©
National Instruments Corporation
1-1
cFP-21xx and cFP-BP-x User Manual
1
Overview of Compact FieldPoint
This chapter provides an overview of the cFP-21
xx
Compact FieldPoint
controller and FieldPoint software.
cFP-21
xx
Compact FieldPoint Controller Overview
Using the cFP-21
xx
controller with LabVIEW Real-Time provides an
easy-to-use system for real-time embedded applications. When you run the
LabVIEW Real-Time Engine on a cFP-21
xx
, the controller can run
applications without a host PC. If you connect the cFP-21
xx
to an Ethernet
network, you can use a separate host PC running Windows to display
measurement results and status information and change the settings of the
controller. Refer to the
LabVIEW Help
for more information about the
LabVIEW Real-Time Engine.
Besides the Ethernet port, the cFP-21
xx
has one or more RS-232 serial
ports accessible through software. It also has LED indicators to
communicate status information and DIP switches that perform various
functions. The cFP-2120 also has a software-accessible RS-485 port and
switch input/LED output for connecting to external devices such as LED
status indicators and start/stop buttons. Figure 1-1 shows where all of these
features are located on the cFP-21
xx
. The figure indicates which features
are available only on specific models such as the cFP-2120.
