11 Firmware and Upgrades
The board hosts one FPGA on the mainboard and two FPGAs per mezzanine (i.e. one FPGA per channel).
The channel FPGAs firmware is iden cal. A unique file is provided that will update all the FPGAs at the
same me.
ROC FPGA
MAINBOARD FPGA (Readout Cont VME interface):
FPGA Altera Cyclone EP1C20
AMC FPGA
MEZZANINE FPGA (ADC readout/Memory Controller):
FPGA Altera Cyclone EP1C20
The firmware is stored onto the on-board FLASH memory. Two copies of the firmware are stored in two
different pages of the FLASH, referred to as Standard (STD) and Backup (BKP). In case of waveform recording
firmware, the board is delivered equipped with the same firmware version on both pages.
At power-on, a micro-controller reads the FLASH memory and programs the module automa cally loading
the first working firmware copy, that is the STD one in normal opera ng.
It is possible to upgrade the board firmware via USB or Op cal Link by wri ng the FLASH with the CAENUp-
grader so ware (see Chap.
IT IS STRONGLY SUGGESTED TO OPERATE THE DIGITIZER UPON THE STD COPY OF THE
FIRMWARE. UPGRADES ARE SO RECOMMENDED ONLY ON THE STD PAGE OF THE FLASH. THE
BKP COPY IS TO BE INTENDED ONLY FOR RECOVERY USAGE. IF BOTH PAGES RESULT COR-
RUPTED, THE USER WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO UPLOAD THE FIRMWARE VIA USB OR OP-
TICAL LINK AGAIN AND THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE SENT TO CAEN FOR REPAIR!
Firmware Upgrade
All firmware updates are available for download on CAEN website www.caen.it (
login required
) at the
following path:
Home / Products / Modular Pulse Processing Electronics / NIM / Digi zers / N6724
Different firmware are available for the 724 family:
• The waveform recording firmware;
• The special DPP firmware for Physics Applica ons:
–
DPP-PHA firmware to use the digi zer as a digital replacement of Shaping Amplifier and Peak
Sensing ADC (Mul -Channel Analyzer) by means of digital trapezoidal filters.
–
DPP-DAW firmware that improves the zero suppression capabili es and use trigger-less acquisi-
on.
DPP firmware updates can also be found at the relevant DPP firmware web page:
Home /Products / Firmware/So ware / DPP Firmware/So ware Tools (Digi zer) / DPP Firmware / <DPP-
FIRMWARE>
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UM3247 - N6724 User Manual rev. 10