Apogee Labs 2020 - Manual (Page 2)

INTERFACE CONTROLLER MODULE ETHCX1
2020-2 AL4300Series
5.25.04
APOGEE LABS, Inc.
MODEL 2020
ETHCX1
INTERFACE CONTROLLER MODULE
2020.1 INTRODUCTION
2020.1.1 PURPOSE OF MODULE
The Apogee Labs Model 2020 ETHCX1 module provides a remote control facility for a AL4300
Series chassis using an Ethernet 10/100 Base-T link. This facility supports all the remote
control commands listed in the individual manuals for the AL4300 modules installed in the
chassis. These commands are ASCII coded control and status interrogation commands, each of
which are individually Acknowledged. This is designated as the Network Native ASCII Transfer
or NNAT remote control mode.
2020.1.2 MODULE OVERVIEW
The control processor on the ETHCX1 receives incoming data from the Ethernet. Completed
commands received are then sent to the Front Panel Controller of the chassis via the internal
ALISDT bus. The Front Panel Controller in turn directs the data to the selected module. This
target module processes the command and provides a response back to the Front Panel
Controller, which forwards this to the ETHCX1. The ETHCX1 holds the response until
interrogated from the Ethernet.
The ETHCX1 setup consists of assigning the IP Address, Netmask, and Gateway on the
ETHCX1 by way of the Ethernet. Initial access to the module is made using the default values
indicated in Table 2. Once set, the values are retained in the non-volatile memory on the card
and are restored during each unit power-on sequence.
The following block diagram shown in Figure 1 presents a simplified overview of this module:
TX +
TX -
RX +
ETHERNET
FRAMER
u Controller
Bus
Interface
1
2
3
6
RJ-45
RX -
Ethernet
Magnetic
Matching
Network AL
ISD
T
Figure 1 - ETHCX1 Simplified Block Diagram