PLEORA TECHNOLOGIES INC.

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber
User Guide

Installing, Uninstalling, and Starting the Software ApplicationsaCopyright © 2018 Pleora Technologies Inc.
These products are not intended for use in life support appliances, devices, or systems where malfunction of these products canreasonably be expected to result in personal injury. Pleora Technologies Inc. (Pleora) customers using or selling these products foruse in such applications do so at their own risk and agree to indemnify Pleora for any damages resulting from such improper use or
sale.

Trademarks
PureGEV, eBUS, iPORT, vDisplay, AutoGEV, AutoGen, and all product logos are trademarks of Pleora Technologies. Third party
copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Notice of Rights
All information provided in this manual is believed to be accurate and reliable. No responsibility is assumed by Pleora for its use.
Pleora reserves the right to make changes to this information without notice. Redistribution of this manual in whole or in part, by
any means, is prohibited without obtaining prior permission from Pleora.

Document Number
EX001-023-0012 Version 1.0, 8/15/18

Important Power Information
To avoid damage to the CL-U3 (and in some cases the connected equipment), it is important that you
follow the correct power sequence:• If you are using GPIO inputs, set the Differential Type switch (industrial models only) and I/O

Level switch (all models) BEFORE you connect equipment and BEFORE you apply power to the
CL-U3.
• Always power up the CL-U3 BEFORE the camera:• Power up the CL-U3 and wait until it is fully powered (the Power/FPGA status LED is green).
• Connect the camera to the CL-U3.
• Apply power to the camera.
• Always power down the camera BEFORE you power down the CL-U3.

Complete Power Information and Instructions
Table 1: Complete Power Information and Instructions
ModelsPower information and instructions

CL-U3B

Important Overview: “Powering the CL-U3” on page 26

Order Codes:
903-0007, 903-0011•“Differential Type and I/O Level Switches” on page 22•“Powering the CL-U3B and CL-U3M Using USB 3.0” on page 26

Device Model Name:iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP01-128x
CL-U3B-IND

Important Overview: “Powering the CL-U3” on page 26

Order Codes:
903-0009, 903-0019,
903-0013•“Differential Type and I/O Level Switches” on page 22•“Powering the CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND Using an External Power Supply”
on page 27

Device Model Name:iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP02-128x
CL-U3M

Important Overview: “Powering the CL-U3” on page 26

Order Codes:
903-0008, 903-0012•“Differential Type and I/O Level Switches” on page 22•“Powering the CL-U3B and CL-U3M Using USB 3.0” on page 26

Device Model Name:iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP03-128x
CL-U3M-IND

Important Overview: “Powering the CL-U3” on page 26

Order Codes:
903-0010, 903-0020,
903-0014•“Differential Type and I/O Level Switches” on page 22

Device Model Name:iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP04-128x•“Powering the CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND Using an External Power Supply”
on page 27

Ensuring Proper Image Streaming
From a Camera Link Camera
Important: Before you attempt to stream images, you must know the image settings of your Camera Link
camera, and then configure the CL-U3 with matching image settings.

Steps to Ensure Proper Image Streaming
1. Ensure you have installed Pleora’s eBUS SDK and supporting drivers on your computer. For more

information, see “Installing the eBUS Universal Pro Driver” on page 48.
2. Physically connect the camera, CL-U3, and computer. Power up the system. For more information,

see “CL-U3 Connections” on page 13.
3. Test the connection between the CL-U3 and the computer using the test pattern. For more

information, see “Confirming Image Streaming” on page 52.
4. You must now set up Camera Link serial communications to allow eBUS Player to communicate

with your camera. For more information, see “Accessing your Camera Settings through Camera
Link Serial Communications” on page 53.
5. After you have configured the image settings on the camera, you must then configure matching

image settings on the CL-U3. For more information about configuring CL-U3 settings, see“Configuring CL-U3 Image Settings Using eBUS Player” on page 55.
The changes that you make to your CL-U3 are temporary and WILL NOT PERSIST ACROSS POWER CYCLES.
Save your settings using the steps outlined in the section, “Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings” on page
69 to avoid losing changes when the CL-U3 is power-cycled.

Table of Contents
Important Power Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
Ensuring Proper Image Streaming From a Camera Link Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
About this Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
What this Guide Provides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Documented Product Versions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Related Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Further Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

About the iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Feature Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Key GenICam Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Available Pixel Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

CL-U3 Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connector and Switch Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Micro-B USB 3.0 Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Locking Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Camera Link Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Powering a Camera using Power Over Camera Link (PoCL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Voltage Drop Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Mapping to the Serial Communication Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Mapping of Camera Link Connector and 12-Pin GPIO Connector Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
12-Pin GPIO Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
12-Pin GPIO Connector Pinouts — Standard Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
12-Pin GPIO Connector Pinouts — Industrial Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Differential Type and I/O Level Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Differential and Single-Ended Input/Output Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Powering the CL-U3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Powering the CL-U3B and CL-U3M Using USB 3.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Powering the CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND Using an External Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Power Consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Status LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Ambient and Junction Temperatures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Handling GPIO, Camera Control, and PLC Input and Output Programming Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
PLC Input and Output Programming Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Using Quadrature Encoders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Differential Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Single-Ended Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Processing Quadrature Encoder Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40v

Bulk Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
GenICam Interface for Serial Communication Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
UART Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Installing the eBUS SDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Installing the eBUS SDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Installing the eBUS Universal Pro Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Confirming Image Streaming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Accessing your Camera Settings through Camera Link Serial Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Configuring CL-U3 Image Settings Using eBUS Player. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Supported Device Tap Geometries for the CL-U3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Enabling SafePower and PoCL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Viewing and Testing Streaming Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Configuring the Buffers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Calculating the Required Bandwidth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Specifying How Images are Acquired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Continuous Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Multiframe Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
SingleFrame Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Recording and Retrieving Images in the Onboard Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
ContinuousRecording Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
ContinuousReadout Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
MultiFrameRecording Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
SingleFrameRecording Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
SingleFrameReadout Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Understanding When Images are Removed from the Onboard Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Calculating How Many Images Can be Stored in Onboard Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Implementing the eBUS SDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Choosing the Best Method for Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Using File > Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Using Tools > Save Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Using User Sets: Saving Settings to the CL-U3’s Flash Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Ensuring Configuration Settings are not Overwritten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Saving the CL-U3 XML File to your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

System Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Changing to the Backup Firmware Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

vi

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideReference: Mechanical Drawings and Material List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Mechanical Drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Enclosed Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
CL-U3B-IND OEM Board Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
CL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
GPIO Board Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Material List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Using USB3 Vision Locking Cables with the Inverted Micro-B USB 3.0 Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Appendix: Timing for Camera Link Base/Medium Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Camera Link Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Case 1: FVAL and LVAL are Level-Sensitive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Case 2: FVAL and LVAL are Edge-Sensitive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Case 3: FVAL is Edge-Sensitive and LVAL is Level-Sensitive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Timing Values for All Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Reference: Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Reference: Regulatory Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
United States & Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
European Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

vii

Chapter 1

About this Guide
This chapter describes the purpose and scope of this guide, and provides a list of complementary guides.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:• “What this Guide Provides” on page 2• “Documented Product Versions” on page 2• “Related Documents” on page 3• “Further Reading” on page 3

About this Guide

1

What this Guide Provides
This guide provides you with the information you need to connect the CL-U3 to Base or Medium
Camera Link cameras.
In this guide you can find product overviews, instructions for connecting the cables, installing the Pleora
eBUS™ SDK, establishing connections, performing general configuration tasks, and configuring thesettings to properly capture and display images from Camera Link cameras. The last chapter of this guideprovides Technical Support contact information for Pleora Technologies.

