CPI Servo System – ACU 8100

Hardware Platform
The ACU 8100 is a rack mounted 19"/6HU unit. In principle it is a PC based system. For reliability and availability purposes,
however, only industrial, commercially available, PC components are implemented in the ACU. A rugged Compact PCI
backplane bus is used as the internal bus system.
A 12.1" colour touch screen panel is integrated into the ACU front panel as a Local User Interface.
The CPU is based on one of the latest processors and uses a real-time operating system. Using such a system allows
multitasking, accurate interrupt timing and exhaustive debugging features. The real-time kernel requires only a small
amount of memory, both in the non-volatile memory and during operation in the RAM. A sensitive mass storage device
(e.g. HDD) is not required. The software is stored on an on-board silicon disk.

Features

•  Softkey controlled user interface
•  Position control for up to four axes
•  Display of all information related to operational mode
•  Different user levels for parameter adjustment
•  Adjustable parameters for search modes
•  Satellite tracking with orbital elements
•  Time and position offsets
•  Odometer with maintenance alerts
•  Software on non-volatile memory cards
•  Optical isolation of process interface
•  Multi-purpose test outputs (e.g. position, tracking error etc.) with adjustable scaling, to be used e.g. for recording with data recorder etc.
•  Flexible interfaces

Typical tasks of the Antenna Control Unit 8100

•  Control of operating modes
•  Position readout (encoder interface)
•  Position and velocity loops (fully digital drive control)
•  Operator interface
  - locally at ACU
  - remote control from host computer
•  Time synchronization
•  Pointing error model
•  Refraction correction