Firefly MV Technical Reference Manual

Transcription

1 Firefly MV Technical Reference Manual Version 1.5 Revised July 4, 2011 Point Grey Research Inc Riverside Way Richmond, BC Canada V6W 1K7 T (604) Copyright 2009, 2010, 2011 Point Grey Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2 For customers in the U.S.A. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense. You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment. The shielded interface cable recommended in this manual must be used with this equipment in order to comply with the limits for a computing device pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules. Hardware Warranty Point Grey Research, Inc. (Point Grey) warrants to the Original Purchaser that the Camera Module provided with this package is guaranteed to be free from material and manufacturing defects for a period of one (1) year. Should a unit fail during this period, Point Grey will, at its option, repair or replace the damaged unit. Repaired or replaced units will be covered for the remainder of the original equipment warranty period. This warranty does not apply to units that, after being examined by Point Grey, have been found to have failed due to customer abuse, mishandling, alteration, improper installation or negligence. If the original camera module is housed within a case, removing the case for any purpose voids this warranty. Point Grey Research, Inc. expressly disclaims and excludes all other warranties, express, implied and statutory, including, but without limitation, warranty of merchantability and fitness for a particular application or purpose. In no event shall Point Grey Research, Inc. be liable to the Original Purchaser or any third party for direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special or accidental damages, including without limitation damages for business interruption, loss of profits, revenue, data or bodily injury or death. WEEE The symbol indicates that this product may not be treated as household waste. Please ensure this product is properly disposed as inappropriate waste handling of this product may cause potential hazards to the environment and human health. For more detailed information about recycling of this product, please contact Point Grey Research. Trademarks Point Grey Research, PGR, the Point Grey Research, Inc. logo, Chameleon, Digiclops, Dragonfly, Dragonfly Express, Firefly, Flea, FlyCapture, Grasshopper, Ladybug, and Triclops are trademarks or registered trademarks of Point Grey Research, Inc. in Canada and other countries. 2

3 Table of Contents Table of Contents... 3 List of Figures... 5 List of Tables Introduction Using This Manual Camera Specifications FFMV-03M2M/C Specifications FMVU-03MTM/C Specifications FMVU-13S2C Specifications Spectral Response Analog-to-Digital Converter System Requirements Laptop / Notebook Considerations Macintosh and Linux OS Support Controlling the Camera FlyCap Demo Program Custom Applications Built with the FlyCapture API Third-Party Software Applications Custom Applications Built with other APIs Camera Control Command Registers Handling Precautions and Camera Care Heat Dissipation Camera Accessories Camera Physical Properties Physical Description and Dimensions FMVU-03S2 and FMVU-13S2 Dimensions FFMV-03M2 Dimensions Board-Level Dimensions Tripod Mount Adapter Dimensions M12 Microlens Mount Dimensions Lens Setup and Compatibility Dust Protection Mounting Top and Bottom Mounts Front Mount Tripod Mount Adapter Infrared Cut-Off Filters IEEE-1394 Interface Standard 6-pin IEEE-1394 Connector pin Miniature Vertical IEEE-1394 Connector USB 2.0 Interface Cables IEEE-1394 Cables

4 USB 2.0 Cables Host Adapter Card Camera Power Providing Power via the 1394 Interface Providing Power Through the USB 2.0 Interface Other Power Considerations General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) GPIO Electrical Characteristics Status Indicator LED Camera Operations and Features General Camera Properties Data Flow Standard Data Formats, Modes and Frame Rates Frame Rates and Camera Bandwidth Maximum Number of Cameras on a Single Bus Maximum Number of Cameras on a Single Bus USB Calculating Maximum Possible Frame Rate Problems Maximizing Frame Rates Customizable Data Formats and Modes Calculating Format_7 Frame Rates Image Acquisition Shutter Gain Auto Exposure Extended Shutter Times Automatic Inter-Camera Synchronization Frame Rate Control Y16 (16-bit Mono) Image Acquisition Asynchronous (External) Trigger Modes Image Processing Color and Greyscale Conversion Gamma White Balance Image Flip / Mirror Embedded Image Information Camera and Device Control Programmable Strobe Output Serial Communication Using GPIO Memory Channel Storage of Camera Settings Camera Upgrades Appendix A: Glossary Appendix B: Memory Channel Registers Appendix C: Technical Support Resources Appendix D: Contacting Point Grey Research Appendix E: Revision History

5 List of Figures Figure 1: IEEE-1394 connector pin configuration Figure 2: GPIO pin layout Figure 3: Firefly MV GPIO Circuit Diagram Figure 4: FFMV-03M2/FMVU-03MT Data Flow Figure 5: FMVU-13S2 Data Flow Figure 6: Firefly MV external trigger timing characteristics List of Tables Table 1: Micron MT9V022177ATM (FFMV-03M2M/C & FMVU-O3MTM/C) A/D Properties Table 2: Sony IMX035LQR (FMVU-13S2) A/D Properties Table 3: IEEE-1394 connector pin configuration Table 4: GPIO pin assignments Table 5: Status indicator LED descriptions Table 6: General Camera Properties (FFMV-03M2, FMVU-03MT) Table 7: General Camera Properties (FMVU-13S2) Table 8: Supported video formats, modes and frame rates Table 9: Partial image (Format 7) video formats, modes and frame rates for FFMV- 03M2C and FMVU-03MTC Table 10: Partial image (Format 7) video formats, modes and frame rates for FMVU- 13S2C Table 11: Extended shutter minimum and maximum times

