We have recently released STAR-System v6.01, which is an update to the common software suite used by all of our SpaceWire and SpaceFibre interface and routing devices. STAR-System includes a number of GUI applications used to perform common functions such as transmitting and receiving packets, device configuration and error injection. It also includes C, C++ and Python APIs for controlling the devices from your own applications.
The most significant updates in STAR-System v6.01 are related to the triggering system in supported devices such as the SpaceWire Brick Mk4, SpaceWire PCIe Mk2, SpaceWire PXI Mk2, and, new in STAR-System v6.01, the STAR-Ultra PCIe Interface. In those devices, the triggering system allows events such as timers or external trigger input to cause actions such as transmitting packets or injecting errors. The initial configuration of the triggers is performed by software, but the implementation is in hardware, which allows low-latency and deterministic behaviour even when the device is running on a general-purpose operating system.
Firstly, the Generic Triggering API (and C++ and Python equivalents) has been updated to support triggering using SpaceFibre ports and virtual channels on the STAR-Ultra PCIe Interface. For example, it is now possible to queue SpaceFibre packets on a virtual channel and trigger them based on a number of different events including timers or external trigger input.
Secondly, we have developed a new version of the Triggering GUI application, improving the visuals and usability throughout, adding the ability to save and load trigger configurations to and from files, and including several example configurations for common use cases. For example, the following screenshot shows the trigger editing window, which is used to connect trigger events and actions, in this case using one of the counters to cause periodic transmission of packets on a SpaceFibre virtual channel:
The release also includes other improvements throughout the GUI applications, APIs, installers and documentation. In addition, the release includes improved support for various Linux distributions, including resolving installation issues on recent versions of multiarch distributions like Ubuntu, and Linux kernel compatibility has been tested up to kernel v6.17.7.
In addition to the triggering software updates in STAR-System v6.01, an FPGA update for the STAR-Ultra PCIe Interface, v1.07e06, has also been released. The update can be applied using the STAR-System Device Update GUI application and is required for full triggering support on the STAR-Ultra PCIe Interface.
STAR-System v6.01 and STAR-Ultra PCIe v1.07e06 are now available for download for registered users through the Support area of our website. If you don’t already have access to these downloads, please register your product on our Product Registration page.