Documented Product Versions
This guide covers the following product versions. The features and functionality documented in thisguide may vary if you are using an earlier or later version of the product.
Table 2: Documented Product Versions

2

Product

Version documented in this guide...

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber

1.0.2

eBUS SDK and eBUS Player

5.1.5

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideRelated Documents
The iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide is complemented by the following Pleora
Technologies documents, which are available on the Pleora Technologies Support Center(supportcenter.pleora.com):• eBUS Player Quick Start Guide and eBUS Player User Guide, available for Windows, Linux, andmacOS• eBUS SDK API Quick Start Guides, available for C++, .NET, Linux, and macOS• iPORT Advanced Features User Guide• Configuring Your Computer and Network Adapters for Best Performance knowledge base article• Introduction: Establishing a Serial Bridge knowledge base article• Updating Pleora Firmware knowledge base article

You can also consult the eBUS SDK API Help Files, which are installed on your computer during the
installation of the eBUS SDK. You can access this documentation from the Windows Start menu under
eBUS SDK.

Further Reading
Although not required in order to successfully use the CL-U3, you can find details about industry-related
standards and naming conventions in the following documents:• USB3 Vision Standard, available from the Automated Imaging Association (AIA) at

www.visiononline.org.
• GenICam Standard Features Naming Convention available from the European Machine Vision

Association (EMVA) at www.emva.org.
• Camera Link Standard, version 2.0 available from the Automated Imaging Association (AIA) at

www.visiononline.org.
• Pixel Format Naming Convention, available from the European Machine Vision Association(EMVA) at www.emva.org.

About this Guide

3

Chapter 2

About the iPORT CL-U3 External Frame GrabberThis chapter describes the CL-U3 External Frame Grabber, including the models and key features.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:• “Models” on page 6• “Feature Set” on page 10• “Key GenICam Features” on page 11• “Available Pixel Formats” on page 12

About the iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber5Models
The CL-U3 is available in several models and is equipped with the parts listed in the following tables.
Before assembly, ensure that all components are included in the selected package.
Table 3: Models
Order code

Model

Quantity

903-0007iPORT CL-U3B External Frame Grabber in mountable enclosure
Device Model Name: iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP01-128x
iPORT CL-U3B External Frame Grabber in mountable enclosure for Camera Link
Base mode.

1

Note: No external power supply required.

903-0011

iPORT CL-U3B Development Kit
iPORT CL-U3B External Frame Grabber (903-0007)

1

Note: No external power supply required.

903-0009

USB 3.0 cable

1

eBUS SDK USB stick

1

iPORT CL-U3B-IND in mountable enclosure
Device Model Name: iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP02-128x
iPORT CL-U3B-IND External Frame Grabber in mountable enclosure for Camera
Link Base mode (industrial use).

1• External power supply required. Order from Pleora Technologies using thefollowing part numbers: 904-3905 or 930-1904.

6

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTable 3: Models (Continued)
903-0019

iPORT CL-U3B-IND OEM board set
Device Model Name: iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP02-128x
iPORT CL-U3B-IND External Frame Grabber OEM board set for Camera Link
Base mode (industrial use).

1• External power supply required. Order from Pleora Technologies using thefollowing part numbers: 904-3905 or 930-1904.

903-0013

USB 3.0 cable

1

eBUS SDK USB stick

1

iPORT CL-U3B-IND Development Kit
iPORT CL-U3B-IND External Frame Grabber (903-0009)

1

Note: External power supply required and supplied.

903-0008

Power supply

1

USB 3.0 cable

1

eBUS SDK USB stick

1

iPORT CL-U3M External in mountable enclosure
Device Model Name: iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP03-128x
iPORT CL-U3M External Frame Grabber in mountable enclosure for Camera Link
Medium mode.

1

Note: No external power supply required.

903-0012

iPORT CL-U3M Development Kit
iPORT CL-U3M External Frame Grabber (903-0008)

1

Note: No external power supply required.

903-0010

USB 3.0 cable

1

eBUS SDK USB stick

1

iPORT CL-U3M-IND in mountable enclosure
Device Model Name: iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP04-128x
iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber in mountable enclosure for Camera
Link Medium mode (industrial use).

1• External power supply required. Order from Pleora Technologies using thefollowing part numbers: 904-3905 or 930-1904.

About the iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber

7

Table 3: Models (Continued)
903-0020

iPORT CL-U3M-IND OEM board set
Device Model Name: iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP04-128x
iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber OEM board set for Camera Link
Medium mode (industrial use).

1• External power supply required. Order from Pleora Technologies using thefollowing part numbers: 904-3905 or 930-1904.

903-0014

iPORT CL-U3M-IND Development Kit
iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber (903-0010)

1

Note: External power supply required and supplied.

8Power supply

1

USB 3.0 cable

1

eBUS SDK USB stick

1

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

The following table illustrates the product models that are available.
CL-U3B: Standard model of the enclosed, mountable CL-U3 for Camera Link Base cameras

CL-U3B-IND: Industrial model, available in mountable enclosure or as a board set for Camera Link Base cameras

CL-U3M: Standard model of the enclosed, mountable CL-U3 for Camera Link Medium cameras

CL-U3M-IND: Industrial model, available in mountable enclosure or as a board set for Camera Link Medium cameras

About the iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber

9Feature Set
CL-U3B

CL-U3M

CL-U3B-IND

CL-U3B-IND

CL-U3M-IND

CL-U3M-IND

Order code903-0007

903-0008

903-0009

903-0019

903-0010

903-0020

Device Model NameiPORT-CL-U3iPORT-CL-U3iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP02PT03PT03128x
CL0UP01-128x CL0UP03-128x

Description

Enclosed,standard use

Enclosed,standard use

Enclosed,industrial use

OEM board set, Enclosed,
industrial use industrial use

OEM board set,industrial use

Camera Link mode

Base

MediumBase

Base

MediumMediumChannels

SingleSingleSingleSingleSingleSingleMiniCL connectors

1

2

1

1

2

2

USB powered

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

PoCL

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

With PoCL off:
-40°C to 60°C

See note*

With PoCL off:
-40°C to 60°C

See note*

0°C to 45°C
Operating temperatureWith PoCL on:-40°C to 58°C

Storage temperature-40°C to 85°C

Dimensions (L x W x H) (mm)**

45 x 83 x 51

iPORT-CL-U3-PT03-CL0UP04128x

With PoCL on:-40°C to 58°C

45 x 83 x 51

45 x 83 x 51

45 x 52 x 37

45 x 83 x 51

45 x 52 x 37

GPIO—
LVDS/RS-422/HVTTL/±24V/±30V differential or TTL/LVCMOS
single-ended inputs

—

2

2

2

2

TTL/LVCMOS single-ended inputs 4

4

2

2

2

2

TTL/LVCMOS single-ended
outputs

3

3

3

3

3

3

MTBF at 40°C (hours)

1,135,333

1,135,333

958,332

958,332

958,332

958,332

Interface and transfer rate

USB 3.0 interface with 3 Gb/s transfer rate

Standards compliance

Compliant with Camera Link version 2.0 and USB3 Vision version 1.0

Regulatory compliance

All enclosed units: FCC Part 15, subpart B, class B; CE; EN55032, EN55024; ICES-003; VCCI; RoHS2;
REACH. All board sets: RoHS2; REACH.

Tap support

Camera Link Base models: 1 and 2 taps. Camera Link Medium models: 1, 2, and 4 taps.