6 1 Introduction All model-specific information presented in this manual reflects functionality available in the following camera firmware version: FFMV-03M2M/C: 0.9 Release Candidate 12 FMVU-03MTM/C: 0.9 Release Candidate 12 FMVU-13S2C: 1.2 Release Candidate 2 To check the camera firmware version, consult our knowledge base: Using This Manual This manual attempts to provide the user with a detailed specification of the Firefly MV camera system. The reader should be aware that the camera system is a complex and dynamic system if any errors or omissions are found during experimentation, please contact us. Many of the operational descriptions included in this manual are intended as general overviews, and may not present the detailed information required for developing specific applications. For additional details and operational descriptions, refer to the following user manuals, technical references and application notes, which can be downloaded from our website at Point Grey Digital Camera Register Reference FlyCapture SDK Help 6

7 1.2. Camera Specifications FFMV-03M2M/C Specifications Micron 1/3 Wide-VGA CMOS Imaging Sensor MT9V022177ATM (BW) MT9V022177ATC (Color) Shutter Type Global shutter using Micron TrueSNAP technology Active Imager Size 4.51mm (H) x 2.88m (V), Diagonal 5.35mm (1/3 type) Active Pixels 752(H) x 480(V) Pixel Size 6μm(H) x 6μm(V) A/D Converter On-chip 10-bit analog-to-digital converter Video Data Output 8 and 16-bit digital data (see Supported Data Formats below) Standard Resolutions 640x480 Frame Rates 1 60, 30, 15, 7.5 FPS Partial Image Modes Pixel binning and region of interest modes available via Format_7 6-pin IEEE-1394a for camera control, video data transmission and Interfaces power 7-pin JST GPIO connector, 4 pins for trigger and strobe, 1 pin +3.3 V, 1 V EXT pin for external power Voltage Requirements 8-32V via IEEE-1394 cable or GPIO connector (V EXT ) Power Consumption Less than 1W Gain Automatic/Manual Gain modes 0dB to 12dB Shutter Automatic/Manual Shutter modes 0.03 ms to 512 ms (extended shutter mode) Gamma 0 to 1 (enables 12-bit to 10-bit companding) Trigger Modes IIDC v1.31 Trigger Modes 0 and 3 Signal To Noise Ratio 52 db Dimensions 44 mm x 34 mm x mm (case enclosed) Mass 37 grams (including tripod adapter) Camera Specification IIDC 1394-based Digital Camera Specification v1.31 Emissions Compliance Complies with CE rules and Part 15 Class B of FCC Rules. Operating Temperature Commercial grade electronics rated from 0-45 C Storage Temperature C Operating Relative Humidity 20 to 80% (no condensation) Storage Relative Humidity 20 to 95% (no condensation) 1 Using standard non-format_7 video formats and modes. 7

8 FMVU-03MTM/C Specifications Micron 1/3 Wide-VGA CMOS Imaging Sensor MT9V022177ATM (BW) MT9V022177ATC (Color) Shutter Type Global shutter using Micron TrueSNAP technology Active Imager Size 4.51mm (H) x 2.88m (V), Diagonal 5.35mm (1/3 type) Active Pixels 752(H) x 480(V) Pixel Size 6μm(H) x 6μm(V) A/D Converter On-chip 10-bit analog-to-digital converter Video Data Output 8 and 16-bit digital data (see Supported Data Formats below) Standard Resolutions 640x480 Frame Rates 1 60, 30, 15, 7.5 FPS Partial Image Modes Pixel binning and region of interest modes available via Format_7 5-pin Mini-B USB 2.0 for camera control, video data transmission Interfaces and power 7-pin JST GPIO connector, 4 pins for trigger and strobe, 1 pin +3.3 V, 1 V EXT pin for external power Voltage Requirements 4.75 to 5.25 V via the Mini-B USB 2.0 cable or JST 7-pin GPIO connector Power Consumption Less than 1W Gain Automatic/Manual Gain modes 0dB to 12dB Shutter Automatic/Manual Shutter modes 0.03 ms to 512 ms (extended shutter mode) Gamma 0 to 1 (enables 12-bit to 10-bit companding) Trigger Modes IIDC v1.31 Trigger Modes 0 and 3 Signal To Noise Ratio 52 db Dimensions 44 mm x 34 mm x mm (case enclosed) Mass 37 grams (including tripod adapter) Camera Specification IIDC 1394-based Digital Camera Specification v1.31 Emissions Compliance Complies with CE rules and Part 15 Class B of FCC Rules. Operating Temperature Commercial grade electronics rated from 0-45 C Storage Temperature C Operating Relative Humidity 20 to 80% (no condensation) Storage Relative Humidity 20 to 95% (no condensation) 1 Using standard non-format_7 video formats and modes. 8

