolatile mode is in effect, only the battery-backed history memory residing on an optional 10BHDM384 (or 10BSPC384) is available for storage of history recordings. Note that "true erasure" of history-memory contents is also possible in nonvolatile mode, by means of the NVH command (see table).

Front-edge LED status indicators tell you when the History Card is in setup mode, when the current total history memory is insufficient for the present recorder configuration, when each of the card's recorders first begins recording, or when recording stops because a halt-triggering condition has occurred or the recorder's memory has been cleared.

Every History Card come with free History StartPAC V software for rapid setup of history recording functions and the offloading of recorded data to disk file. All of the special history-related programs described in the following table are included in History StartPAC V�in addition to the other standard SuperPAC V programs listed below.

History StartPAC V Programs

History-Related Programs
SETUP2H	History Card setup ("LOGGER2" format)
LOGGER2H	History Card dump to LOGGER2 data file
SETUP3H	History Card setup ("LOGGER3" format)
LOGGER3H	History Card dump to LOGGER3 data file
HSTYDUMP	Data dump of History Card
Additional Programs (described on the SuperPAC V page)
USERTIPS	Operating guide for the new user
COMMLINK	Establishes serial communications with System 10
TERMINAL	Uses PC as a "dumb terminal" for sending commands/queries to System 10
DAS1	Simple "live" data display
VIEWLOG	Selective viewing of "LOGGER" data file
PRINTLOG	Selective printing of "LOGGER" data file
PLOTLOG	Performs plotting (vs. time) of LOGGER2 data file
PLOTLOG3	Performs plotting (X vs. Y) of LOGGER3 data file
LOTUSLNK	Converts "LOGGER" data file for use with Lotus 1-2-3

SETUP2H

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Provides a simple menu-driven procedure for setting up and controlling the History Card. Also permits the recording of data by the History Card in a form that is compatible with all LOGGER2 readout programs.

This program is a great time-saver. Explaining History Card setup considerations in simple language, it guides the user through selection of all necessary setup parameters for each of the History Card's four RAM recorders�including Channel "List," Recording Interval, "Start" and "Halt" Triggers, "Halt Depth," etc. A list of allowable entry values for each parameter is presented, and each entry is tested before it is accepted.

SETUP2H also monitors the allocation of total "history memory" among the History Card's four recorders. Thus, as each setup value is selected, current "Memory Used" and "Memory Available" are displayed. The user may then alter one or more setup values for the recorder in question, to adjust the distribution of memory.

LOGGER2H

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Can be used to offload all data recorded by the History Card to a computer disk file, once recording has been completed. The disk file may then be processed by any of the standard LOGGER2 readout programs and by LOTUSLNK.

All in all, LOGGER2H offers extreme flexibility in the storage and analysis of "historical" data.

SETUP3H

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Similar to SETUP2H (above), except that the resulting data format is compatible with LOGGER3 readout programs, having been optimized for those processes best analyzed by true X-Y plotting. Unlike SETUP2H, SETUP3H provides for the recording of data sets upon detection of various specified logic conditions, rather than at strictly uniform time intervals.

LOGGER3H

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Similar to LOGGER2H (above), except that it is used when the History Card has been set up via SETUP3H. The resulting disk file may be processed by any of the standard LOGGER3 readout programs.

HSTYDUMP

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Initiates a "history dump" of specified measurement data. Produces a data file of "dumped" history memory contents. This data is then subject to selective display, printout, X-Y plotting, and/or conversion for LOTUS or other spreadsheet processing.

Some History-Related Mnemonic Commands

SMD

Places the History Card in SETUP MODE

RMD

Places the History Card in RECORD MODE

LST n = CHN x1, x2, ... , SBG k1, k2, ... , DTE

Enters LIST of channels and bit groups to be recorded by Recorder n, with optional DATE

DPT n = d

Enters desired DEPTH (i.e., total record or "frame" capacity) of Recorder No. n (see History Card Supplement for more details)

STO n = B

Defines conditions for Recorder n to record and STORE a "frame" of data

Examples of the STORE (STO) Command:

STO 1 = ZLT 10 + ZLT 11

Recorder No. 1 will record and store a frame when data for EITHER Channel No. 10 OR Channel No. 11 is in the "LESS THAN" Limit Zone

STO 3 = BGH 689 * ZVO 72

Recorder No. 3 will record and store a frame when Bit No. 689 goes high AND a limit violation is occurring for Channel No. 72

STO 4 = BGL 689 + BGH 101 * /ZVO 72

Recorder No. 4 will record and store a frame EITHER when Bit No. 689 goes low OR when Bit No. 101 goes high and at the same time data for Channel No. 72 lies in the "BETWEEN" Limit Zone

STO 1 = INT 5

Recorder No. 1 will record and store a frame every half second

STO 2 = BIT 32 * INT 6 + /BIT 32 * INT 11

Recorder No. 2 will record and store a frame every second when Bit No. 32 is high, OR every minute when this bit is low

