Progress Report #2
Digital Input Power-Meter
In partial fulfillment of ELEC 499A
at the University of Victoria
Prepared for:
Dr. W. D. Little, University of Victoria
NxtPhase Corporation
Prepared by:
Darrin Marr 9511318
Marcie Webb 9805367
Brad Zarikoff 9800578
1.
Introduction
This progress report will summarize the to date progress made on the Digital Input Power
Meter project. The report will also highlight changes in the project relative to the last
progress report (Progress Report #1, submitted on May 28, 2001).
2.
Changes to Project Scope
The previous project scope included the following major objectives:




Develop a system to convert NxtPhase PT proprietary digital output to the
60044-8 IEC Standard serial data stream. (PT Emulation and Merging Unit)
Transmit the standardized digital data stream over a variable length optical
communications channel. (Communication Link)
Acquire the standardized data stream using external digital hardware and a
standard PC. (Data Acquisition)
Format and display digital data representing the 3-phase line voltage and
current, including metering features such as harmonic distortion and power
factor. (Data Processing and Display)
Sections 2.1. – 2.4 will explain the changes to the four major objectives in detail.
2.1
PT Emulation and Merging Unit
Progress Report #1 outlines the original PT emulation and Merging Unit strategy. The
following details the changes made to this strategy:

The debug board that is used to generate 6 digital sinusoids is now formally
called the Sinusoid Generator

One TDM line is now used for transmission of the digital sinusoids from the
Sinusoid Generator to the Merging Unit. This means that the 3 voltage phases
and the 3 current phases are placed on the same TDM line. This effectively
decreases the sampling rate at the Merging Unit by half. The reason for this
change is the lack of ESSI (Enhanced Synchronous Serial Interface) ports on
the Merging Unit and the inability to use the SCI (Serial Control Interface)
serial port. The Merging Unit contains 2 ESSI ports, one for receiving the
sinusoids at 100,000 samples per second (Nxtphase proprietary) and one for
transmitting the packets at 4,800 samples per second (IEC Standard). The SCI
on the Merging Unit cannot be used since it cannot transmit a continuous data
stream.
2.2
Communications Link
It has been decided that the communications link detailed in Progress Report #1 will not
be part of the project due to time constraints. The communications link entailed the fibre
optic connection and a Manchester encoder and decoder for the transmission of the
standardized IEC data stream.
2.3
Data Acquisition
Progress Report #1 outlines the original Data Acquisition strategy. The following details
the changes made to this strategy:


2.4
The debug board which receives the standardized IEC data stream, decodes
the samples, and outputs the samples to the PC via a parallel port is now
formally known as the Buffer Board.
The Buffer Board will no longer be used to average the samples. Instead the
samples will be stored in memory until 200 milliseconds of samples are
available to be output on the parallel port. The 200ms time record contains
5760 16 bit samples. This requires less than 6k memory spaces.
Data Processing and Display
No changes.
3.
Project Status
As of June 27th, 2001, the following work has been done on the main objectives:
PT Emulation and Merging Unit
Work completed
 Sinusoid Generator has been completed
Work to be completed
 Merging Unit Software
Data Acquisition
Work completed
 Initial work has been completed on the Buffer Board
 Test software completed for Labview driver
 Completed outsource of Labview driver
Work to be completed
 Complete buffer software
 Solder chips that drive parallel port
 Get Labview runtime engine
Data Processing and Display
Work completed
 Obtained Matlab 6 from Nxtphase
Work to be completed
 Get Matlab 6 licensing settled
 Program Matlab GUI
 Program Matlab file access engine
 Decide on Matlab functionality
4.
Task List
Task
Progress Report #1
Progress Report #2
Web Presentation
Poster Presentation
Final Report
PT Emulation and Merging Unit
Generate six sample sinusoids using Motorola
DSP and assembly language
Investigate 60044-8 IEC Standard
Write merging unit software using C
Communication Link
Select optical transceiver and fibre optic cable
Select Manchester encoder and decoder
Implement and test communication link
Data Acquisition
Data buffering and averaging code using
Motorola DSP and assembly
Research DIO card
Labview driver outsource
Modify debug board and DIO interface adapter
Data Processing and Display
GUI design using Matlab
Persons Responsible
Brad, Darrin, Marcie
Brad, Darrin, Marcie
Brad, Darrin, Marcie
Brad, Darrin, Marcie
Brad, Darrin, Marcie
Completion Date
May 28
June 29
August 3
July 27
August 3
Darrin
June 1
Brad, Darrin
Brad, Darrin
June 1
July 1
Brad, Marcie
July 1
Darrin
Complete
Brad, Darrin, Marcie July 25
Darrin
June 29
Brad, Marcie
June 15
Darrin
May 31
Brad, Darrin, Marcie July 1
Brad, Marcie
July 16