Pixel clock

20 MHz to 85 MHz pixel clock

Frame buffer

128 MB (120 MB is used for the frame buffer, 8 MB is used for the CL-U3 firmware)

Serial communication

1 UART on Camera Link interface for serial control of cameras using a computer application over theUSB 3.0 connection*Case and junction temperature limits vary by IC device. For more information, see “Ambient and Junction Temperatures” on page 33.
**Approximate, excluding 12-pin GPIO connector.

10

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Key GenICam Features
The CL-U3 supports the seven features mandated by the USB3 Vision standard, along with many
additional features. The following tables list these mandatory features along with some of the key
GenICam features. The full list of features can be seen in the Device Control dialog box of Pleora’s eBUS
Player application.
Table 4: Key GenICam Features
FeatureDescription

DeviceScanType

Specifies the sensor scan type, such as areascan or linescan.

SensorDigitizationTaps

Specifies the number of digitized samples output simultaneously by the camera.

WidthMax

Specifies the maximum width of the image (in pixels).

HeightMax

Specifies the maximum height of the image (in pixels).

WidthSpecifies the width of the image (in pixels).

HeightSpecifies the height of the image (in pixels).

OffsetX

Specifies the horizontal image offset (in pixels).

OffsetY

Specifies the vertical image offset (in pixels).

PixelFormat

Specifies the format of the pixels provided by the camera.

ClConfiguration

This Camera Link specific feature describes the configuration used by the camera.

ClConnectorSelector

Selects the Camera Link interface to configure.

ClSafePowerActive

Controls whether the SafePower protocol is active. SafePower is a protocol to prevent
the CL-U3 from attempting to supply power to a conventional (non-PoCL) cable orcamera.

ClSafePowerStatus

Reports the status of the SafePower controller.

About the iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber

11Available Pixel Formats
The following table lists the pixel formats available on the CL-U3.
Table 5: Available Pixel Formats
CL-U3B

CL-U3M

CL-U3B-IND

CL-U3M-IND

Pixel Formats

1, 2 taps

1, 2, 4 taps

Mono8 (Default), Mono8s, Mono10, Mono10Packed, Mono12, Mono12Packed

1 tap

1 tap

Mono14, Mono16

1, 2 taps

1, 2, 4 taps

BayerGR8, BayerRG8, BayerGB8, BayerBG81, 2 taps

1, 2, 4 taps

BayerGR10, BayerRG10, BayerGB10, BayerBG10

1, 2 taps

1, 2, 4 taps

BayerGR12, BayerRG12, BayerGB12, BayerBG12

1, 2 taps

1, 2, 4 taps

BayerGR10Packed, BayerRG10Packed, BayerGB10Packed, BayerBG10Packed

1, 2 taps

1, 2, 4 taps

BayerGR12Packed, BayerRG12Packed, BayerGB12Packed, BayerBG12Packed

1 tap

1 tap

BayerGR16, BayerRG16, BayerGB16, BayerBG16

1 tap

1 tap

RGB8, BGR8

No*

1 tap

RGB10

No*

1 tap

RGB12

1, 2 taps

1, 2, 4 taps

SCF1WGWR8

1, 2 taps

1, 2, 4 taps

SCF1WGWR10

1, 2 taps

1, 2, 4 taps

SCF1WGWR12

1 tap

1 tap

SCF1WGWR14*Indicates unavailable pixel format.

12

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Chapter 3

CL-U3 Connections
This chapter describes the CL-U3 connections, including connector details and pinout information. It
also includes information about how the CL-U3 receives power through either the Micro-B USB3
connector or an external power supply, depending on the product model you are using.
When the CL-U3 is powered, you can observe the status LEDs.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:• “Connector and Switch Locations” on page 14• “Micro-B USB 3.0 Connector” on page 16• “Camera Link Connectors” on page 17• “Mapping of Camera Link Connector and 12-Pin GPIO Connector Inputs” on page 18• “12-Pin GPIO Connector” on page 19• “Differential Type and I/O Level Switches” on page 22• “Powering the CL-U3” on page 26• “Power Consumption” on page 28• “Status LEDs” on page 30

CL-U3 Connections

13

Connector and Switch Locations
The following figure and table describe the CL-U3 connectors and switches.
Camera Link connector (CL1)
Camera Link connector (CL1)Differential TypeswitchCamera Link
connector (CL2)Differential TypeswitchCamera Link
connector (CL2)I/O Level switch

I/O Level switch

In mountable enclosure
Example: iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber

OEM board set
Example: iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame GrabberUSB 3.0 connector

USB 3.0 connector

12-pin GPIO
connector

12-pin GPIO
connector

OEM board set

In mountable enclosure

Depending on your product model, some connectors and switches may not be available.

Table 6: Connectors and Switches
Component

Type

Description

USB connector

Micro-B USB 3.0
connector

Connects a computer to the CL-U3 using a USB3 Vision connection.
Compatible with USB 3.0 (SuperSpeed) connections.
For the standard models, supports power over USB 3.0.
For more information, see “Micro-B USB 3.0 Connector” on page 16.

GPIO connector

12-pin circularconnector

For the standard models, provides external signals, such as GPIO, to the CL-U3. For
the industrial models, provides power and also provides I/O signals to the CL-U3.
For more information, see “12-Pin GPIO Connector” on page 19.

14

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTable 6: Connectors and Switches (Continued)
Component

Type

Description

CL1 connector

Miniature Camera Link
(MiniCL) connector

Provides connection to a Camera Link Base or Medium camera. Serial
communication on this connector is mapped to the Bulk0 serial communicationinterface of the CL-U3.
This connector corresponds to Connector 1, as outlined in the Camera Link
Standard.
When PoCL is enabled, the industrial models can supply 4 W at 12 V to each Camera
Link connector, as outlined in the Camera Link Standard.
For more information, see “Camera Link Connectors” on page 17.

CL2 connector

Miniature Camera Link
(MiniCL) connector

Provides connection to a Camera Link Medium camera to transmit images to the
CL-U3, using two Camera Link cables.

Available only on the
Camera Link Medium
modelsThis connector corresponds to Connector 2, as outlined in the Camera Link
Standard.
When PoCL is enabled, the CL-U3M-IND can supply 4 W at 12 V to the camera, as
outlined in the Camera Link Standard.
For more information, see “Camera Link Connectors” on page 17.

Differential Typeswitch3-position DIP switch

Selects the termination type for differential inputs.

Available only on theindustrial models

For more information, see “Differential Type and I/O Level Switches” on page 22.

I/O Level switch

2-position DIP switch

Selects the voltage for single-ended GPIO inputs and outputs (3.3 V or 5 V).
For more information, see “Differential Type and I/O Level Switches” on page 22.

CL-U3 Connections

15

Micro-B USB 3.0 Connector
The CL-U3 uses a Micro-B USB 3.0 connector for communication with your computer. For the standard
models, it also supplies power to the CL-U3.

USB 3.0 connector

In mountable enclosure

USB 3.0 connector

OEM board set

For the industrial models, we recommend that you apply external power to the CL-U3 BEFORE you connect
it to a USB port to ensure that adequate power is available.
The CL-U3 uses a USB 3.0 Micro-B connector in an inverted configuration. For information about using
locking cables with the inverted configuration, see “Using USB3 Vision Locking Cables with the Inverted
Micro-B USB 3.0 Connector” on page 90.