9 FMVU-13S2C Specifications Imaging Sensor Sony 1/3 CMOS IMX035LQR-C (Color) Shutter Type Rolling shutter Active Imager Size 7.64 mm (H) x 7.64 mm (V), Diagonal 6.08 mm (1/3 type) Active Pixels 1328 (H) x 1048 (V) Pixel Size 3.63 μm (H) x 3.63 μm(v) A/D Converter 10/12-bit Video Data Output 8 and 16-bit digital data (see Supported Data Formats below) Standard Resolutions 640x480, 1280x960 Frame Rates 1 60 (free-running mode only), 30, 15, 7.5 FPS Partial Image Modes Pixel binning or center cut-out (640x480) mode via Format_7 5-pin Mini-B USB 2.0 for camera control, video data transmission Interfaces and power 7-pin JST GPIO connector, 4 pins for trigger and strobe, 1 pin +3.3 V, 1 V EXT pin for external power Voltage Requirements 4.75 to 5.25 V via the Mini-B USB 2.0 cable or JST 7-pin GPIO connector Power Consumption Less than 1W Gain Automatic/Manual Gain modes 0dB to 18dB Shutter Automatic/Manual Shutter modes 0.12 ms to 8000 ms (extended shutter mode) Gamma 512 to 4095 Trigger Modes IIDC v1.31 Trigger Modes 0 and 3 Signal To Noise Ratio 66 db Dimensions 44 mm x 34 mm x mm (case enclosed) Mass 37 grams (including tripod adapter) Camera Specification IIDC 1394-based Digital Camera Specification v1.31 Emissions Compliance Complies with CE rules and Part 15 Class B of FCC Rules. Operating Temperature Commercial grade electronics rated from 0-45 C Storage Temperature C Operating Relative Humidity 20 to 80% (no condensation) Storage Relative Humidity 20 to 95% (no condensation) 1 Using standard non-format_7 video formats and modes. 9

10 Spectral Response Color models are equipped with an optical filter that prevents infrared light from reaching the image sensor. This filter is discussed in the section on Infrared Cut-Off Filters FFMV-03M2M & FMVU-03MTM Spectral Response 10

11 FFMV-03M2C & FMVU-03MTC Spectral Response 11

12 FMVU-13S2C Spectral Response Analog-to-Digital Converter Both the Micron MT9V022177ATM and Sony IMX035LQR sensors include an on-board A/D converter to digitize the images produced by the CMOS. The following tables illustrate the most important aspects of these processors. Resolution 10-bit, 27 MHz Variable Gain Amplifier 0 db to 12 db Black Level Clamp 0 to 255 Table 1: Micron MT9V022177ATM (FFMV-03M2M/C & FMVU-O3MTM/C) A/D Properties Resolution 10/12-bit, 54 MHz Variable Gain Amplifier 0 db to 24 db Pixel Gain Amplifier 0 db to 18 db Black Level Clamp 0 to 511 Table 2: Sony IMX035LQR (FMVU-13S2) A/D Properties 12

13 1.3. System Requirements Processor Recommended Intel Pentium GHz or compatible processor Minimum Intel Pentium III 800 MHz or compatible processor Memory Recommended 2GB Minimum - 256MB AGP video card with 64 MB video memory (128 MB recommended) Bus Configuration Recommended PCI Express (PCI-e card not included) or 64-bit PCI slot Minimum 32-bit standard PCI slot for the IEEE-1394 card Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 Microsoft Visual C (to compile and run example code) Laptop / Notebook Considerations Some 1394 PCMCIA cards for laptop / notebook computers require a 4-pin cable. A 4-pin cable does not provide power and will therefore not work with Point Grey IEEE-1394a cameras, which require a 6-pin connector (the additional two pins provide power). For suggestions on how to provide power in these circumstances, consult the following knowledge base article: KB Article 93: Macintosh and Linux OS Support Users wishing to operate their Point Grey camera on the Macintosh OS/X or Linux operating systems should consult the following knowledge base articles: Macintosh support: Linux support: Controlling the Camera The Firefly MV can be controlled by the following types of applications: FlyCap Demo Program The FlyCap application is a generic streaming image viewer included with the FlyCapture SDK that can be used to test many of the capabilities of your compatible Point Grey camera. It allows you to view a live video stream from the camera, save individual images or.avi movie clips, adjust the various video formats, frame rates, properties and settings of the camera, and access camera registers. It is an easy-to-use program that can be used to test many of the capabilities of your Point Grey camera system. Consult the Point Grey FlyCapture User Manual for more information. 13

14 Custom Applications Built with the FlyCapture API PGR FlyCapture includes a full Application Programming Interface that allows customers to create custom applications to control Point Grey Imaging Products. The SDK provides a number of sample programs and source code that is meant to help the advanced programmer get started using the FlyCapture API. Examples range from simple console programs that demonstrate the basic functionality of the API, such as PGRFlyCaptureTest, to more complex examples such as the MFC application FlyCap Third-Party Software Applications The following knowledge base article provides information on Point Grey IEEE-1394 camera compatibility with third-party software development kits, applications, camera drivers, and integrated development environments (IDEs): KB Article 152: Custom Applications Built with other APIs The FlyCapture SDK supports custom applications built with DirectShow, TWAIN and ActiveX components. An ActiveX Programming Reference is installed by default in the Start menu at Point Grey Research PGR FlyCapture Documentation Camera Control Command Registers For a complete description of the Camera Control Command Registers implemented on the camera, please refer to the Point Grey Research Digital Camera Register Reference, included with the FlyCapture SDK and downloadable from 14

15 1.6. Handling Precautions and Camera Care Do not open the camera housing. Doing so voids the Hardware Warranty described at the beginning of this reference manual. Your Point Grey digital camera module is a precisely manufactured device and should be handled with care. Here are some tips on how to care for the device. Avoid electrostatic charging. Please consult the following knowledge base article for more details: Users who have purchased a bare board camera should take the following additional protective measures: o o Either handle bare handed or use non-chargeable gloves, clothes or material. Also, use conductive shoes. Install a conductive mat on the floor or working table to prevent the generation of static electricity. When handling the camera unit, avoid touching the lenses. Fingerprints will affect the quality of the image produced by the device. To clean the lenses, use a standard camera lens cleaning kit or a clean dry cotton cloth. Do not apply excessive force. To clean the imaging surface of your CCD, follow the steps outlined in Our cameras are designed for an office environment or laboratory use. Extended exposure to bright sunlight, rain, dusty environments, etc. may cause problems with the electronics and the optics of the system. Avoid excessive shaking, dropping or any kind of mishandling of the device Heat Dissipation The plastic case of the Firefly MV does not get hot. Nevertheless, the camera can generate significant heat, especially when running in some high data rate video modes. A high-quality lens with a metal housing, in conjunction with the lens mount, can act as an effective heat sink. As such, the lens and lens mount may become very warm to the touch. This is expected behaviour and will not cause damage. If reducing heat is a concern, use a cooling fan to set up a positive air flow around the camera, while ensuring there is enough open space around the camera to facilitate the free flow of air. 15

