USB and DC control; S_M_D

For technicians and partly for sales managers!

 

 

 

The following description handles the electronics and electrical components and cabling, used in the Pannoramic scanners SCAN, MIDI and DESK (S_M_D).

Differences are explained as they occur in the sequence.

 

 

 

 

 Contents

 

Power supply

USB controller

addresses

            EEPROM

USB controller connections

DC-controller

Stepper motor

 Electrical components

Cabling; summary

 

 

 

 

Important remark

ˇ      After maintenance or services and performed tests of the scanner are 100% finished, protective ground connections and other safety regulations related to hazardous voltages, accessible conductive parts and dangerous to life parts have to be checked (again).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Power supply

 

 

The connected power supply MPU 100-108 with an input voltage range of 100V~ to 240V~ AC and an output voltage of 24V- DC supplies the motors and other internal units with power. Inside the USB-controller, the DC-controller as well as in the stepper motor electronics a local power supply is located and these create further, required voltages.

 

ˇ    The power switch can also be used to switch off the entire scanner if mechanical jamming or any other emergency situation occurs!

 

Important

Please see:     Task Manager

 

 

230V~ or 100V~

 

The alteration of the mains power input in the range from 100V~ to 240V~ is reduced to the use of the appropriate mains power cable!

If the mains power is changed from 230V~ to 100V~ or vice versa, no alterations are required inside the scanner; the change of the mains power is fully handled by the input voltage range of the power supply.

 

See also:       MPU 100-108

 

 

 

 

Important

 

In MIRAX SCAN, MIDI and DESK scanners a power supply, delivered from CARL ZEISS is used. These power supplies does not handle the input voltage automatically; there is a switch to select the input voltage of 110V~ or 230V~!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USB controller

 

 

The USB controller receives the command for the units from the program SlideScanner.exe (the scan program) or the SlideScannerService.exe (the service program) via the USB control port of the PC and the USB cable.

 All units that contain separate electronics (stepper motors and DC-controller) are connected via a bus system. To differentiate the units, connected to the USB controller, each stepper motor electronics and the DC-controller as well has an address. Each data transfer starts with the specified address for the unit and is listen by all units at the same time, but only this unit receives the message, which internal address and the message address is identical. The stepper electronics can receive commands (number of steps to go and direction) and can send status information (desired position reached and the status of the sensors Home1 and Home2).  The status information will be send via the USB cable to the software, hereby the address of the unit is used also.

With this solution it is possible to change the stepper motor cable with another stepper motor cable (e.g. for fault detection) without any risk or functional restrictions. The label of the cable for digital electronics has no reason in functionality; it differentiates the cables from each other instead, because some cables are shorter than others.

 

 

 

Important

 

The construction of the controller powering on the board does allow the drive of maximal 3 stepper motors at the same time!

 

ˇ      Please take this into account, if you are working with the service program and the batch test program module!

 

See also:       Scanner cabling and power supply

 

 

 

USB- and DC-electronics box mounting

 

To allow an easy exchange of the USB controller box, the inner (not reachable) standoffs have a slot, in which the unit is shifted in; during the rear (reachable with the screw driver) standoffs are fixing the USB- or DC-controller box by using a bolt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                      Trigger connector

 

The trigger connector is used for the Sony camera only and is identical for all the three scanner types.

If the camera is not recognized after changing the USB controller unit, please check the correct cabling and the connections as shown on the right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    FireWire connector box

 

The FireWire connector box contains a PCB on which two FireWire connectors are soldered. There are no electronics components inside; the box realizes the connection of the internal FireWire cable of the preview camera DFK 21F04 to the external FireWire cable to the PC.

 

ˇ       See also “How to check the preview camera”

ˇ      If the scanner uses the preview camera VRmC-8+ PRO, the FireWire connector box is replaced by an USB 2.0 port “B”- type connector.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    Addresses

 

Address of scanner unit

Unit

Address

Type

X-Y-Z control

00

C_P

USB-controller

01

All

DC-controller

02

P_S_M_D

X-motor

03

S_M_D

Y-motor

04

S_M_D

Z-motor

05

S_M_D

Turret unit

06

S_M_P

Tray loader motor

07

M_C

Slide loader motor

08

M_C

Objective changer

09

C_P_S_M

Camera changer

10

P

RGB illumination

11

C

Reserve

12

---

Immersion liquid unit

13

C

Mechanical shutter

14

C

Switch board

15

C_P

Legend: C=Confocal; P=P250; S=SCAN; M=MIDI; D=DESK

 The addresses are used by the scan program and the service program to select the unit; these addresses are programmed into the specified unit and can be changed via special software only. It is important, that none of these addresses should exist twice inside of one Pannoramic scanner, otherwise command or status mismatch occurs.