Locking Connectors
The CL-U3 supports the Micro-B locking connectors specified by the USB3 Vision Standard. The
enclosed CL-U3 models include threaded screw holes that comply with the connectors specified in thestandard.
Use a USB3 Vision cable and ensure that you secure the cable to the Micro-B USB 3.0 connector using the
supplied locking screws.

16

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Camera Link Connectors
The CL-U3 supports Base or Medium Camera Link cameras (depending on your product model), which
stream image data to the CL-U3.
For the Camera Link Base models (the CL-U3B and CL-U3B-IND), the CL1 connector is used toconnect a Camera Link camera to the CL-U3 using one standard Camera Link cable, as outlined in the
Camera Link Standard. This connector can process up to 24 bits of data from the camera.
For the Camera Link Medium models (the CL-U3M and CL-U3M-IND), the CL1 and CL2 connectors
are used to connect a Camera Link camera to the CL-U3 using two standard Camera Link cables, as
outlined in the Camera Link Standard. These connectors can process up to 48 bits of data from thecamera.
All models provide the following Camera Link control signals on the CL1 connector, as outlined in the
Camera Link Standard: CC1, CC2, CC3, and CC4.

Camera Link connector (CL1)

Camera Link
connector (CL2)

Camera Link
connector (CL2)

Camera Link connector (CL1)
In mountable enclosure
Example: iPORT CL-U3M External Frame Grabber

OEM board set
Example: iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame GrabberPowering a Camera using Power Over Camera Link (PoCL)
The industrial models, which are powered through an external power supply, can optionally supply power
to the camera using PoCL, in accordance to the Camera Link Standard.
When powered using PoCL, the CL-U3B-IND can provide up to 4 W at 12 V to compatible cameras
through the Camera Link connector, while the CL-U3M-IND can provide up to a maximum of 8 W.
To enable PoCL and to prevent the CL-U3 from attempting to supply power to a non-PoCL cable or camera,
you must enable the ClSafePowerActive feature using eBUS Player (or an application created with theeBUS SDK). For more information, see “Enabling SafePower and PoCL” on page 59.
When power is being supplied to the camera using PoCL, the PoCL1 and/or PoCL2 status LEDs will be
on. For more information about the status LEDs, see “Status LEDs” on page 30.

CL-U3 Connections17

Voltage Drop Monitoring
The CL-U3 includes a Voltage Dropped state that monitors a voltage drop from 12 V to a voltage below
10.5 V for cameras using PoCL. If the voltage drops below 10.5 V for more than 20 ms, the CL-U3
returns to the PoCL Sensing state.
For information about viewing the SafePower status and the status changes that occur, including PoCL
Sensing, see “Enabling SafePower and PoCL” on page 59.

Mapping to the Serial Communication Interface
The CL1 Camera Link connector is mapped to the Bulk0 serial communication interface on the CL-U3.

Mapping of Camera Link Connector and 12-Pin GPIO
Connector Inputs
The GPIO pins on the 12-pin GPIO connector allow an external signal to control a Camera Link camera,
and are typically used for triggering. For example, you can use a trigger to synchronize image capture frommultiple cameras or to synchronize image capture with an external device.

12-pin GPIO
connector

In mountable enclosure

12-pin GPIO
connector

OEM board set

Using the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), you can map and modify the GPIO input signals(GPIO_IN3, GPIO_IN2, GPIO_IN1, and GPIO_IN0) to:• the camera control output signals (CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4) on the CL1 connector; and• the GPIO output signals (GPIO_OUT2, GPIO_OUT1, GPIO_OUT0) on the 12-pin GPIO

connector.
There are 16 possible mappings of the GPIO signals. For more information, see “Handling GPIO,
Camera Control, and PLC Input and Output Programming Signals” on page 35.

18

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

12-Pin GPIO Connector
The GPIO inputs and outputs on the 12-pin GPIO connector support a variety of differential and singleended inputs and outputs, such as HVTTL, LVDS, and LVCMOS. The available inputs and outputs
vary, depending on your CL-U3 model.
Table 7: Summary of Available Signals on the 12-Pin GPIO Connector
CL-U3B and CL-U3M(standard models)

CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND(industrial models)

N/A

2

Single-ended TTL/LVCMOS inputs

42Single-ended TTL/LVCMOS outputs

3

3

Differential LVDS/RS-422/HVTTL/±24 V/±30 V inputs(Can optionally be used as single-ended TTL/LVCMOS
inputs)

CL-U3 Connections

19

12-Pin GPIO Connector Pinouts — Standard Models
The pinouts for the 12-pin GPIO connector on the standard models (CL-U3B and CL-U3M) are listed
in the following table.

The manufacturer and part number are provided in “Material List” on page 90.
The mating connector is a Hirose 12-pin circular connector, part number HR10A-10P-12S(73).
Table 8: 12-Pin GPIO Connector Pinouts — CL-U3B and CL-U3M

20

Pin

FunctionType

PLC signal

Notes

1

Reserved

Reserved

N/A

Reserved, no connection

2

Reserved

Reserved

N/A

Reserved, no connection

3

GPIO_IN3

Single-ended input

GpioIn34

GPIO_OUT2

Single-ended output

GpioOut2

5

GND/EMI_GND

GroundN/A

6

GPIO_IN2

Single-ended input

GpioIn27

GPIO_OUT1

Single-ended output

GpioOut1

8

GPIO_IN1

Single-ended input

GpioIn19

GPIO_OUT0

Single-ended output

GpioOut010

GPIO_IN0

Single-ended input

GpioIn0

11

Reserved

Reserved

N/A

Reserved, no connection

12

Reserved

Reserved

N/A

Reserved, no connection

Signal ground

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

12-Pin GPIO Connector Pinouts — Industrial Models
The pinouts for the 12-pin GPIO connector on the industrial models (CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3MIND) are listed in the following table.

The manufacturer and part number are provided in “Material List” on page 90.
The mating connector is a Hirose 12-pin circular connector, part number HR10A-10P-12S(73).
Table 9: 12-Pin GPIO Connector Pinouts: CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND
Pin

FunctionType

PLC signal

Notes

1

RET

Power return

N/A

Ground2

VINPower input

N/A

Protected by 600 W @ 1.0 ms
PP Zener TVS, +/- 30 kV per
KBM.
Receives 11.6 V to 13 V
unfiltered DC input, up to 1.1 A.

3

GPIO_IN1-

Differential input1 negative

GpioIn1

4

GPIO_OUT2

Single-ended output

GpioOut2

5

GND/EMI_GND

Ground6

GPIO_IN1+

Differential input1 positive

GpioIn17

GPIO_OUT1

Single-ended output

GpioOut1

8

GPIO_IN0-

Differential input0 negative

GpioIn09

GPIO_OUT0

Single-ended output

GpioOut010

GPIO_IN0+

Differential input0 positive

GpioIn011

GPIO_IN3

Single-ended input

GpioIn312

GPIO_IN2

Single-ended input

GpioIn2

CL-U3 Connections

Do not connect for single-ended
operation. Pin 6 provides the
single-ended connection.

Signal groundCan be used as a single-ended
input (optional).

Do not connect for single-ended
operation. Pin 10 provides the
single-ended connection.

Can be used as a single-ended
input (optional).

