ESH10000355 - N 6IDC Module

Overview

The ESH10000355 is an IDC (Insulation Displacement Connector) interface module providing 6 connector channels with integrated LED status indication and color-coded visual feedback for signal type identification.

Description

The N 6IDC Module features 6 physical IDC connectors (labeled A through F) that provide flexible cable connections and signal routing for test systems. Each connector has an associated RGB LED for visual status indication, allowing operators to quickly identify signal types and connection status through color coding.

Key Features:

• 6 IDC Connectors: Labeled A, B, C, D, E, F for easy identification

  • Individual color control per connector
  • Visual signal type indication
  • Supports up to 16 signals per connector
  • Color-coded based on signal type (Analog=Blue, Digital=Green, etc.)

• LED Status Indication: RGB LED per connector

  • User-configurable luminance control
  • Automatic color assignment based on signal type
  • Supports named colors and hex color values
  • Independent color control per connector

• Data Bus Integration: 96 signals organized by connector

  • 16 signals per connector × 6 connectors = 96 total signals
  • Flexible routing for cross-module connectivity
  • Dynamic slot-based naming convention

Hardware Details

LED Driver:

• Chip: TI LP5024 RGB LED driver
• I²C Address: 0x28
• Channels: 24 (6 connectors × 3 RGB + 2 status LEDs × 3 RGB)
• Control: PWM-based intensity control (0-255 per color)
• Communication: I²C bus

LED Configuration:

• Connector LEDs: A, B, C, D, E, F (18 channels: 6 × RGB)
• Status LEDs: STATUS1, STATUS2 (6 channels: 2 × RGB)
• Luminance Adjustment: Configurable color temperature compensation
  • Red luminance: 1.0 (normalized)
  • Green luminance: 1.0 (normalized)
  • Blue luminance: 0.56 (compensated for perceived brightness)

Channel Naming Convention

All channels follow the naming pattern: {ModuleIndex}.ESH10000355.{ChannelName}

Where:

• {ModuleIndex} is the position of the module in the system (e.g., 0, 1, 2...)
• ESH10000355 is the module type identifier
• {ChannelName} follows the pattern {Letter}{SlotNumber} for connectors

Slot Number Mapping: The module uses a special slot numbering scheme based on physical location:

• Module index 14 (base slot 0.14) → Slot 4
• Module index 11 (top slot 0.11) → Slot 1
• Module index 12 (top slot 0.12) → Slot 2
• Module index 13 (top slot 0.13) → Slot 3

Example:

• Module at position 14 (slot 4), connector A would be: 14.ESH10000355.A4
• Module at position 11 (slot 1), connector C would be: 11.ESH10000355.C1

User-Accessible Channels

Total User Channels: 7 (6 connector color controls + 1 luminance control)

Internal Channels (Not User-Accessible)

The following channels are used for internal LED control and are hidden from users:

• Connector RGB Channels (all HiddenSystemControl):
  • CONN=A_R, CONN=A_G, CONN=A_B (Connector A RGB)
  • CONN=B_R, CONN=B_G, CONN=B_B (Connector B RGB)
  • CONN=C_R, CONN=C_G, CONN=C_B (Connector C RGB)
  • CONN=D_R, CONN=D_G, CONN=D_B (Connector D RGB)
  • CONN=E_R, CONN=E_G, CONN=E_B (Connector E RGB)
  • CONN=F_R, CONN=F_G, CONN=F_B (Connector F RGB)
• Status RGB Channels (all HiddenSystemControl):
  • STATUS1_R, STATUS1_G, STATUS1_B (Status LED 1)
  • STATUS2_R, STATUS2_G, STATUS2_B (Status LED 2)

Data Bus Integration

The module provides a data bus with 96 signals organized by connector:

• Signal Type: Undefined (flexible assignment)
• NetName Pattern: {ModuleIndex}.ESH10000355.{Letter}{SignalIndex}
• Organization: 6 connectors × 16 signals
  • Connector A: A0-A15 (signals 0-15)
  • Connector B: B0-B15 (signals 16-31)
  • Connector C: C0-C15 (signals 32-47)
  • Connector D: D0-D15 (signals 48-63)
  • Connector E: E0-E15 (signals 64-79)
  • Connector F: F0-F15 (signals 80-95)
• Purpose: Internal signal routing and cross-module connectivity
• Source Pattern: {Letter}{SlotNumber} (e.g., "A4", "C1")

Color Coding System

The module automatically assigns LED colors based on signal types connected to each connector. The color mapping follows this scheme:

Channel Configuration

Connector Color Control

Each connector's LED color is set via its Register channel:

ConfigureChannels(new[] {
    new RegisterChannel {
        NetName = "14.ESH10000355.A4",
        Enabled = true,
        Direction = DirectionTypes.OUT,
        Value = "Blue"  // Named color or "#0000FF" hex format
    }
});

Supported Color Formats:

1. Named Colors: "Red", "Green", "Blue", "Yellow", "Cyan", "Magenta", "White", "Black", etc.
2. Hex Colors: "#RRGGBB" format (e.g., "#FF5733")

Luminance Control

Luminance channel adjusts overall LED brightness:

SetValues(
    new[] { "14.ESH10000355.LUMINANCE" },
    new[] { "0.5" }  // 50% brightness (0.0-1.0 range)
);

Luminance Characteristics:

• Range: 0.0 (off) to 1.0 (maximum)
• Default: 0.7 (70% brightness)
• Color Temperature Compensation: Automatically adjusts RGB ratios
  • Red: 1.0 × luminance
  • Green: 1.0 × luminance
  • Blue: 0.56 × luminance (compensated)
• Update Behavior: Changing luminance triggers automatic update of all connector LEDs

Programming Interface

Set Connector Color:

SetValues(
    new[] { "14.ESH10000355.A4", "14.ESH10000355.B4" },
    new[] { "Red", "#00FF00" }  // A=Red (named), B=Green (hex)
);

Get Connector Color:

string[] colors = GetValues(new[] { "14.ESH10000355.A4" });
// colors[0] = "Red" (returns color name)

Adjust LED Brightness:

SetValues(
    new[] { "14.ESH10000355.LUMINANCE" },
    new[] { "1.0" }  // Maximum brightness
);

Set Multiple Connectors:

SetValues(
    new[] { 
        "14.ESH10000355.A4",
        "14.ESH10000355.B4",
        "14.ESH10000355.C4",
        "14.ESH10000355.LUMINANCE"
    },
    new[] { 
        "Blue",   // Analog signals
        "Green",  // Digital signals
        "Yellow", // UART communication
        "0.8"     // 80% brightness
    }
);

Automatic Color Update: The module automatically updates LED colors when connector signal types are detected. This happens internally when the data bus routes signals through the connectors.

Error Handling

The module validates color values and provides error messages:

• Invalid Color Name: Throws exception if color name is not recognized
• Invalid Hex Format: Throws exception if hex value is malformed
• Channel Not Found: Returns "N/A" for non-existent channels
• Luminance Clamping: Values > 1.0 are automatically clamped to 1.0

Example Error:

Invalid color value 'InvalidColorName' for channel 14.ESH10000355.A4 in N-Module 6xIDC

Best Practices

1. Use named colors for clarity: Prefer "Red", "Green", "Blue" over hex codes for readability
2. Set luminance first: Configure luminance before setting connector colors
3. Group color updates: Use multi-channel SetValues for consistent visual appearance
4. Match signal types: Use the standard color coding scheme for intuitive identification
5. Moderate luminance: Default 0.7 provides good visibility without excess power consumption
6. Validate color names: Check color name validity before setting to avoid exceptions
7. Consider ambient lighting: Adjust luminance based on installation environment

Module Initialization Sequence

On Reset(), the module performs:

1. Clear existing channel list
2. Add LUMINANCE ratiometric channel:
   • Default value: 0.7 (70% brightness)
   • Direction: OUT
   • Usage: UserAllocatable
3. Call GenerateDutConnectors():
   • Create 6 connector color register channels (A-F with slot number)
   • Create 18 hidden RGB ratiometric channels for connector LEDs
   • Create 6 hidden RGB ratiometric channels for status LEDs
   • Initialize LP5024 LED driver at I²C address 0x28
   • Reset and update LED hardware
   • Set default color to Black (off)

Typical Use Cases

1. Visual Signal Type Indication:

// Indicate signal types by connector
SetValues(
    new[] {
        "14.ESH10000355.A4",  // Connector A: Analog inputs
        "14.ESH10000355.B4",  // Connector B: Digital I/O
        "14.ESH10000355.C4",  // Connector C: I2C bus
        "14.ESH10000355.D4",  // Connector D: Power rails (instrument)
        "14.ESH10000355.E4",  // Connector E: Not used
        "14.ESH10000355.F4"   // Connector F: UART
    },
    new[] {
        "Blue",    // Analog
        "Green",   // Digital
        "Cyan",    // I2C
        "Red",     // Instrument
        "Black",   // Off (not used)
        "Yellow"   // UART
    }
);

2. Dynamic Status Updates:

// Update connector colors based on test phase
void SetTestPhase(string phase)
{
    switch (phase)
    {
        case "IDLE":
            SetConnectorColors("Black", "Black", "Black", "Black", "Black", "Black");
            break;
        case "SETUP":
            SetConnectorColors("Blue", "Green", "Yellow", "Black", "Black", "Black");
            break;
        case "RUNNING":
            SetConnectorColors("Green", "Green", "Green", "Green", "Green", "Green");
            break;
        case "ERROR":
            SetConnectorColors("Red", "Red", "Red", "Red", "Red", "Red");
            break;
    }
}

void SetConnectorColors(string a, string b, string c, string d, string e, string f)
{
    SetValues(
        new[] { "14.ESH10000355.A4", "14.ESH10000355.B4", "14.ESH10000355.C4",
                "14.ESH10000355.D4", "14.ESH10000355.E4", "14.ESH10000355.F4" },
        new[] { a, b, c, d, e, f }
    );
}

3. Brightness Adjustment for Environment:

// Dim LEDs for low-light environment
SetValues(
    new[] { "14.ESH10000355.LUMINANCE" },
    new[] { "0.3" }  // 30% for dark room
);

// Brighten LEDs for high-ambient-light environment
SetValues(
    new[] { "14.ESH10000355.LUMINANCE" },
    new[] { "1.0" }  // 100% for bright factory floor
);

Revision History

• ESH10000355: Current production version
  • 6 IDC connectors (A-F)
  • RGB LED status indication per connector
  • LP5024 LED driver
  • Configurable luminance control
  • Supports named colors and hex values
  • 96-signal data bus integration
  • Slot-based naming convention