If data transfer is in progress, all addressable units listen to the address of the data stream; if the address of the unit is identical with the address of the data stream, the addressed unit is found and this receives the information.

 

 

 

See also:       “Cabling of addressable units”

Address assigning tool Serial.exe and start “Serial.exe”

 

 

See also:       Firmware upgrade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

                   EEPROM

 

The EEPROM stores the scanner specific parameters and these are collected in the files MicroscopeConfiguration.ini and MicroscopeSettings.ini. To ensure an always proper functioning of the scanner, the content of the EEPROM should be updated after adjustments are done or units are exchanged and parameter values are modified. The EEPROM is a part of the USB controllers PCB.

ˇ   To update the content, the EEPROM should be cleared with the service program.

ˇ   If the scan software is started and the EEPROM is empty, the content of the appropriate *.ini files will be written automatically from the HDD into the EEPROM.

 

1.    Start the program “SlideScannerService.exe”, option “EEPROM clear”.

2.    Answer the dialogue with “Yes”; then the EEPROM is cleared.

3.    Exit the service program with “Exit”

4.    Start the program “SlideScanner.exe”; the *.ini-files will be automatically saved from the appropriate HDD folder into the EEPROM during startup of the scan program, if the EEPROM is empty.

 

See also:       “Service program”; clear EEPROM

“MicroscopeConfiguration.ini”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compressed content of the EEPROM (P250, SCAN, MIDI, DESK)

 

The compression of the EEPROM content is required since the software version 1.16, because there are newly implemented parameters and the capacity of the EEPROM is limited to be 2kB.

ˇ       By compressing the content, memory space is won.

 

In systems, delivered with the version 1.16 the modified handling of the EEPROM content will not be noticed by the user; the files “MicroscopeConfiguration.ini” and “MicroscopeSettings.ini” staying on the HDD in uncompressed form.

ˇ       If the EEPROM content is written, the files “MicroscopeConfiguration.ini” and “MicroscopeSettings.ini” will be compressed before these are stored in the EEPROM.

ˇ       If the EEPROM is read, the content will be uncompressed before it is stored as file “MicroscopeConfiguration.ini” and “MicroscopeSettings.ini” on the HDD.

 

If an upgrade is made (from the version 1.15 or lower to the version 1.16) the content in the EEPROM is uncompressed but the version 1.16 expects a compressed content; therefore:

 

Before you are installing the software version 1.16

ˇ       Make sure; the content of the files “MicroscopeConfiguration.ini” and “MicroscopeSettings.ini” is the most recent content on the HDD.

ˇ       Save these files to a save place

Install the software version 1.16

ˇ       Start the program “SlideScanner.exe” first time.

ˇ       The compression of the EEPROM content will be done automatically.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   Cabling of addressable units

 

All the addressable units are connected with the “Hirschmann” connector; the connection is secured with a knurled nut. On the other end of the cable a “wire to board” connector is used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USB controller connections

 

Attention

Please switch off the power supply before cable connecting or disconnecting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DC-controller

 

The internal construction of the DC-controllers is different to each other; the number of the connected cables is limited or extended in according to the requirements. 

The DC-controller switches the DC-motors and the preview illumination on or off; collects the status information of the connected sensors and transmits this to the USB-controller.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DC-motor implementation

 

The DC electronics box is mounted onto the magazine unit from beneath. To prevent the DC-motors from overload if hardware jamming occurs, all commands, starting the DC motors have a time out (started by the scan software). Normally, the motor is stopped with the sensor action before the time is run out. If the sensor action is missed (jamming occurred) the time out event will switch off the motor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stepper motor

 

 

See:      Stepper motors

 

 

 

About basics, theory and principles please refer to:

http://www.solarbotics.net/library/pdflib/pdf/motorbas.pdf

 

Stepper motor basics                     (stored)

Drive circuit basics                         (stored)

Stepper motor and driver               (stored)

External recirculation diodes        (stored)

Stepper motor driving                     (stored)

Stepper motors 2011                      (stored)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electrical components

 

 

 

 

                   Background (preview) illumination

 

The preview illumination consists of 6 LEDs and is used to illuminate the scan area part of the slide and makes so the sample visible for the preview camera.

