The ChronoLogic Sonda is a signal conditioning unit that allows users to customise their test, measurement, control or automation setup on a per-channel basis. The Sonda is part of the “USB-inSync™” product family, and acts as an extension of the “Legato – Universal Timing Device”.
By connecting the Sonda unit to a free port on a ChronoLogic Legato-UTD device (RJ45 connector version), the user can distribute digital inputs or outputs to a radius of 100m on Cat5/6 cable, synchronized to ±2.5nanoseconds due to the Sonda’s ability to automatically measure and compensate for cable delay. This means that users can now create a highly synchronized, PC/USB-based test, measurement, control or automation setup over a radius of 100m in any direction (total span ¼ kilometre once added to existing module connections). This makes the ChronoLogic Sonda the ideal product for users with highly distributed environments. The unit is suitable for rugged industrial applications and environments. Noise will not affect the quality of the I/O-Signal as the connection uses differential signalling across shielded standard CAT5/6 cable with signal regeneration at the end of the cable run.
The system (i.e. the Legato with Sonda unit/s attached) will appear to the user via the ChronoLogic Control Center software as one device with multiple functionalities. If the user wishes to add more than 5 distributed, synchronous input/output channels they simply need to add another Legato device, connected to the PC via the “ChronoLogic Maestro Master Hub”.
Currently isolated and non-isolated, digital input and output Sonda’s are available. Outputs can be used to produce precise timing patterns to control customer equipment or simulate complex transmission protocols. Inputs can be used to capture external events and timestamp them, so they can be aligned with other signals and used to trigger other devices within the system.
More versions of the Sonda are under development, which will increase its functionality and offer users even more ability to customise their synchronized USB-based setup to meet their individual requirements. These include an analog input/output version, and other versions that will be driven by customer requirements. Future applications for the Sonda include distributed I/O systems where the (analog) signal is generated where it is required, or acquired where it is produced rather than in a central unit. This will significantly improve signal integrity and reduce noise which is usually injected when analog or digital signals are transferred over long cables. |