HLT n = B

Defines conditions for Recorder n to HALT data recording

HDP n = q

Sets HALT DEPTH of Recorder n, so that q frames will be recorded following occurrence of a "halt-triggering" condition (see History Card Supplement for more details)

CHS n

Returns the CURRENT HALT STATUS of Recorder n�that is, the number of frames stored so far since the occurrence of the last "half-triggering" condition

STH n

STARTS Recorder n from HALT*

EMP n or EMP n = f

"EMPTIES" all frames recorded by Recorder n since the last EMP command, or a selected number of frames (f), starting from the oldest (see History Card Supplement for more details)

RHM n or RHM n = f

REACCESSES HISTORY MEMORY by allowing the "re-emptying" of all frames in Recorder n that have been previously "emptied," or a selected number of frames (the last "f"�see History Card Supplement for more details)

HDU n = f TO g

"DUMPS" all frames in Recorder n from Frame No. f through Frame No. g (see History Card Supplement for more details)

IMA n = V1, V2, ... , Vn

Sets "output IMAGE" for Recorder n (i.e., the variables such as frame number, serial number, time, date, etc. to appear in each line of output produced in response to an EMP or HDU command, and the order in which they are to be transmitted�see the illustrations above)

PLA x = REC n, CHN y (-f)

Sets up PLAYBACK Channel x to display data for Channel y recorded by Recorder n "f" frames ago (see History Card Supplement for more details)**

RSP n

RESETS all STATISTICAL PLAYBACKS for Recorder n, when the Model 10BSCP384 is present

ZUM n = s STEP z

Initiates a ZOOM for Recorder n by increasing the "search depth" of Recorder n by s frames and specifying an optional increment of z for further keyboard-controlled alteration of the search depth (see History Card Supplement for more details)

FRZ n = s STEP z

FREEZES the "search frame" for Recorder n on the basis of a search-depth offset of s, and specifies an optional increment of z for further keyboard-controlled alteration of the search depth (see History Card Supplement for more details)

RPL n = INT t

Initiates a single history REPLAY for Recorder n, where t indicates the clock-time interval at which the replay is to step "forward" (see History Card Supplement for more details)

RSN n or RSN n = s

RESETS SERIAL NUMBER of Recorder n to zero or to the number s, respectively

HCL n

CLEARS the HISTORY memory of Recorder n

NVH

Activates NONVOLATILE HISTORY memory, physically erasing all current memory

MEM

Returns a hexadecimal number representing the total number of scaled data readings the "system" history MEMORY is capable of storing; the answer also indicates whether the current history memory is volatile or nonvolatile

* Restarting of a halted recorder can be made dependent on one or a combination of system conditions by including the STH command in an EXECUTE (EXU) or COMMAND (CMD) command string�see Automatic Command Execution.

** Playback channels can also be set up to display the SERIAL NUMBER, TIME, "FRACTIONAL TIME," and DATE of the "search frame," or the states of particular system Bit Groups. When the Model 10BSPC384 is present, playback channels can be set up to display a channel's AVERAGE, MAXIMUM, MINIMUM, X-BAR, or RANGE.

With the 10BSPC384, you can play back the lowest and highest values recorded for a given data channel since a given recording in the past (up to 10,000 recordings "ago"), and the continuous average value for the data reported by the channel over the same time period. (See History Playback Features, above.)

Statistical playbacks also include "industry standard" functions such as X-BAR and RANGE, automatically calculated for a given data channel over successive "sampling" periods, each of which consists of a fixed number of data recordings (from 1 through 25). Thus, you can set up channels to read and/or display the average value ("X-BAR") experienced by a given data channel over the last complete sampling period, or the absolute value of the difference between the highest and lowest values (i.e., the "RANGE") experienced by the channel over the period.

The 10BHDM384 allows a total system volatile "history" memory of 416K readings or a total nonvolatile (battery-backed) "history" memory of 384K readings. Note that a complete set of data records will typically take more than one "reading," depending on the number of channels and bit groups in the set and also the inclusion of system DATE in the output. Installation of the 10BHDM384 requires a special "history backplane" within the mainframe (contact the factory for details).

When you use the 10BHDM384 simply to extend the RAM memory of your system's Model 10BDR64 History Card, the History Card's original 32K scaled readings�plus the 384K additional readings stored on the 10BHDM384�will remain volatile, and will thus be lost upon loss of system primary power.

When, however, you use the 10BHDM384 to furnish battery backup for the entire system history memory, then the History Card's original 32K memory is no longer available to the system. In this case, you must apply a NONVOLATILE HISTORY (NVH) command, whereupon all current history memory will be completely cleared, and all subsequent data recordings will be stored in nonvolatile memory on the 10BHDM384 Card only.