16 1.7. Camera Accessories Accessories such as tripod mounts and lens holders are available from PGR contact our Sales team at for additional information. Links to FireWire/IEEE-1394 and digital camera accessories can be found in the following knowledge base article: KB Article 131: 16

17 2 Camera Physical Properties 2.1. Physical Description and Dimensions FMVU-03S2 and FMVU-13S2 Dimensions Front View Side View with USB Connector Rear View with USB 2.0 Connector 17

18 Top View with USB Connector FFMV-03M2 Dimensions Front View 18

19 Rear View with 1394a Connector Top View with 1394a Connector 19

20 Side View with 1394a Connector 20

21 Board-Level Dimensions For board-level drawings of FMVU models, contact Tripod Mount Adapter Dimensions M12 Microlens Mount Dimensions (Available separately for board-level camera models) 21

22 2.2. Lens Setup and Compatibility The lens holder is compatible with CS-mount lenses. A 5 mm adapter (included) can be used to accommodate C-mount lenses. A 12 mm adapter can be used for mounting a microlens. Users with a board-level camera and microlens may mount a microlens holder to the board, instead of using an adapter. This solution is not recommended for case-enclosed cameras, as mounting the microlens holder requires opening the case and voiding the hardware warranty. Also, because the microlens holder has a smaller diameter than the CS-mount holder, there will be a gap between the microlens holder and the case. Lenses and 12 mm microlens adapters are not included with individual cameras, but can be purchased separately from Point Grey Research. For more information, visit our Products Accessories web page. To differentiate between C- and CS-mount lenses, consult the following article: KB Article 98: ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=98 22

23 2.3. Dust Protection Cameras are sealed when they are shipped. To avoid contamination, seals should not be broken until cameras are ready for assembly at customer's site. Do not remove the protective glass. Doing so can void the Hardware Warranty described at the beginning of this reference manual. The case is designed to prevent dust from falling directly onto the CCD's protective glass surface. This is achieved by placing a piece of clear glass (monochrome camera models) or IR cut-off filter (color models) that sits above the surface of the CCD's glass. A removable plastic retainer keeps this glass/filter system in place. By increasing the distance between the imaging surface and the location of the potential dust particles, the likelihood of interference from the dust (assuming noncollimated light) and the possibility of damage to the sensor during cleaning is reduced Mounting Top and Bottom Mounts The FMVU-xx plastic case is equipped with four (4) M2 X 3.5 mounting holes on both the top and bottom faces of the case (8 holes total). These holes can be used to attach the camera directly to a custom mount or standard tripod. Because the case is plastic, plastic screws are required Front Mount The Firefly MV board is equipped with four 2.1 PCB mounting holes that can be used to attach the camera directly to a custom fixture Tripod Mount Adapter The Firefly MV tripod mount adapter comes with the Development Accessory Kit, or can be purchased separately by contacting sales@ptgrey.com. 23

24 2.5. Infrared Cut-Off Filters Point Grey Research color camera models are equipped with an additional infrared (IR) cut-off filter. This filter can reduce sensitivity in the visible spectrum. The properties of this filter are illustrated in the results below, which were obtained by Point Grey Research independent of camera model. Figure 1: IR filter transmittance graph In monochrome models, the IR filter is replaced with a transparent piece of glass. The following are the properties of the IR filter/protective glass 1 : Type Reflective Material Schott D 263 T or BK7 equivalent for coating filters Physical Filter Size 14 mm x 14 mm Glass Thickness 1.0 mm Dimensional Tolerance +/-0.1 mm` Coating Filters Scott D 263 T 1 These properties apply to all imaging cameras except GRAS 14S5. Related Knowledge Base Articles ID Title URL 345 Selecting a lens for your camera 24

25 2.6. IEEE-1394 Interface Standard 6-pin IEEE-1394 Connector Firefly MV FFMV models have a standard 6-pin IEEE-1394 connector (pin configuration shown below) that is used for data transmission, camera control and powering the camera Figure 1: IEEE-1394 connector pin configuration Pin Function 1 Power Input (+8 to +32 VDC) 2 DC GND 3 TPB- 4 TPB+ 5 TPA- 6 TPA+ Table 3: IEEE-1394 connector pin configuration The signal on the Twisted Pair A is 1.0V DC. This voltage is then detected on the Twisted Pair B signal line; levels of 0.6 to 1.0V DC are used to determine when a device has been removed or added i.e. device attached >= 1.0V, device not attached <= 0.6V pin Miniature Vertical IEEE-1394 Connector Firefly MV part numbers (mono) and (color) are equipped with an 8-pin miniature IEEE-1394 vertical connector. For more information about this interface, see Knowledge Base Article USB 2.0 Interface Firefly MV FMVU models have a USB 2.0 Mini-B vertical connector that is used for data transmission, camera control and powering the camera. For more detailed information, consult the USB 2.0 specification available from The Firefly MV USB 2.0 interface is not backward compatible with a USB 1.1 interface. If the computer on which you want to operate a Point Grey USB camera does not have a built-in USB 2.0 host controller, you can install a USB 2.0 PCI host adapter card. For more information, refer to Knowledge Base Article 309: Using USB PCI 2.0 host adapter cards with USB cameras. 25

