Tigers
from Wilke Technology (Germany) |
 |
Tigers
from Wilke Technology (Germany) |
|
Tigers are small computer modules designed for embedded applications: they run BASIC (compiled on a PC and downloaded via an RS232 serial cable). These little matchbox sized beauties have two serial ports, 4 channel, 10-bit analog inputs, direct LCD connection with powerful drivers for text (4 line by 20) and graphics (e.g. 128 by 240 pixels). On board is range of FLASH memory (128 kB to 4 MB) and CMOS RAM (32kB to 2MB). The RAM and a real-time-clock (with alarm) can be battery-backed with a lithium battery.
With
their multiple I/O pins and ease of interfacing to both device pins
directly
(via low-level I/O commands), and to extended I/O using pins 1 to 7
(port
60..67) as an address/data bus (using IN and OUT instructions), the
Tigers
connect via external decoders and latches to nearly 2,000 digital I/O
bits.
An LCD display just connects to this bus, and bits used as E and RS
strobes
give easy text and graphics LCD interfacing with built-in driver
support.
The BASIC in Tigers is fast, efficient: it is compiled (not tokenised). Variable types are unsigned byte and 16-bit word, signed 32 bit double and 64 bit floating point. As an example, 32 by 32 multiply takes 20 microseconds, and a 64 bit floating point SIN only takes 3 milliseconds. 32-Task multitasking is built in.
The BASIC Tiger and Tiny Tiger modules are similar - the Tiny Tiger (60mm by 28mm by 10.5mm, with 44 pins) can have up to 2MB of FLASH and 512 KB CMOS RAM, the BASIC Tiger (63mm by 41mm by 12mm, with 46 pins) can have up to 4 MB of FLASH and 2 MB of CMOS RAM.
The
Economy
Tiger (39mm by 28mm by 10.2mm with 28
pins)
is now available in Australian stock. These range from $A124
($136.40
inc GST, for a ENN-R/4 device with 512kb FLASH and 32 kbyte RAM), even
in small quantities, to units with 512kB FLASH, 512kB RAM. An adapter
is
available allowing the ENN 28 pin Tiger to plug into a Tiny Tiger
socket
(eg on the prototype board) for development purposes. A PDF data sheet
with pinout is available: ENN-Tiger.
Three
JED boards support the E-Tiger ... see below.
The Rev. 5 software is available as a low cost "Lite" version for $A25 ($27.50 inc GST) on CD, (limited to 3,000 lines), as an update for existing users on CD with unlimited code size, with or without manuals, and as a full, unlimited set with or without manuals for new users.The manual set is 1800 pages. The software runs under W95/98 or NT4, W2000 and XP.
In Australia, we stock the 512kB FLASH/128kB SRAM and the 512kByte FLASH/512kByte RAM Tiny Tigers with the RTC option, 512kB FLASH/32kB RAM units are also available (non RTC), as well as some of most I/O modules.
A development system with the 3,000 line Lite software, a TCN4/4 Tiger and a 100 by 160mm prototype board is also stocked locally. This package is $A396 ($A435 inc GST)
An Australian pinout plug pack (PAK9) to power the prototype board is $20 ($22 inc GST).
A 12-page data-sheet from
Wilke
on the Tiger family is available for download (621kB) TIGERLIT.pdf.
(This is several months old and does not mention the 512k/512k
"large"
Tiny Tiger, or the E-Tiger, but is quite a good introduction to the
multitasking
capabilities. Prices in this document are old US$....you know the way
the
$A has gone!)
 Link
to Wilke for product data on the whole range of Tigers. Use the
menus
to look over the full BASIC instruction sets, pinouts for all devices,
development systems, explanation of the multitasking features, photos
of
the prototyping boards, plug-and-play lab, expansion devices, graphic
development
kits, stand-alone programmer, Tiger keyboard/terminal, etc etc. |
 Link
to Wilke's download page, with latest device drivers, app. notes,
full
set of PDF manuals (1000 pages), etc. |
JED is supporting the Tigers
with
a number of Australian-designed items:
TIG-505 Photo-505
is 110mm by 160mm, and board has screw terminals down both long
sides
(with 4 analog inputs and 20 digital inputs along the top and 24
open-drain
outputs along the bottom. (4 can become a quad analog output port).
Digital
logic in a Xil5204, 5206 or 5210, 160-pin gate array allows a wide
range
of logic to be put in-between the inputs and outputs and the
microprocessor.
At one end are two RS232, (one optionally RS485) and at the other is
the
JBUS port (see JBLOCKs ). As an option
this board can drive a 4 line by 20 char LCD display and scan a 20-key
keyboard. Mechanically, it can mount on a flat panel or gear plate
inside
a control cabinet, or it can mount cleanly on a front panel as a
controller,
with all I/O terminals out the back, protruding through a metal case.
This
board also supports a plug-in FLASH disk for data-logging purposes. The
TIG505 card also supports 4, 1-Wire interface channels, with option of
top drive for communication with multiple DS1820 or DS1920 temperature
sensors or iButtons.
