Support of a new motor controller¶

Motors control in BLISS has been built with an “easy and fast integration” objective in mind. One of the goals of BLISS is to offer to users an easiest possible way to implement a new controller.

In order to reach this objective, BLISS motors control has been designed in two parts:

A generic motor engine (axis.py module) in charge of driving motors with taking care of most of typical motion concepts: velocity, acceleration, backlash, limits, etc.
Motor plugins implementing functions used by the motor engine for each supported motor controller.

To create such a BLISS motor plugin, a python module, implementing a set of standard methods dealing with functionalities offered by the controller, has to be created. Some of these methods are mandatory, some of them are needed only if implementation of these functionalities is wanted. In addition, some custom commands can be defined to implement very specific features of a motor controller.

Note

About units management

On the user point of view, axes are moved in user units, whatever unit is used in the controller API
On the programmer point of view, the BLISS plugin is dealing with controller units (steps, microns, …)
The programmer should not have to deal with units conversions.
see motion axis / position for more details.

Example and skeleton of BLISS motor plugin¶

Template for motor controller:

from bliss.controllers.motor import Controller
from bliss.comm.util import get_comm
from bliss.common.axis import AxisState

"""
Bliss controller for XXX.
"""

class XXX(Controller):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        Controller.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)

    def initialize(self):
        self.comm = get_comm(self.config)

    def initialize_axis(self, axis):
        """
        Reads specific config
        Adds specific methods
        """
        pass

    def read_position(self, axis):
        """
        Returns position's setpoint or measured position.

        Args:
            - <axis> : bliss axis.
            - [<measured>] : boolean : if True, function returns
              measured position in ???
        Returns:
            - <position> : float : axis setpoint in ???.
        """
        raise NotImplementedError

    def read_encoder(self, encoder):
        raise NotImplementedError

    def read_velocity(self, axis):
        """
        Args:
            - <axis> : Bliss axis object.
        Returns:
            - <velocity> : float
        """

    def set_velocity(self, axis, new_velocity):
        pass

    def state(self, axis):
        _ans = self.comm.write_read("state")
        if _ans == "moving":
            return AxisState("MOVING")
        else:
            return AxisState("READY")

    def prepare_move(self, motion):
        pass

    def start_one(self, motion):
        """
        sdf
        """
        self.comm.write("MOVE")

    def stop(self, axis):
        # Halt a scan (not a movement ?)
        self.comm.write("STOP")

    def raw_write(self, axis, cmd):
        self.comm.write(cmd)

    def raw_write_read(self, axis, cmd):
        return self.comm.write_readline(cmd)

    def get_id(self, axis):
        """
        Returns firmware version.
        """
        return self.comm.write_readline("?VER")

    def get_info(self, axis):
        """
        Returns information about controller as a string.
        """
        return 'IcePapMotorController - FW 2.71'

Minimal set of functions to implement¶

In order to get a working (but limited) BLISS motor plugin, the following methods (further detailed) are mandatory:

initialize_axis()
- NB: If this method in not defined, it create not necessarily an error but initialization of axis is not done.
start_one(self, motion)
stop(self, axis)
state(self, axis)

Controller setup¶

Initialization sequence¶

initialize(): called when an object of that controller class is created (called only once, even if many objects are created)
before first usage of one axis of this controller object (for example, read axis state), hardware initialization is performed in following order:
- initialize_hardware(): called once for one controller whatever the number of axes.
- initialize_axis(): called once per axis at first use of this axis.
- set_velocity() and set_acceleration() with settings values if these methods have been implemented.
- limits application
- initialize_hardware_axis(): called once per axis.

Initialization methods¶

__init__(self, name, config, axes)
- Initialization of internal class attributes
initialize(self)
- Pure software initialization (like communication channel init). No access to physical hardware required at this stage.
- Called at axes creation (only once, even if many objects are created)
initialize_hardware(self)
- Must check that controller is responding and initializes the controller.
- It is executed only once per controller, on first access on any of the defined axes.
initialize_axis(self, axis)
- Software initialization of an axis.
- Called once per defined axis.
initialize_hardware_axis(self, axis)
- Hardware initialization of one axis. Typically, power-on the axis, activate the closed-loop, set a PID, etc.
- Called once per defined axis.
set_on(self, axis)
- Must enable the given axis (ie. activate, power on, …)
- Not automatically called ???
set_off(self, axis)
- Must disable the given axis (power off, breaks ? park ?).
- Not automatically called ???