26 Related Knowledge Base Articles ID Title URL 325 Differences between USB cameras and FireWire cameras Cables IEEE-1394 Cables The maximum 1394 cable length between any 1394 node (e.g. camera to PCI card, PCI card to hub, etc.) is 4.5m, as specified by the IEEE-1394 standard. Standard, shielded twisted pair copper cables must be used. Consult the following knowledge base article for information on how to extend the physical distance between the camera and the controlling host system: KB Article 197: USB 2.0 Cables The maximum cable length between any USB node (e.g. camera to USB, USB to hub, etc.) is 5.0m, as indicated by the USB specification. Standard, shielded twisted pair copper cables must be used. For more information, refer to the following FAQ on the usb.org website: Host Adapter Card FFMV-DEVKIT comes with a 2-port IEEE-1394 PCI host adapter card. For more information regarding the differences between various 1394 host adapters, consult the following knowledge base article: KB Article 146: Camera Power Providing Power via the 1394 Interface The 6-pin 1394 connector (9-pin for 1394b cameras) connects to a standard IEEE-1394 (FireWire) 6-pin (9-pin) cable and provides a power connection between the camera and the host computer. The ideal input voltage is 12V DC; however, the camera is designed to handle voltages between 8V and 32V DC according to the IEEE 1394 standard. The power consumption is outlined in the Camera Specifications section. Some systems - such as laptop computers or those with several FireWire devices connected - require an external power supply to power the camera. For suggestions on how to provide power in these circumstances, consult the following knowledge base article: 26

27 KB Article 93: For information about providing power to cameras equipped with an 8- pin miniature IEEE-1394 vertical connector (part numbers (mono) and (color)), see Knowledge Base Article Providing Power Through the USB 2.0 Interface The 5-pin USB 2.0 Mini-B vertical connector provides a power connection between the camera and the host computer. The ideal input voltage is 5V DC; however, the camera is designed to handle voltages between 4.75V and 5.25V DC according to the USB 2.0 standard. The power consumption is outlined in the Camera Specifications section Other Power Considerations To verify that the camera is powered-up, read CAMERA_POWER register 0x610. Consult the Point Grey Digital Camera Register Reference for more information. When a camera is power cycled (power disengaged then re-engaged), the camera reverts to its default factory settings, or if applicable, the last saved memory channel. KB Article 295: 27

28 2.11. General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) The Firefly MV has a 7-pin GPIO connector on the back of the case. The connector is made by JST (Mfg P/N: BM07B-SRSS-TB). The Development Kit contents include a pre-wired female connector (Point Grey P/N: ACC ); refer to the diagram below for wire color-coding. Additional female connectors (JST Mfg P/N: SHR-07V-S-B) can be purchased from Digikey (P/N: ND). Figure 2: GPIO pin layout Diagram Pin GPIO Function 1 V EXT Power camera externally V Power external circuitry up to a total of 150mA 3 IO0 Input / Output (default Trigger_Src) 4 IO1 Input / Output 5 IO2 Input / Output / RS232 Transmit (TX) 6 IO3 Input / Output / RS232 Receive (RX) 7 GND Table 4: GPIO pin assignments Inputs can be configured to accept external trigger signals. Outputs can be configured to send an output signal, strobe, or PWM signal. To use the RS232 functionality, see Section 3.8.2: Serial Communication Using GPIO GPIO Electrical Characteristics The Firefly MV GPIO pins are bi-directional. When configured as outputs, they operate as open collector transistor logic. As inputs, the lines are internally pulled up to 3.3V. When configured as inputs, the pins are internally pulled high using weak pull-up resistors to allow easy triggering of the camera by simply shorting the pin to ground (GND). Inputs can also be directly driven from a 3.3V or 5V logic output. The inputs are protected from both over and under voltage. It is recommended, however, that they only be connected to 5V or 3.3V digital logic signals. When configured as outputs, each line can sink 10mA of current. To drive external devices that require more, consult the following article for information on buffering an output signal using an optocoupler: 28

29 KB Article 200: The V EXT pin (Pin 1) allows the camera to be powered externally. On models with a IEEE-1394 interface, the voltage limit is 8-30V. On USB 2.0 models, the voltage limit is V. The +3.3V pin (Pin 2) is fused at 200mA. External devices connected to Pin 1 should not attempt to pull anything greater than that. Figure 3: Firefly MV GPIO Circuit Diagram Status Indicator LED The LED on the back of the Firefly MV module provides the following general status messages: LED Status Description Off Not receiving power Steady on Receiving power and successful camera initialization Steady on and very bright Acquiring / transmitting images Flashing bright, then brighter Camera registers being accessed (no image acquisition) Steady or slow flashing on and off Firmware updating, or possible camera problem Table 5: Status indicator LED descriptions 29