21

Differential Type and I/O Level Switches
The Differential Type switch (on the industrial models) and I/O Level switch (on all models) are used toconfigure the CL-U3 to work with single-ended and differential inputs.
Differential Type switch

Differential Type switch

I/O Level switch

In mountable enclosure
Example: iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber

I/O Level switch

OEM board set
Example: iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber

Warning:
To avoid damage to the CL-U3 and connected equipment (or reduced lifetime of the Differential Typeswitch), ensure you observe the following precautions:• Set the Differential Type and I/O Level switches BEFORE you connect equipment and apply power tothe CL-U3.
• Do not set the Differential Type switch to HVTTL when you are using LVDS equipment.
• Do not change the Differential Type switch setting while the CL-U3 is powered or while devices areconnected.

22

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

The Differential Type switch, which is available on the industrial models, is used to select the differential
and single-ended signal levels.

HVTTL

DIFF

LVDS

The I/O Level switch is used to select either 3.3 V LVCMOS or 5 V TTL operation, and is used withsingle-ended inputs and outputs.

3.3V

5V

The following table shows how the Differential Type and I/O Level switches can be set, based on the
input type.
Table 10: Switch Settings Based on Input Type

Single-ended inputs andoutputs

Differential inputs

CL-U3 Connections

Input/output type

Set the Differential Typeswitch to...

Set the I/O Level switch
to...

LVCMOS

DIFF

3.3 V

TTL

DIFF

5V

HVTTL/HVCMOS/HTL

HVTTL

N/A

LVDS

LVDS

N/A

RS-422

LVDS or DIFF

N/A+/-24 V or +/-30 V

DIFF

N/A

23

Differential and Single-Ended Input/Output Specifications
The input and output specifications vary, depending on how the Differential Type and I/O Levelswitches are set, as listed in the following tables.
Warning:
To avoid damage to the CL-U3 and connected equipment (or reduced lifetime of the Differential Typeswitch), ensure you observe the following precautions:• Set the Differential Type and I/O Level switches BEFORE you connect equipment and apply power tothe CL-U3.
• Do not set the Differential Type switch to HVTTL when you are using LVDS equipment.
• Do not change the Differential Type switch setting while the CL-U3 is powered or while devices areconnected.
Table 11: GPIO Differential Input Specifications
Specifications

Input type
Differential+/-24 V,+/-30 V,
RS-422Differential
LVDS, RS-422
with 100 Ohm
termination

Differential
used as singleended HVTTL/HVCMOS

Differential usedas single-ended
LVCMOS

Differential
used assingle-ended
TTL

Differential input
termination

10 K and50 pF inseries100 Ohm

N/A

N/A

N/A

Single-ended
input
termination

47 K to 1/3 of I/O level (1.1 V for
3.3 V I/O level or 1.7 V for 5 V
I/O level)

Do not connect to negative (-) input

Negative (-)
input
Positive (+)
input

100 K to CL-U3 GND

Input thresholds-200 mV (minimum), differential-50 mV (typical), differential
0 mV (maximum), differential<6.5 V<0.9 V<1.5 VHigh+200 mV (maximum), differential+50 mV (typical), differential
0 mV (minimum), differential>9.5 V>1.3 V>1.9 V

Hysteresis

150 mV (typical)

Maximum delay

100 nsec

100 nsec

100 nsec

100 nsec

Low

24

65 nsec

Minimum
operation voltage-30 V

Maximum
operation voltage+30 V

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTable 11: GPIO Differential Input Specifications (Continued)
Specifications

Input type
Differential+/-24 V,+/-30 V,
RS-422Differential
LVDS, RS-422
with 100 Ohm
termination

Differential
used as singleended HVTTL/HVCMOS

Differential usedas single-ended
LVCMOS

Clamping voltage

Below -42 V, over +42 V

ESD protection

Up to class -4 (+/-15 kV)

EMI filtering

Serial ferrite bead 120 Ohm @ 100 MHz

Differential
used assingle-ended
TTL

Table 12: GPIO Single-Ended Input Specifications
Specifications

Input type
LVCMOSTTL
100 K to CL-U3 GND

Termination
Low threshold<0.8 V<1.5 VHigh threshold>2.0 V>3.5 V

Maximum delay

8 nsecMinimum voltage-0.5 V (absolute)

Maximum voltage

6.5 V (absolute)

ESD protection

Up to class -4 (+/-15 kV)

EMI filtering

Serial ferrite bead 120 Ohm @ 100 MHz

Table 13: GPIO Output Specifications
Specifications

Input type
LVCMOSTTL+/-24 mA+/-32 mA

High minimum

2.4 V (@24 mA)

3.8 V (@ 32 mA)

High maximum

3.5 V

5.3 V

Low maximum

0.55 V (@24 mA)

0.55 V (@ 32 mA)

High level output current
Output Voltage

Maximum delay

6.4 nsec

ESD protection

Up to class -4 (+/-15 kV)

EMI filtering

Serial ferrite bead 120 Ohm @ 100 MHz

CL-U3 Connections

25

Powering the CL-U3
Depending on the product model, you can power the CL-U3 in one of the following ways:• Standard models (CL-U3B and CL-U3M). Powered using a USB 3.0 connection.
• Industrial models (CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND). Powered using an external power supply.

Powering the CL-U3B and CL-U3M Using USB 3.0
For the standard models, a USB 3.0 connection powers the CL-U3.
To power the CL-U3 over a USB 3.0 connection, 900 mA is required from the USB 3.0 port. Although
900 mA may not always be used, it is requested from the port. If the host controller manages multiple
ports and there are other devices that draw a large amount of power (for example, another USB3 Vision
device or a hard drive), the host controller may not grant the requested 900 mA, resulting in dropped
images, dropped connection, or failure to connect. Similarly, on a USB hub, ensure 900 mA is available
for the port.
Important Power Sequence Information
To avoid damage to the CL-U3 (and in some cases the connected equipment):• If you are using GPIO inputs, set the Differential Type and I/O Level switches BEFORE you connect
equipment and BEFORE you apply power to the CL-U3.
• Always power up the CL-U3 BEFORE the camera.
• Always power down the camera BEFORE the CL-U3.

To power the CL-U3B and CL-U3M using USB 3.0
1. Ensure that the Camera Link camera and the CL-U3 are NOT receiving power.
2. Securely connect the Camera Link cable to the camera and the CL-U3.

Ensure that you tighten the screws to prevent the camera from being disconnected accidentally.
Important: Do not disconnect the Camera Link cable while the camera or CL-U3 are receiving
power.
3. Connect the CL-U3 to a USB 3.0 port on your computer using a USB 3.0 cable.
4. Apply power to the camera using a power supply.

Important: The camera’s ground must be electrically floating or attached to a power supply that uses
the same ground as other attached USB 3.0 devices, such as the computer or a USB 3.0 hub.

26

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Powering the CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND Using an External Power
SupplyFor the industrial models, power is supplied to the CL-U3 through the 12-pin GPIO connector with acompatible power supply. For proper operation with both PoCL and non-PoCL cameras, 11.6 V to 13 V
is required, with a minimum of 1.1 A.

External Power Supply — Input Signals
The following table lists the input power signals for the CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND from anexternal power supply using the 12-pin GPIO connector.
Table 14: Input Signals from the 12-Pin GPIO Connector
Name

Volts (V)

Notes

VIN

11.6-13V

Efficiency of power circuitry (including drops on Schottky diodes) is flat in this range.
Unfiltered DC power from an external power supply through the 12-pin GPIO connector.
Reverse voltage protected, up to -30 VDC.
The CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND generate all internal power rails from the VIN signal. A
resident common mode filter allows the input to be unfiltered, directly from a switchingwall plug power supply.

RET

GroundGround for VIN.

GND

Ground0 V relative to other voltages on the CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND.