Velocity/Acceleration methods¶

read_velocity(self, axis)
- Must return the velocity read from the motor controller in controller unit per second
set_velocity(self, axis, new_velocity)
- Must set velocity of <axis> in the controller to <new_velocity>.
- <new_velocity> is given in controller unit per second (ie: user units per second multiplied by steps_per_units value).
- If set_velocity() method is defined, then velocity parameter is mandatory in config.
read_acceleration(self, axis)
- Must return acceleration read from the motor controller in controller unit per second**2
set_acceleration(self, axis, new_acc)
- Must set acceleration of <axis> in the controller to <new_acc>.
- <new_acc> is given in controller unit per second**2 (ie: user unit per second**2 multiplied by steps_per_units value).
- If set_acceleration() function is defined, then acceleration parameter is mandatory in config.

Motion commands¶

Status and position methods¶

state(self, axis)
- Must return an AxisState() object. AxisState() has the following standard states
  - MOVING: Axis is moving
  - READY: Axis is ready to be moved (not moving ?)
  - FAULT: Error from controller
  - LIMPOS: Hardware high limit active
  - LIMNEG: Hardware low limit active
  - HOME: Home signal active
  - OFF: Axis is disabled (must be enabled to move (not ready ?))
- To allow a motion, the axis must be in READY state and not have one of LIMPOS or LIMNEG states. Once a motion is started, state is switched to MOVING. Motion will be considered finished when the MOVING state disappear.
- Any controller can add its own state to inform user of current controller state. For example:
```
from bliss.common.axis import AxisState
state = AxisState()
state.create_state("CLOSED_LOOP_ERROR", "Error on axis closed loop")
state.create_state("HOMING_DONE", "Homing has been performed")
```
- To activate one of those new states:
```
state.set("CLOSED_LOOP_ERROR")
```
read_position(self, axis)
- Must return the current position (read from the controller) of the axis in controller units
- Called before and after a movement.
set_position(self, axis, new_position)
- Must set controller position to <new_position>
- Must return the current position of the axis in controller units
- Called when changing the dial position of the controller.

single axis motion¶

prepare_move(self, motion)
- Must prepare a movement
- Can be used to arm a movement
- Called just before start_one().
start_one(self, motion)
- Must send to controller a start on one axis.
- Called in commands like mymot.move(10.0)
- NOT called in commands move(axis, pos)
stop(self, axis)
- Must send a command to the controller to halt this axis movement
- Called on a ctrl-c

Note

Motion object: this object holds requested motion parameters:

* motion.axis:       axis object to be moved
* motion.target_pos: absolute motion target position (in controller units)
* motion.delta:      corresponding relative motion delta (in controller units)
* motion.backlash:   backlash (in controller units ?)

Group motion¶

start_all(self, *motions)
- Must start all movements for all axes defined in motions
- Multiple starts can be optimized on controllers allowing multi-axes commands
- motions is a tuple of motion
- Called in a group move
  - move(m1, 3, m2, 1) is a group move
  - move(m1, 3) is a group move as well as umvr() mvr()
    - it uses Group.move()
  - m1.move(3) is a single move (uses Axis.move())
- Return nothing
stop_all(self, *motions)
- Must stop all movements defined in motions
- Called on a ctrl-c during a group move

Note

If start_all() is not defined, the movement is performed with start_one()

def _start_one_controller_motions(self, controller, motions):
    try:
        controller.start_all(*motions)
    except NotImplementedError:
        for motion in motions:
            controller.start_one(motion)

Jog motion¶

A Jog motion is a movement controlled in velocity instead of being controller in position.

start_jog(self, axis, velocity, direction)
- Must start a “jog” movement: an unfinished movement at velocity speed. Movement will be finished when user calls stop_jog().
- Called by axis.jog() function.
stop_jog(self, axis)
- Must stops a jog motion.
- Called by axis.stop() or axis.stop_jog()

Trajectory motion¶

The trajectory methods are used by the TrajectoryGroup class.

In Bliss, two types of trajectories can be send to a controller: Trajectory which defines one continous movement and CyclicTrajectory which defines a trajectory pattern with a number of cycles.

`Trajectory`¶

The movement is defined by a numpy array (PVT) containing Position, Velocity and Time parameters.