The preview illumination exists in two versions, a 0R and a 300R version.

Because the output of the preview illumination for the SCAN is driven by a voltage generator, the 300R version is used in the SCAN; in opposite to this, the outputs of the MIDI and the DESK are driven by a current generator and therefore the 0R version have to be used. The version of the preview illumination is shown with 0R or 300R, near to the connector.

The intensity of the backlight can be adjusted in the range between 1 and 255 (maximum), 0 means the backlight is switched off (this should not be used as a parameter value!). Until the software version 1.14, the parameter is found in the file “MicroscopeConfiguration.ini” section [PreviewAndBarcodeScanning].

[PreviewAndBarcodeScanning]

BackLightIntensity=120

The value is often found in the range between 100 and 150.

 

Important

If the 0R version is connected to the SCAN, the output BGF-2 may be destroyed and the DC-controller needs to be replaced.

 

 

See also:       LED                Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                         Barcode illumination

 

The barcode illumination consists of four LEDs and is used to illuminate the barcode area of the slide and makes so the barcode visible for the preview camera.

The barcode illumination exists in two versions, a 0R and a 510R version. Because the output for the barcode illumination for the SCAN is driven by a voltage generator, the 510R version is used in the SCAN; in opposite to this, the outputs of the MIDI and the DESK are driven by a current generator and therefore the 0R version have to be used. The version of the barcode illumination is shown with 0R or 510R, near to the connector.

The intensity of the barcode illumination can be adjusted in the range between 1 and 255(maximum), 0 means the barcode illumination is switched off (this should not be used as a parameter value!).

 

Until the software version 1.14, the parameter is found in the file “MicroscopeConfiguration.ini” section [PreviewAndBarcodeScanning].

 

[PreviewAndBarcodeScanning]

AuxiliaryBackLightIntensity=255

The value is seldom modified.

 

Important

If the 0R version is connected to the SCAN, the output BGF-1 may be destroyed and the USB-controller needs to be replaced.

 

To adjust the barcode illumination, please refer to “Preview_S_M_D” and “Adjust the barcode illumination”.

 

See also:       LED                Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

                   Brightfield illumination

 

The brightfield illumination is used to illuminate the field of view (FOV) for the scan camera and the light source is a halogen lamp of 12V 5W.

The type is: Osram Halostar Starlite 64405 S 12V – G4; 5W.

If the lamp was exchanged, the brightfield illumination should be checked and adjusted if necessary; see “LUT-adjustment”.

 

Important

 

ˇ       Please do not use a lamp with a power less than 5W! If the power of the halogen lamp is reduced, the delivered amount of light will be also less and may be not enough to illuminate the FOV; mainly if the tissue is a little bit thicker or the 40x objective is used; the software will interrupt the scan process or will start with “Illumination error” reports.

 

ˇ       Please do not use a lamp with a power more than 5W! If the power of the halogen lamp is increased, the control output of the brightfield scan illumination may be destroyed!

 

Attention

Never touch the lamp glass with fingers! The lamp will burn out in a half of an hour. If you have done so, clean the lamp glass entirely with alcohol before switching on the lamp.

 

 

 

 

 

                 RGB BF illumination unit

 

Modifications since summer 2016

 

RGB_BF_PrincipleBy using a monochrome scan camera for brightfield scan sessions also, the FL scan camera as well as the camera changer unit can be left out of the equipment, because the same camera can be used for BF and FL scan sessions.

On the other side, to create color information for the BF scanned tissue, the tissue needs to be captured 3 times; each image is illuminated with another color.

To do this, an RGB illumination unit is required.

 

By triggering the illumination unit with the shutter of the camera, a Red, a Green and a Blue illuminated image of the Field of View will be created. Each image contains the grey scale of the used wavelength (range); so the partial intensity of the appropriate color is known.  By assembling the three images to a Field of View and using the software coloring method (combining the intensity of gray from each taken image for each pixel), the true color information of each pixel is found.