Important Power Sequence Information
To avoid damage to the CL-U3 (and in some cases the connected equipment):• If you are using GPIO inputs, set the Differential Type and I/O Level switches BEFORE you connect
equipment and BEFORE you apply power to the CL-U3.
• Always power up the CL-U3 BEFORE the camera.
• Always power down the camera BEFORE the CL-U3.
We recommend that you apply external power to the CL-U3 BEFORE you connect it to a USB port.

CL-U3 Connections

27

To power the CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND using an external power supply
1. Ensure that the Camera Link camera and the CL-U3B-IND/CL-U3M-IND are NOT receiving

power.
2. Securely connect the Camera Link cable to the camera and to the CL-U3B-IND/CL-U3M-IND3.

Ensure that you tighten the screws to prevent the camera from being disconnected accidentally.
3. Supply 12 V power to the 12-pin GPIO connector on the CL-U3B-IND/CL-U3M-IND3.

Important: The 12 V power supply must use the same ground as other attached USB 3.0 devices,for example, the computer or a USB 3.0 hub.
4. Connect the CL-U3B-IND/CL-U3M-IND to the computer using a USB 3.0 cable.
5. Apply power to the camera:• If you plan on powering the camera using PoCL, use eBUS Player to enable PoCL (using the
ClSafePowerActive feature). For more information, see “Enabling SafePower and PoCL” onpage 59.
• If you are not powering the camera using PoCL, connect the camera to a power supply.

Power Consumption
The tables in this section outline the power consumption of the CL-U3. The measurements are based on
the use of the CL-U3 streaming video from the Vivid Engineering Camera Link Simulator CLS-212.
Table 15: CL-U3B Using Power from USB 3.0 PortBus
powered(V)

Pixel clock
frequency(MHz)

Sensordigitization
taps

Width

Height

5.04

20

2

4096

5.01

85

2

4096

Pixel
formatData rate(Mbps)

Current
(A)

Power
(W)

4096

Mono12
Packed

476

0.32

1.59

4096

Mono12
Packed

2024

0.36

1.80

Table 16: CL-U3M Using Power from USB 3.0 Port

28

Bus
powered(V)

Pixel clock
frequency(MHz)

Sensordigitization
taps

Width

HeightPixelformatData rate(Mbps)

Current
(A)

Power
(W)

5.04

20

4

4096

4096

Mono8

630

0.33

1.66

5

85

4

4096

4096

Mono8

2543

0.41

2.03

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTable 17: CL-U3B-IND Power Consumption using External Power Supply*
External power
supplyBus measurements

External
power(V)

Pixel clock
frequency(MHz)

Sensordigitization
taps

Width,
heightData rate(Mbps)

Current
(A)

Power
(W)

Voltage(V)

Current
(A)

Power
(W)

Total
(W)

11.6

20

2

4096

476

0.13

1.51

5.07

0.19

0.94

2.45

85

2

4096

2024

0.14

1.62

5.06

0.20

1.01

2.64

20

2

4096

476

0.12

1.56

5.08

0.19

0.94

2.50

85

2

4096

2024

0.13

1.56

5.06

0.20

1.01

2.57

13

*Using the Mono12Packed pixel format, with PoCL disabled.

Table 18: CL-U3M-IND using External Power Supply**
External power
supplyBus measurements

External
power(V)

Pixel clock
frequency(MHz)

Sensordigitization
taps

Width,
heightData rate(Mbps)

Current
(A)

Power
(W)

Voltage(V)

Current
(A)

Power
(W)

Total
(W)

11.6

20

4

4096

630

0.08

0.93

5.07

0.20

1.01

1.94

85

4

4096

2543

0.10

1.16

5.05

0.23

1.14

2.30

20

4

4096

630

0.07

0.91

5.07

0.20

1.01

1.92

85

4

4096

2543

0.09

1.17

5.05

0.23

1.16

2.33

13

**Using the Mono8 pixel format, with PoCL disabled.

CL-U3 Connections

29

Status LEDs
The CL-U3 has status LEDs that indicate the operating status of the CL-U3’s USB controller, theconnection between the CL-U3 and the host computer, power, and firmware, as described in thefollowing figures and table.
For the industrial models, additional LEDs located beside the Camera Link connectors show the PoCL
status.
PoCL1

USB3
Power/FPGA

PoCL2
In mountable enclosure
Example: iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber

In mountable enclosure
All models

PoCL1
USB3
Power/FPGAPoCL2OEM board set
Example: iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber

OEM board set
All models

Not all LEDs will be available, depending on your product model.

30

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTable 19: Status LEDs
LED

Description

Power/FPGAGreen: The CL-U3 is receiving power and the main firmware load is being used.
Green and orange: The CL-U3 is receiving power and the backup firmware load is being used.
For the industrial models, it can also indicate that you have not connected the USB cable tothe computer.
Off: The CL-U3 is not receiving power.

USB3

Yellow (flashing quickly): The CL-U3 is operating properly.
Yellow (flashing): Indicates GenCP traffic between the CL-U3 and the host.
Green (solid): A SuperSpeed (USB 3.0) connection has been established.
Off: A USB 2.0 connection has been established.

PoCL1, PoCL2

Green: Power over Camera Link (PoCL) is active and the camera is being powered using PoCL.

(available on theindustrial models)

Off: The camera is not receiving power through PoCL.

CL-U3 Connections

31

Chapter 4

Ambient and Junction Temperatures
This chapter provides you with the information you need to ensure the optimal operating temperaturefor your CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND OEM board set.
You should store the CL-U3 at temperatures between -40°C to +85°C.

This chapter lists the components that consume the largest amount of power on the CL-U3 OEM board
set, and will therefore be most affected by high temperatures. You must provide a method to cool thesecomponents using a heat sink or thermal pad.
Table 20: Thermal Guidelines, CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set
Referencedesignatorand location

Component andmanufacturer partnumber

U1, USB PHY
board

Cypress ARM9 USB3
Controller

Ambient (under bias): -40C +85°C

Part number:
CYUSB3014-BZXI

Case: Not specified

Rating for component on standard Pleora product*

Junction: Not specified
Junction-to-case thermal resistance ΘJC: Not specified
Junction-to-ambient thermal resistance ΘJA: Not specified
Power consumption: ~ 450 mW

U2, FPGA
board

ISSI DDR3

Ambient: Not specified

Part number:
IS43TR16640A-15GBLI

Junction: Not specified
Case: -40°C to +95°C
Junction-to-case thermal resistance ΘJC: Not specified
Junction-to-ambient thermal resistance ΘJA: Not specified
Power consumption: ~ 260 mW at 2.5Gbps streaming.

Ambient and Junction Temperatures

33

Table 20: Thermal Guidelines, CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set (Continued)
Referencedesignatorand location

Component andmanufacturer partnumberRating for component on standard Pleora product*

U1, FPGA
board

Altera FPGA

Ambient: Not specified

Part number: 5CEFA4U19I7N

Junction: -40°C to +100°C
Case: Not specified
Junction-to-case thermal resistance ΘJC: 5 (°C/W)
Junction-to-ambient thermal resistance ΘJA:
• Still air: 23.6 (° C/W)
• 100 ft./min: 19.5 (°C/W)• 200 ft./min: 17.5 (°C/W)• 400 ft./min: 15.9 (°C/W)
Power consumption: ~ 880 mW* ΘJC = (Tj - Ta)/Ptop, where Ptop = Power dissipation from the top of the package.
ΘJA = (Tc - Ta)/P, where P = Total power dissipation.

