The MIXI Learning System

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This page describes some pieces of computer software prepared to be used along with the MIXI applications. The other pieces are described by the software that you can request page.

MIXI Digital Oscilloscope program

The MIXI Digital Oscilloscope program belongs to the MIXI Digital measurement equipment application. The program enables the user to download a series of digital samples that correspond to the analogous signal connected to the input of the MIXI Learning System to the computer through its parallel port and a download cable that belongs to the application.

The goal of the application and of the program is the examination and the analysis of a signal that comes from an external source. This is why the application samples the signal of the external source connected to it, then the application converts the sampled signal to a digital signal, and forward it to the computer. The system samples the signal for 1 second, and it leaves 100 µs between each sample, so one transfer results in 10 000 samples. The A/D converter in the MIXI Learning System has the resolution of 1 byte (8 bits), so it is able to make a distinction among 256 voltage levels. Since the conversion range is 0.000 V - 4.080 V, the smallest difference between two digitized sample is 0.016 V.

The MIXI Digital Oscilloscope program is intended to be used to receive, to display, to store and to analyze the digital signals that come from the application. The program shows the display of the digital oscilloscope that shows the received signal from 0.0 to 50.0 ms in the voltage range of 0.000 V - 5.000 V as default. This default display can of course be changed by using the usual transformation operations of the oscilloscopes (offset, magnification, shrinking), so that the user can thoroughly analyze the signal.

Boundary scanning

The boundary scanning program (bscan.exe and BoundaryScan.exe) belongs to the MIXI application Boundary scanning II., because this program enables the user to program the application, that is, to download information about all the necessary control signals and further information conforming to the international standard of the boundary scanning from the computer to the application, as well as to read out information from the application to the computer.

Using the application, the student can monitor the operation of three pieces of digital integrated circuits with the boundary scanning method. The first IC has 8 boundary scanning cells, the second IC has 11 of them, and the third has 7 of them. This program enables the user to program these cells. The application allows us to monitor the operation of an external integrated circuit as well provided, that it is connected to the application through the project connector. The program supports this configuration, too (PROJECT setting).

The bscan.exe program (developed in 1998) used to run under DOS. The BoundaryScan.exe program is the result of further development, it runs under Windows and it also offers new services. A remarkable one of the new services is that the program automatically checks if the obtained data is correct using the TDO reference cells. The new program enables the user to save the serial test vectors to a file and to load them again.

MISS assembler and download program

The MISS assembler and download program belongs to the MIXI application MISS nanoprocessor. The program enables the user to program the MISS nanoprocessor with the support of the computer. This way, the user does not have to use machine code to specify each step of the program on the MIXI application, but he may enter the mnemonic of each instruction into a comfortable editor. If the program edited this way adheres the rules of the assembly programming, it can be compiled successfully, and downloaded into the MIXI Learning system through a data cable that belongs to the application.

The missasm.exe program (developed in 1995) used to run under DOS. This program enabled the user to perform all the basic operations necessary for programming the MISS nanoprocessor: editing, compiling and downloading. The built-in assembler performed not only the syntax check expected from assembler programs, but also the computation of the machine addresses. The misswin.exe program is based on the previous program, it runs under Windows, and it also offers new services, such as enabling the merging of multiple (max. 3) assembly subprograms, the address counter can now be set to either decimal or to hexadecimal mode, the compilation speed is now higher (e.g. 5 sec for a 4 KByte program).

MIXIDsp filter design program

The MIXIDsp program is delivered as an accessory of the Digital Signal Processor application of the MIXI Learning System. The program is necessary for performing the tasks written in the measurements' guide. With the help of the cable provided with the application, the weight factors generated according to certain rules can be downloaded from the computer into the digital filter realized in the MIXI.

We have created a simple digital filter in the application, which is capable of emulating any digital filter within the physical limits. The program helps more then just programming the filter, it helps the whole digital filter desgin process. After selecting the base filter type and choosing its parameters, the program computes and displays the amplitude and phase functions, the impulse response function, the digital filter amplification function "equivalent" with the analogue filter, as well as the weight function. The user can then inspect, correct, and download the digital filter weight factors computed by the program.

The program also enables the user to save the digital filter weight factors to a file, as well as to load them from a saved file.

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Last modified by the Mikrovolt webmaster on Tue May 4 12:03:28 2004