Updated versions of the TIG505 Xilinx gate array add, for example, one or two 32 bit up-down counters (with quadrature phase detector and capture registers) ... this is an example of how Tigers can connect very simply to Xilinx gate arrays adding clever hardware for data acquisition or control functions. NOTE: JED, or associated consultants, can customise the Xilinx contents, either on the TIG505, or TIG501, or on new designs, to form powerful systems, programmable in Tiger BASIC. An X10 household power-mains communications interface is now available as an optional file to load in a XC5204 Xilinx. It uses an external modem (TW523 or XM10E) to the mains, needing only a 4-wire RJ45 cable to connect.
New additions are an optional larger character LCD (9mm high characters, 4 by 20), as well as graphics LCD displays using new drivers in rev 4 software. A TIG505 data-sheet is available for download. (68kB)TIG505.pdf
TIG-510 board,
which fits inside a two-tone OKW plastic box 120mm by 65mm, provides a
flexible small applications device for Tiger users. It uses the ENN
28-pin
Tiger. It has a D9 RS232 interface at one end, linkable as DTE or DCE,
and has an opto-isolated RS485 interface at the other. Down the side
are
Phoenix connectors providing 5 FET driver outputs and 8 contact closure
or voltage inputs. Inside is an 8-way DIP switch for address setting,
option
selections, etc. The Tiger is programmed in Tiger multitasking BASIC
with
existing Tiger software. A data sheet is now available in PDF form. T510.pdf
This box can act as an intelligent protocol converter (RS485 multidrop to RS232), RS232 to I/O or RS485 to I/O. A typical application might be to have contact closures on inputs causing ASCII codes to be generated and transmitted, and received codes/commands generate FET outputs. (This box makes an effective remote controller for LCD projectors, whose command codes are getting increasingly more complex.) Call to discuss. See Photo T510 for more detail.
TIG-515, board,
a brand new design for users of E-Tigers, but
wanting
a good mix of I/O. It has the choice of two different mounting options
for keyboards and LCD displays. It is 16 by 9 cm, and can work with
small
(5.5mm) or large (9.5mm), 4 line by 20 character LCD displays, and
these
can be mounted off-board (via a cable) or actually on the back of the
board
itself on spacers, without needing any cables for the display or
keyboard.
This enables the TIG-515 to be mounted neatly behind a panel and wired
to for control functions in the box.
It is expandable with the same 525 series of input and output modules as the TIG-520 card (below) uses. Two module sites are provided, and can be used for specialised analog functions, digital I/O or even slave processors (eg multichannel counters).
This board will be available in quantity at the end of Jan, 2002. Price will be $A250 to $300 depending on analog options. A closeup photo with two modules in place is shown: T515.JPG
A system description (preliminary data sheet) is available: T515S1.pdf, and a board loading drawing is at: T515bitV1.pdf.
The normal I/O provided is:
serial
ports and up to 64 input, output or analog input lines, using Tiger E
or
ATmega103 AVR CPU....contact JED if of interest. Download T520.pdf,
a family data-sheet. See enlarged photo Photo
of (prototype) T520. In the above photo, the E Tiger is in the
centre
bottom, with four RS232 serial ports. RS485 is on the top left edge.
LCD
and keyboard is on the right-hand edge, and across the top are eight
module
slots, which plug in to the eight 14-pin connectors across the centre
of
the board, with their outputs to eight, 5-pin screw terminal right
across
the top of the board. Modules can also have 5-pin screw terminal on
their
board as well, so two grounds and eight active inputs are available per
plug-in module. (Two modules with on-board screw terminals are shown,
one
as a side view (left, 8-inputs, with pull-ups or pull-downs), and one
as
a top view (right, 8 FET outputs, 2N7000 N Fets, with Zener clamp at 50
volts). We also have multi-channel Dallas 1-wire and a
Centronics-compatible
printer port double module designed.
If you are interested in using Tigers....email or call Ed Schoell at eschoel@jedmicro.com.au with your comments or questions. (03 9762 3588)
JED offers a design service for boards or systems based on Tigers, Xilinx gate arrays and a range of other electronic hardware and software projects. We have a group of standard circuit and gate array design modules, with matching software drivers developed during our time creating the TIG505, etc and we have designed a number of custom systems based on Tigers using this experience. Custom applications by JED hook up Tigers to GPS location systems, GSM data phones, satellite communications, truck and car computers, and a range of industrial machinery.
There is also a worldwide email newsgroup, with archive and search-by-topic available to users, available via KG Systems host: Join email list.
Data sheet links for components on the JED TIG501,
505
and 510 boards:
Xilinx
5200 gate arrays
Xicor
(now Intersil) watchdog/EEPROM (Note
... part renamed from X25045 to X5045)
MAX489E
RS485 transceiver
MAX506BCPP
quad 8-bit digital-to-analog converter
Texas
Instruments 7-NFET driver TPIC2701N
Texas
Instruments TL7726 hex clamp (used on analog & digital inputs)
California
Micro Devices PAC1284-04 4k7 r/c array EMC filter
Analog
Devices ADM213E RS232 5 RX, 4 TX RS232 interface
National
Semiconductor LM2940 Low Drop-out 5 volt linear regulator
For the TIG515/TIG520:
EXAR
XR16C2852
Dual UART
Dallas DS1305E
RTC
(Updated 31st May 2005)