34

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Chapter 5

Handling GPIO, Camera Control, and PLC Input and
Output Programming Signals
The CL-U3 includes a programmable logic controller (PLC) that lets you control external machines andreact to inputs. By controlling your system using the PLC, you can make functional changes, adjust
timing, or add features without having to add new hardware.
If your system includes a quadrature encoder, you can process its signals and produce trigger signals forthe camera using the CL-U3’s PLC, as described later in this chapter.
For an introduction to the PLC and for detailed information about how PLC signals are handled, see the
iPORT Advanced Features User Guide, available on the Pleora Support Center at
supportcenter.pleora.com.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:• “PLC Input and Output Programming Signals” on page 36• “Using Quadrature Encoders” on page 38• “Differential Connection” on page 39• “Single-Ended Connection” on page 39• “Processing Quadrature Encoder Signals” on page 40

Handling GPIO, Camera Control, and PLC Input and Output Programming Signals

35

PLC Input and Output Programming Signals
The following table lists the PLC input and output programming signals and indicates the pins on which
they are available.
Table 21: PLC Signal Usage
Signal name

PLC equation usage

Associated pin on the 12-pin GPIO
connector

Pb0FvalIn

No associated pin

Pb0LvalIn

No associated pin

Pb0DvalIn

No associated pin

Pb0SpareIn

No associated pin

GpioIn0In

Standard models: Pin 10 (GPIO_IN0)

Camera Link connector

Industrial models*: Pin 10 (GPIO_IN0+)
and 8 (GPIO_IN0-)
GpioIn1In

Standard models: Pin 8 (GPIO_IN1)
Industrial models*: Pin 6 (GPIO_IN1+)
and 3 (GPIO_IN1-)

GpioIn2In

Standard models: Pin 6 (GPIO_IN2)
Industrial models*: Pin 12 (GPIO_IN2)

GpioIn3In

Standard models: Pin 3 (GPIO_IN3)
Industrial models*: Pin 11 (GPIO_IN3)

36

BufferWM0

In

No associated pin

Grb0AcqActiveIn

No associated pin

PlcCtrl0In

No associated pin

PlcCtrl1

In

No associated pin

PlcCtrl2

In

No associated pin

PlcCtrl3In

No associated pin

Pb0CC0In, out

No associated pin

CC1

Pb0CC1In, out

No associated pin

CC2

Pb0CC2In, out

No associated pin

CC3

Pb0CC3In, out

No associated pin

CC4

GpioOut0

In, out

Pin 9 on all models (GPIO_OUT0)

GpioOut1

In, out

Pin 7 on all models (GPIO_OUT1)

GpioOut2

In, out

Pin 4 on all models (GPIO_OUT2)

PlcFval0In, out

No associated pin

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTable 21: PLC Signal Usage (Continued)
Signal name

PLC equation usage

Associated pin on the 12-pin GPIO
connector

PlcLval0In, out

No associated pin

PlcMval0In, out

No associated pin

PlcTrig0

In, out

No associated pin

PlcTimestampCtrl

In, out

No associated pin

Timer0Trig

In, out

No associated pin

Timer0OutIn

No associated pin

Timer1Trig

In, out

No associated pin

Timer1OutIn

No associated pin

Counter0ResetIn, out

No associated pin

Counter0Inc

In, out

No associated pin

Counter0Dec

In, out

No associated pin

Counter0Eq

InNo associated pin

Counter0Gt

InNo associated pin

Counter1ResetIn, out

No associated pin

Counter1Inc

In, out

No associated pin

Counter1Dec

In, out

No associated pin

Counter1Eq

In

No associated pin

Counter1Gt

In

No associated pin

Rescaler0In

In, out

No associated pin

Rescaler0Out

In

No associated pin

Delayer0In

In, out

No associated pin

Delayer0Out

In

No associated pin

Event0In, out

No associated pin

Event1In, out

No associated pin

Event2In, out

No associated pin

Event3In, out

No associated pin

Camera Link connector*For the full list of industrial models, see “Models” on page 6.

Handling GPIO, Camera Control, and PLC Input and Output Programming Signals

37

Using Quadrature Encoders
Quadrature encoder sensors produce electrical signals that indicate the direction, speed, and motion of
the processed material on the web or conveyor systems. These signals are often used to control camera
triggering to provide uniform images under varying load conditions. The quadrature encoder’s signals are
typically processed by an external frame grabber that produces a trigger signal for the camera.
Quadrature encoders have a solid or hollow shaft that is mechanically connected to a motor or rotating
apparatus on the web or conveyor system. Two-phase quadrature encoders have two outputs labeled A
and B, which produce square wave signals when the shaft is rotating. These signals are 90° out-of-phase.
When the shaft changes rotation between clockwise and counter-clockwise directions, these signals
change phasing between +90° and -90°.
Figure 1: Two-Phase Quadrature Encoder Signals

This change is used to detect direction of motion. The rate of the square wave signals is proportional to
the rotation speed of the shaft. This change is also used for detecting speed of motion. When these signals
are steady-state, and are not producing square wave signals, the motion has stopped.
For information about the electrical interface on the CL-U3, see “Differential Type and I/O Level Switches”
on page 22.

38

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideDifferential Connection
The following diagram illustrates a typical differential connection to a quadrature encoder.
Figure 2: Typical Differential Connection to Quadrature Encoder

Single-Ended Connection
The following diagram illustrates a typical single-ended connection to a quadrature encoder.
Figure 3: Typical Single-Ended Differential Connection to Quadrature Encoder

Handling GPIO, Camera Control, and PLC Input and Output Programming Signals

39

Processing Quadrature Encoder Signals
This section provides an example of how you can using the CL-U3’s PLC to process signals from aquadrature encoder.
Example: Connect GpioIn0 and GpioIn1 to quadrature encoder outputs A and B, respectively.
In this example, images are captured only when the conveyor belt or web is moving in the forward
direction. When the conveyor belt or web moves in the forward direction, signal A leads signal B by 90°.
When the conveyor belt moves in the reverse direction, signal A lags signal B by 90°. The PLC provides
a trigger signal on the Camera Link control line Pb0CC0 only when signal A leads signal B by 90°.
The Timer0 function in the PLC is used to generate the trigger pulse Timer0Out. Timer0 itself is
triggered by the falling edge of a Boolean combination of A and B signals, which obtains the correct
quadrature phase for the forward direction. Another Boolean combination is used to produce the trigger
signal Pb0CC0 from signal B and Timer0Out; when the conveyor belt or web moves in the reverse
direction, signal B masks the trigger pulse Timer0Out.
Timer0 is configured with the following settings to generate a trigger pulse. These values may need to be
adjusted depending on the selected camera model and system requirements.
Table 22: PLC Timer Equations

40

Equation

Description

TimerTriggerSource = TriggerInput

Sets the triggering source for the Timer to be its external trigger
input.

TimerTriggerActivation = FallingEdge

Sets the Timer to trigger on the external source’s falling edge.

TimerGranularityFactor = Granularity30ns

Sets the interval of the Timer’s internal clock tick. For this example,
we recommend that the selected factor be at least 8x smaller thanthe period of the highest frequency expected from the quadrature
encoder.

TimerDelayRaw = 1

Sets the delay time before the pulse can start. This is the low periodof the pulse after the trigger. This value represents the number ofTimer internal clock ticks.

TimerDurationRaw = 6

Sets the duration or high time of the pulse. This value represents thenumber of internal clock ticks.