30 3 Camera Operations and Features Both the IEEE-1394 and USB 2.0 models of the Firefly MV comply with the IIDC 1394-based Digital Camera Specification Version v1.31. To determine the specific IIDC v1.31 features implemented in a particular Firefly MV model, consult the following sections of the Point Grey Digital Camera Register Reference. Inquiry Registers for Basic Functions Inquiry Registers for Feature Presence Inquiry Registers for Feature Elements You can query the registers described in these sections to identify whether specific features have been implemented. The Point Grey Digital Camera Register Reference contains complete descriptions of the Camera Control Command Registers implemented on the Firefly MV. The Point Grey Digital Camera Register Reference is included with the FlyCapture SDK and downloadable from General Camera Properties The following section provides an overview of the different IIDC-compliant camera properties implemented by the Firefly MV. Definitions and the effects of these properties on an image can be found in the Glossary section and in various sections of this Technical Reference and in the Point Grey Digital Camera Register Reference. The following property ranges apply to a lo-res Firefly MV at 640x480 resolution running at 15 FPS, and can change depending on the camera resolution and frame rate: Shutter: maximum values increase as frame rate decreases Pan: maximum values increase with smaller non-format_7 resolutions Frame Rate: range changes according to the current frame rate Properties marked with a (COL) apply to color models only and are not implemented on cameras using a monochrome sensor. 30

31 Property Min Max Auto On/Off One Absolute Defaults Push Mode Brightness Y N N N Auto, On Exposure 7 62 Y Y N N Auto, On Gamma 0 1 N Y N N Off Pan Y Y N N Auto, On Shutter 0.06 ms ms Y N N Y Auto, On Gain 0 db db Y N N Y Auto, On White Balance N Y N N On (COL) Frame Rate 4.6 FPS FPS Y Y N Y Auto, On, 30 FPS Table 6: General Camera Properties (FFMV-03M2, FMVU-03MT) Property Min Max Auto On/Off One Absolute Defaults Push Mode Brightness N N N N On Exposure Y Y Y Y Auto, On Gamma N Y N N Off Shutter 0.12 ms 133 ms Y N Y Y Auto, On Gain 0 db 18 db Y N Y Y Auto, On White Balance N Y N N On (COL) Frame Rate 1.36 FPS FPS (freerunning mode only) Y Y N Y Auto, On, 15 FPS Table 7: General Camera Properties (FMVU-13S2) 3.2. Data Flow Figure 4: FFMV-03M2/FMVU-03MT Data Flow 31

32 Figure 5: FMVU-13S2 Data Flow Image Data Flow Step Sensor Analog to Digital (A/D) Converter Gamma Pixel Correction White Balance FIFO Queue 1394a or USB 2.0 Interface Description Image capture, analog-to-digital conversion and gamma adjustment (FFMV-03M2/FMVU-03MT only) all take place on board the camera sensor. The sensor s A/D Converter transforms pixel voltage into a 10- or 12-bit value, adjusting for gain and brightness in the process. Gain and brightness cannot be turned off. The Firefly MV supports gamma adjustment to reduce noise at low light levels. For more information, see Section Lookup Table and Gamma. The gamma setting of the camera s default memory channel is OFF, and no correction occurs. The camera firmware corrects any blemish pixels identified during manufacturing quality assurance by applying the average value of neighboring pixels. For more information, see Knowledge Base Article 314. In color models, color intensities can be adjusted manually to achieve more correct balance. The white balance setting of the camera s default memory channel is ON. If not ON, no white balance correction occurs. The final output of image data is controlled in a first-in, first-out (FIFO) queue. Depending on your camera s interface, data is transferred at the following rates: 480 Mbit/s via a 5-pin Mini-B USB 2.0 port 400 Mbit/s via a 6-pin IEEE-1394a port 3.3. Standard Data Formats, Modes and Frame Rates This section lists the different video formats, modes and frame rates that are supported by the camera. Refer to the Customizable Formats and Modes for a list of supported partial image (Format_7) modes. These standard modes are controlled using the following IIDC registers: CURRENT_VIDEO_FORMAT register 0x608 CURRENT_VIDEO_MODE register 0x604 CURRENT_FRAME_RATE register 0x600 32

33 Models: FFMV-03M2C FFMV-03M2M FMVU-03MTC FMVU-03MTM FMVU-13S2C Modes 7.5fps 15fps 30fps* 60fps* 640x480 Y8 640x480 Y x960 Y8 1280x960 Y16 *B/W output only. Color data is removed due to pixel binning. Table 8: Supported video formats, modes and frame rates 3.4. Frame Rates and Camera Bandwidth This section is recommended for advanced users only, and is not meant to address all possible applications of the Firefly MV camera Maximum Number of Cameras on a Single Bus 1394 A single IEEE-1394 OHCI host adapter generally constitutes a single bus. There are four elements that limit the number of cameras that can be used on the same 1394 bus: Although the 1394a standard limits the maximum number of simultaneous isochronous channels to 16, there is currently no host adapter that is capable of supporting 16 channels. Host adapters based on the TI chipset can support at most 4 simultaneous DMA channels (or contexts). Similar adapters based on the Lucent/Agere chipset support up to 8 DMA contexts. There are no known 1394b chipsets that allow more than 4 simultaneous DMA contexts. See Knowledge Base Article 146 for more information. The maximum bandwidth of the 1394a bus is 400Mbits/sec (5120Bytes/packet cycles/sec). The usable bandwidth as defined by the 1394a Trade Association and enforced by the Microsoft Windows 1394 driver stack (1394bus.sys, ohci1394.sys, etc.) is approximately 80% or 40MBytes/sec (4096Bytes/packet). The remaining 20% of the bandwidth is allocated for asynchronous communication (e.g. register reads/writes). Outside of the Microsoft stack, it may be possible to allocate up to 4915Bytes/packet. The 1394a standard limits the maximum number of devices on a single bus to 63. An inadequate power supply. Consult the voltage and power requirements in the General Specifications section of your camera's Technical Reference or Getting Started manual to determine the amount of power required to operate the cameras effectively. 33