This object has the following arguments and properties:

axis instance
pvt: a (position, velocity, time) numpy array
events_positions (property): list of PVT triplets where the controller should send events when axes reach this triplet during a trajectory motion

`CyclicTrajectory`¶

This object has the following arguments and properties:

origin: the absolute starting position
pvt_pattern (property): a numpy PVT array relative to the origin position
nb_cycles: number of iteration for the pvt_pattern
is_closed (property): True if trajectory is closed, ie: first point = last point
events_pattern_positions (property): list of event for this trajectory pattern
pvt (property): full trajectory, this one is calculated to help controller which doesn’t managed trajectory pattern
events_positions (property): list of all events on the full trajectory, same as above, it’s calculated

Involved methods¶

Methods to implement in the controller:

has_trajectory(self):
- Must return True if motor controller supports trajectories
prepare_trajectory(self, *trajectories):
- Must prepare the controller to perform given trajectories
move_to_trajectory(self, *trajectories):
- Must move to the first (or starting) point of the trajectories
start_trajectory(self, *trajectories):
- Must move motor(s) along trajectories to the final position(s)
stop_trajectory(self, *trajectories):
- Must interrupt running trajectory motion

def prepare_trajectory(self, *trajectories):
    for traj in trajectories:
        axis = traj.axis #get the axis for that trajectory
        pvt = traj.pvt # get the trajectory array
        times = pvt['time'] # the timing array (absciss)
        positions = pvt['position'] # all the axis positions
        velocities = pvt['velocity'] # all axis velocity (trajectory slope)

When the Bliss core ask a controller to move its axis in trajectory, the calling sequence is fixed to:

prepare_trajectory()
move_to_trajectory()
start_trajectory()
eventually stop_trajectory() in case of movement interruption.

Event on trajectory¶

Methods to implement in the controller:

has_trajectory_event should return True if capable.
set_trajectory_events register events on the trajectory given has argument. Uses events_positions or events_pattern_positions of Trajectory object.

Calibration methods¶

home_search(self, axis, direction)
- Must start a home search in the positive direction if direction>0, negative otherwise
- Called by axis.home(direction)
home_state(self, axis)
- Must return the MOVING state when still performing home search, and the READY state when homing is finished
- Called by axis when polling to wait end of home search
limit_search(self, axis, limit)
- Must move axis to the hardware limit (positive if limit>0, negative otherwise)
- Called by axis.hw_limit(limit)

Encoder methods¶

initialize_encoder(self, encoder)
- Must perform init task related to encoder.
- Called at first usage of the encoder
  - read() or measured_position() of related axis if linked to an axis.
read_encoder(self, encoder)
- Must return the encoder position in encoder_steps
- Called by encoder.read() method by exported Encoder object or by axis.measured_position() of related axis
- encoder.read() is called at the end of a motion to check if final position has been reached.
set_encoder(self, encoder, new_value)
- Must set the encoder position to new_value
- new_value is in encoder_steps
- Called by encoder.set(new_value)

Information methods¶

get_id(self, axis)
get_info(self, axis)
- Musst return printable infos for axis
- Called by axis.get_info()

Direct communication methods¶

These methods allow to send arbitrary commands and read responses from the controller.

They can be useful to test, to debug or to tune a controller.

raw_write(self, com)
- Must send the <com> command.
- Called by user.
raw_write_read(self, com)
- Must send the <com> command and return the answer of the controller.
- Called by user.

Position triggers¶

set_event_positions(self, axis_or_encoder, positions)
- This method is use to load into the controller a list of positions for event/trigger. The controller should generate an event (mainly electrical pulses) when the axis or the encoder pass through one of this position.
get_event_positions(self, axis_or_encoder)

Custom commands¶

The object_method decorator is used to create custom commands.

Example of custom command:

@object_method(types_info=("None","int"))
def get_user_mode(self,axis):
    return int(self._query("UM"))

types_info parameter of this decorator allows to define types of parameters used by the created controller command.

Support of a new motor controller¶

Example and skeleton of BLISS motor plugin¶

Minimal set of functions to implement¶

Controller setup¶

Initialization sequence¶

Initialization methods¶

Velocity/Acceleration methods¶

Motion commands¶

Status and position methods¶

single axis motion¶

Group motion¶

Jog motion¶

Trajectory motion¶

Trajectory¶

CyclicTrajectory¶

Involved methods¶

Event on trajectory¶

Calibration methods¶

Encoder methods¶

Information methods¶

Direct communication methods¶

Position triggers¶

Custom commands¶

`Trajectory`¶

`CyclicTrajectory`¶