Controller for A Cryogenically Cooled RF Amplifier

 

Objective: The client need an embedded controller to monitor and control a cryogenically cooled low noise RF amplifier that operated from 30 - 10 degrees Kelvin. In addition to monitoring several performance parameters of the cooling system the controller also needed to monitor RF performance parameters and fault conditions. The controller needed a local control panel as well as HTTP, TCP/IP and SNMP interfaces to allow remote control and monitoring functions.

 

Result: Original Technology was responsible for both the hardware and software design of the embedded controller. To meet the hard real time and I/O requirements for the control and monitor functions, the project used the NXP LPC2400 ARM 7 microcontroller family and the Keil RTX Real Time OS as the core of the design. Along with meeting the TCP/IP network requirements, the software incorporated a SNMP software stack from a third party to meet all of the networking requirements.

 

The embedded controller utilizes RS-232, RS-485, and parallel TTL/CMOS I/O's to interface to a wide verity of ancillary items that are either monitored and/or controlled. Working with the client’s RF engineers, Original Technology assisted with the system engineering, supported prototype testing, and supported system integration to insure the final system met all the requirements.