34 Maximum Number of Cameras on a Single Bus USB 2.0 A single USB port generally constitutes a single bus. The USB standard allows for 127 devices (including up to five levels of hub devices) to be connected to a single bus. In practice, however, this limit may be further defined by the following considerations: Adequate power supply. The Firefly MV USB requires 5 volts (V) of power to operate effectively. While a standard, non-powered bus provides 500 milliamps (ma) of power at 5V, an internal, bus-powered hub provides only 400mA. Externally-powered hubs provide 500mA per port. Adequate bandwidth. The USB 2.0 bandwidth capacity is 480 megabits per second (Mbit/s). Depending on the operating configuration of the cameras and other devices, this bandwidth must be shared on the system. Adequate CPU cycles. There must be enough CPU cycles to allow for the USB 2.0 polling I/O to operate normally. If polling is constrained, the camera s FIFO buffer may overflow, resulting in dropped frames. Point Grey does not support the use of multiple USB 2.0 cameras streaming simultaneously on the same computer. There has been no rigorous qualification of the ability of various hardware platforms, operating systems, software, and drivers to handle multiple USB 2.0 image streams. Therefore, questions or troubleshooting of these issues cannot be addressed. Wherever possible, Point Grey FireWire cameras should be used for applications that require multiple cameras running simultaneously on the same computer Calculating Maximum Possible Frame Rate The maximum frame rate allowable for each of the cameras on the bus depends on the resolution of the cameras and the bandwidth, and can be roughly approximated using the following general formula (assuming all cameras are at the same resolution): Frames_per_second = (Bandwidth / (Pixels_per_frame * Bytes_per_pixel)) / Num_cameras Example: To calculate the approximate frames per second available to two 1394a, 640x480 Firefly MVs that are in 8-bit mode, you would calculate: Frames_per_second = (40MB/s / (640*480*1byte/pixel)) / 2 = (40MB/s / 0.29MB/total_frames) / 2 = 138 FPS / 2 = 69 FPS The calculation above is only a rough estimate. The IEEE-1394 standard defines a specific number of bytes per packet (BPP) for every non-format_7 video format/mode/frame rate combination. This number is generally higher than the minimum bandwidth that might be expected. In order to accurately determine whether or not there is enough bandwidth available for a given scenario, these numbers must be used. The BPP can be derived using the Isochronous Bandwidth Requirements section of the Point Grey Digital Camera Register Reference. For example, a single Firefly MV in 640x480 Y16 mode running at 15 FPS is sending 640 pixels per packet. Each pixel consists of 16 bits, or 2 bytes, of data. Therefore, the camera is sending 640*2 = 1280Bpp of data. The maximum bandwidth of the 1394a bus as discussed above is 4096Bpp, so it would be possible for 4096/1280 = 3 (rounded down) Firefly MV s to run in 640x480 Y16 mode at 15 FPS on the same 1394a bus. 34

35 Problems Maximizing Frame Rates In some circumstances, due to 1394 bus bandwidth limitations set by the operating system, some cameras may not be able to achieve the maximum calculated frame rate. Example: According to the formula in the section Calculating Maximum Possible Frame Rate it is possible to run four 640x480 cameras in Y8 (8-bit) mode at 30 FPS. However, when attempting to do this via the FlyCap demo program Format and Frame Rate controls, starting the fourth camera at 30 FPS often results in a bandwidth exceeded error. The workaround to this problem is to circumvent the Windows bandwidth restrictions by directly manipulating the camera s CURRENT_FRAME_RATE register 600h. In the example above, start three instances of the FlyCap demo program, with each camera running at 30 FPS. Start the fourth camera up at 15 FPS, then access register 600h and set the register to 0x (FrameRate_4: 30 FPS) Customizable Data Formats and Modes The Firefly MV implements IIDC Format_7 customizable video modes (see the Customizable Formats and Modes section for camera-specific information) that allow for faster frame rates based on selecting a specific region of interest (ROI) of the image or by configuring the camera to aggregate pixel values using a process known as binning. The table below outlines the Format_7 custom image modes that are supported by the Firefly MV. The implementation of these modes and the frame rates that are possible are not specified by the IIDC, and are subject to change across firmware versions. All Format_7 modes allow specifying a region of interest (sub-window) for transmission. Additionally, Mode_1 and Mode_2 implement pixel binning. Binning is performed directly on the CMOS sensor chip. The FMVU-13S2C model supports binning of raw Bayer-tiled data. As a result, color data is maintained. Color binning is not supported on the FMVU-03MTC or FFMV- 03M2C. Color data is not maintained when operating these models in pixel binning mode. Mode_1 implements a combination of 2X vertical and 2X horizontal binning, resulting in images that are half the resolution of the original image, both in height and width. Mode_2 implements vertical binning only, resulting in a half-height resolution. The figures below illustrate how binning works. 2X vertical binning aggregates adjacent vertical pixel values to form a single average pixel value. 2X horizontal binning works in the same manner, except adjacent horizontal pixel values are aggregated. 35

36 Moving the position of region of interest to a different location does not require the camera to be stopped (isochronous transmission disabled) and restarted (iso enabled), unless the change is illegal (e.g. moving the ROI outside the imaging area) or would affect the isochronous packet size. Changing the size of the image or the pixel encoding format does require the stop/start procedure. Ignoring the time required to do this in software (tearing down, then reallocating, image buffers, write times to the camera, etc.), the maximum amount of time required for the stop/start procedure is slightly more than one frame time. The sizes and frame rates supported by monochrome (BW) models are identical to the color models specified below, with the exception that only Mono8 and Mono16 are supported. The FMVU-13S2 supports only two ROI configurations in Format_7 mode: full-size and 640x480, which is obtained from the sensor s center cut-out feature. The center cut-out ROI can be dynamically moved within the larger pixel array. Related Knowledge Base Articles ID Title URL 163 What are the differences between pixel binning and region of interest custom image modes? 36