 

By using cameras with a large image sensor, low shutter time and high pixel resolution, the scan time of the tissue can be held in acceptable boundaries and the result is an image with high resolution and high color fidelity.

 

 

See also:       RGB BF illumination unit of the Pannoramic Confocal

                        Grasshopper 3 monochrome

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   Optical sensors

 

If the optical sensor OPF-1 and 2 (left and right magazine sensor) is pushed by the magazine, the light path between LED and photo transistor will be interrupted by a pin. This action is recognized by the software.

 

The sensors are situated on the magazine feeder channel bottom plate and their positions are fixed.

 

ˇ       The sensors do not need adjustment.

ˇ       The sensors should be kept clean. Because the action path is very short, even small glass shards or dust is able to prevent the sensor from correct switching.

 

See also:       LED and photo transistor              Wikipedia

                        Optical interrupter H22LOI            Data sheet; stored

                        “Magazine Input Sensor” and “Magazine Output Sensor”

 

                        “How to exchange sensors OPX_1_2”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   Hall sensors

 

The “Magazine Loader Sensor”, the “Magazine feeder sensor”, the “Tray loader sensor”, the “Slide sensor” and the “Door sensor” are realized with Hall elements.

 

 

  • If the south pole of a magnet is over the Hall element or the north pole on the opposite side, the switch is closed and this state is recognized by the software.
  • If the polarity of the permanent magnet is inverted or a magnetic field is not present, no action occurs.

 

  • The sensors are so implemented, that the south pole of the permanent magnet stays over the sensor surface if the action position is reached.

 

ˇ       The sensor position is adjustable.

ˇ       For adjustment procedures see the appropriate chapters.

ˇ       The sensor does not need maintenance.

 

 

See also:       “Hall effect”               Wikipedia

                        TLE4905L                Data sheet; stored

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USB- and DC-controller cabling; summary

 

 

 

 

                   Cable labels

 

The first 2 letters of the cable label shows the dedicated unit, the 3rd character defines the electronics version and the scanner type.

 

Unit

The first 2 letters are defining the unit to be connected.

 

Type

The type defines mainly the scanner and the electronics version while delivering the scanner (since 2010). Previously delivered scanners (S_M_D) had always the letter “C”

 

Serial

The number “Serial” defines the dedicated unit of the scanner. Often the unit exists more times (like stepper motors) so the units from the same type are distinguished. The serial number of stepper motor labels defines mainly different cable lengths instead of different signals!

 

Example

The label “STF- means a stepper motor cable for mounted stepper motor control electronics in the SCAN for the X-motor (nominal; the length of the cable is dimensioned to reach the X-motor).

 

See also:       “Cabling of addressable units” and “Addresses”

 

 

 

USB-controller cabling; summary

Cable label

Unit

Address

DESK

MIDI

SCAN

Reserve

00

 

 

 

USB-controller

01

USB control cable from PC

DC-controller

02

DCI-1

DCG-1

DCF-1

X-motor

03

STI-1

STG-1

STF-1

Y-motor

04

STI-2

STG-2

STF-2

Z-motor; focus

05

STI-3

STG-3

STF-3

Turret unit

06

-

STG-4

STF-4

Tray loader motor

07

-

STG-5

-

Slide loader motor

08

-

STG-6

-

Objective changer

09

-

STG-3

 

Brightfield illumination

01x

LBI-1

LBG-1

LBF-1

Barcode illumination

02x

 

 

 

USB connector; external

-

Preview camera cable to PC

USB connector; internal

-

FWI-1

FWG-1

FWF-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DC-controller cabling;

 summary

Cable label

DESK

MIDI

SCAN

USB-controller

DCI-1

DCG-1

DCF-1

Door swirch (Sensor)

HAI-1

-

-

Preview (background) illumination

BGI-2

BGG-2

BGF-2

Barcode illumination

BGI-1

BGG-1

-

Slide sensor

-

HAG-1

-

Tray sensor

-

HAG-2

-

Left (input) magazine sensor

-

-

OPF-1

Right (input) magazine sensor

-

-

OPF-2

Magazine loader sensor

-

-

HAF-1

Magazine feeder sensor

-

-

HAF-2

Slide loader cable

-

-

HMF-1

Magazine loader motor

-

-

DMF-1

Magazine feeder motor

-

-

DMF-2

Slide loader DC motor

-

-

DMF-3