37 FFMV-03M2C & FMVU-03MTC Mode Pixel Format Unit Size (H,V) 640x480 FPS 320 x 240 FPS 160 x 120 FPS 0 Raw8 4, Raw16 4, Mono8 2, Mono16 2, Mono8 4, Mono16 4, Table 9: Partial image (Format 7) video formats, modes and frame rates for FFMV-03M2C and FMVU-03MTC FMVU-13S2C Mode Pixel Format Unit Size 1328x x524 (H,V) FPS FPS 640x480 FPS 0 Raw8 4, Raw16 4, Raw8 4, Raw16 4,4 47 Table 10: Partial image (Format 7) video formats, modes and frame rates for FMVU-13S2C Calculating Format_7 Frame Rates The theoretical frame rate (FPS) that can be achieved given the number of packets per frame (PPF) can be calculated as follows: FPS = 1 Packets per Frame * 125us An estimate for the number of packets per frame can be determined according to the following: PPF = Image_Size * Bytes_Per_Pixel Bytes_Per_Packet For the exact number of packets per frame, query the PACKET_PER_FRAME_INQ register; for the number of bytes per packet, query the BYTE_PER_PACKET register. For example, assuming an image size of 640x480, pixel format of Mono16 (2 bytes per pixel), and 4088 bytes per packet, the calculation would be as follows: FPS = 1 / ( ( 640*480*2 / 4088 ) * ) FPS = Image Acquisition 37

38 Shutter The Firefly MV supports automatic and manual control of the CMOS shutter time. Refer to Section 1.2 for ranges by model. Shutter times are scaled by the divider of the basic frame rate. For example, dividing the frame rate by two (e.g. 15 FPS to 7.5 FPS) causes the maximum shutter time to double (e.g. 66ms to 133ms). Formulas for converting the fixed point (relative) shutter values reported by SHUTTER register 0x81C to floating point (absolute) values are not provided. Users wishing to work with real-world values should refer to the Absolute Value CSR Registers section of the Point Grey Digital Camera Register Reference. The terms integration and exposure are often used interchangeably with shutter time. The time between the end of shutter for consecutive frames will always be constant. However, if the shutter time is continually changing (e.g. shutter is in Auto mode being controlled by Auto Exposure), the time between the beginning of consecutive integrations will change. If the shutter time is constant, the time between integrations will also be constant. The Firefly MV will continually expose and read image data off of the sensor under the following conditions: 1. The camera is powered up (see Section 2.10 Camera Power); and 2. The camera is not in asynchronous trigger mode. When in async trigger mode, the camera simply clears the sensor and does not read the data off the sensor. It is important to note that the camera will continue exposing images even when isochronous data transfer is disabled and images are not being streamed to the PC. The camera continues exposing images even when ISO is off in order to keep things such as the auto exposure algorithm (if enabled) running. This is done to ensure that when a user starts requesting images (ISO turned on), the first image they receive will be properly exposed. For an explanation of the differences between global shutter (FFMV-03M2 & FMVU-03MT) and rolling shutter (FMVU-13S2), refer to the following knowledge base article: Related Knowledge Base Articles ID Title URL 115 Key differences between rolling shutter and frame (global) shutter Gain The Firefly MV supports automatic and manual gain modes. The A/D converter provides a PxGA gain stage (white balance / preamp) and VGA gain stage (GAIN register 0x820). The main VGA gain stage is available to the user. Refer to Section 1.2 for ranges by model. Formulas for converting the fixed point (relative) gain values reported by GAIN register 0x820 to floating point (absolute) values are not provided. Users wishing to work with real-world values should refer to the Absolute Value CSR Registers section of the Point Grey Digital Camera Register Reference. 38

39 Increasing gain also increases image noise, which can affect image quality. To increase image intensity, try adjusting the lens aperture (iris) and shutter time first Auto Exposure Auto exposure (AE) allows the camera to automatically control shutter and/or gain in order to achieve a specific average image intensity, and is controlled using the AUTO_EXPOSURE register 0x804. There are three AE states: State Off On Manual AE On Auto AE Description Control of the exposure is achieved via setting shutter, gain and/or iris. The camera automatically modifies shutter, gain and/or iris to try and match the average image intensity to one-quarter of the specified AE value. The camera modifies the AE value in order to produce an image that is visually pleasing. If only one of shutter or gain is in auto mode, the auto exposure controller attempts to control the image intensity using that one parameter. If both of these parameters are in auto mode, the auto exposure controller uses a shutter-before-gain heuristic to try and maximize the signal-to-noise ratio by favoring a longer shutter time over a larger gain value. The auto exposure algorithm is only applied to the active region of interest, and not the entire array of active pixels. Auto exposure is disabled when the camera is operating in asynchronous trigger mode Extended Shutter Times The maximum shutter time for the Firefly MV can be extended beyond the normal shutter range by setting the ON_OFF bit [6] of the FRAME_RATE register 0x83C to zero (OFF). Once the FRAME_RATE is turned off, the Max_Value of the ABS_VAL_SHUTTER register increases. The maximum extended shutter time reported by the SHUTTER_INQ register 51Ch is capped at 4095 (0xFFF), the maximum value allowed by the Max_Value field of this register. Use the Max_Value of the ABS_VAL_SHUTTER register to determine the maximum shutter. Model Format and FPS Min (ms) Max (ms) Notes FFMV- 640x480 Y8, 60 FPS