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

The signal routing block in the PLC is configured using the Boolean expressions below. GpioIn0 is signal
A and GpioIn1 is signal B. Note that "!" in the Boolean expressions represents not or inverted.
Table 23: Signal Routing Block Equations
Equation

Description

Timer0Trig = GpioIn0 & !GpioIn1

Generates the trigger signal for Timer0 from signals A and B.

Pb0CC0 = !(Timer0Out & GpioIn0)

Masks the trigger for the camera when the conveyor belt or web
moves in the reverse direction.

The following table provides recommendations for using quadrature encoders with the industrial models.
Table 24: Quadrature Encoder Recommendations
Encoder output type

Encoder output

GPIO input

Notes

Differential

A

Differential Input0 positive,
pin 10 on the 12-pin connector

PLC signal name: GpioIn0

Differential Input0 negative,
pin 8 on the 12-pin connector
B

Differential Input1 positive,pin 6 on the 12-pin connector

PLC signal name: GpioIn1

Differential Input1 negative,
pin 3 on the 12-pin connector
Single-endedA

B

Differential Input0 positive,
pin 10 on the 12-pin connector

PLC signal name: GpioIn0

Differential Input1 negative,pin 6 on the 12-pin connector

PLC signal name: GpioIn0

Handling GPIO, Camera Control, and PLC Input and Output Programming Signals

Differential Input0 negative, pin
8 is not connected

Differential Input1 negative, pin
3 is not connected

41

Chapter 6

Bulk Interfaces
The CL-U3 has one UART interface for serial communication with a connected Camera Link camera.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:• “GenICam Interface for Serial Communication Configuration” on page 44• “UART Timing” on page 44

Bulk Interfaces

43

GenICam Interface for Serial Communication Configuration
The following GenICam features are available for serial communication configuration.
Table 25: GenICam Features Available for Serial Communication
FeatureDescription

BulkSelector

Selects Bulk0 for configuration.

BulkBaudRate

Selects a predefined Baud rate or programmable option.

BulkBaudRateFactor

Programs a user-defined Baud rate.

BulkLoopback

Loops back downstream data to upstream direction (loops the data back to thecomputer).

BulkNumOfStopBits

Selects a stop bit option (either 1 or 2).

BulkParity

Selects a parity option (None, Even, or Odd).

BulkUpstreamFifoWatermark

Controls the number of bytes to accumulate in the Bulk interface upstream FIFO
before the CL-U3 delivers them to the host using an event type packet.

UART Timing
The UART interface supports:• 8-bit data transfer• 1 start bit• Programmable stop bit(s): 1 or 2 stop bits
• Parity: None, Even, or Odd• Baud rates:• Predefined rates: 9600, 14 400, 19 200, 28 800, 38 400, 57 600, 115 200• Programmable• Loop back mode from downstream to upstream
Figure 4: UART Timing

44

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTable 26: Standard Bandwidth Serial UART Baud Rates and Data Periods
Baud rate

Data period

115 200

8.7

57 60017.4

38 40026.0

28 80034.7

19 20052.1

14 400

69.4

9600

104.1

A number of preset baud rates can be used, as well as a more flexible baud rate factor, as shown in thefollowing table.
Table 27: UART Baud Rates
Baud factor, BF

Baud rate, BR (bps)

Notes

BF

1/(BF*240 ns)

Programmable

1 (min)4 166 667—36

115 200

Preset 672

57 600Preset 5108

38 400Preset 4144

28 800Preset 3218

19 200Preset 2290

14 400Preset 1

434

9600

Preset 0 (default)

511 (max)

8154—

To program bulk baud rates in the GenICam interface, configure the following settings:• BulkBaudRate = Programmable• BulkBaudRateFactor = (Enter integer value between 1 and 511)
• BulkBaudRateValue = (Display of programmable baud rate)

Bulk Interfaces

45

The following table provides the A.C. operating characteristics of the UART interface.
Table 28: A.C. Operating Characteristics of the UART Interfaces

46

Parameter

Symbol

Min

Max

Units

Data period

tUART

0.240

122.64μs

Baud rate

BR

8 154

4 166 667

bps

Notes
1/tUART

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Chapter 7

Installing the eBUS SDKThis chapter describes how to install the eBUS SDK, and also provides information about installing therequired driver.
Before you can configure and control your CL-U3, you must install the eBUS SDK and USB3 Vision driver.

The following topics are covered in this chapter:• “Installing the eBUS SDK” on page 48• “Installing the eBUS Universal Pro Driver” on page 48

Installing the eBUS SDK

47

Installing the eBUS SDK
You can install the Pleora Technologies eBUS SDK on your computer to configure and control your
CL-U3.
The eBUS SDK includes:• Pleora’s eBUS Player application, which allows you to control the CL-U3 parameters and view videofrom a video source connected to the CL-U3.
• An extensive library of sample applications, with source code, to create working applications fordevice configuration and control, image and data acquisition, and image display and diagnostics.
• Drivers that optimize the performance of your system.

It is possible for you to configure the CL-U3 and USB3 Vision compliant video sources using other
GenICam compliant software, however, this guide provides you with the instructions you need to use thePleora eBUS Player application.

Installing the eBUS Universal Pro Driver
The eBUS SDK includes a USB3 Vision driver that allows for configuration and control of USB3 Vision
devices. The driver must be installed before you can use eBUS Player or any third-party SDK software toconfigure the CL-U3. If it is not installed, the software will not detect the CL-U3.
The GigE Vision driver, which is available during the installation of the eBUS SDK, is for use with GigE Vision
devices, such as the Pleora CL-GigE External Frame Grabber. The driver enhances existing general-purpose
drivers shipped with NICs, increases image acquisition throughput and performance, decreases latency
and jitter, and minimizes CPU utilization.
The drivers are selected for installation by default during the eBUS SDK installation process. If you choose
not to install the drivers (or want to uninstall either driver), you can use the eBUS Driver Installation Tool.

48

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTo use the eBUS Driver Installation Tool
1. Click Start > All Programs > eBUS SDK > eBUS Driver Installation Tool.
2. UnderUSB3 Vision, click Install or Uninstall.

After a moment the driver status changes. If you are installing a driver, the driver is installed acrossall USB3 Vision devices on your computer.

3. Close the eBUS Driver Installation Tool.

You may be required to restart your computer.
If you choose to install the GigE Vision driver, it is installed across all network adapters on your computer.

To see the versions of the installed drivers, click Help > About.

Installing the eBUS SDK

49

Chapter 8

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General
Settings Using eBUS Player
After you have set up the physical connections to the CL-U3, you can start eBUS Player to configure
image settings, which will help ensure that images are received and displayed properly. You can also
configure the buffer options to reduce the likelihood of lost packets.
BEFORE you attempt to stream images, you must know the image settings of your Camera Link camera,
and then configure the CL-U3 with matching image settings.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:• “Confirming Image Streaming” on page 52• “Accessing your Camera Settings through Camera Link Serial Communications” on page 53• “Configuring CL-U3 Image Settings Using eBUS Player” on page 55• “Enabling SafePower and PoCL” on page 59• “Viewing and Testing Streaming Images” on page 61• “Configuring the Buffers” on page 62• “Calculating the Required Bandwidth” on page 63• “Specifying How Images are Acquired” on page 64• “Recording and Retrieving Images in the Onboard Memory” on page 66• “Implementing the eBUS SDK” on page 68

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player

51

Confirming Image Streaming
After the CL-U3 is physically connected to the computer, use eBUS Player with the test pattern featureenabled to verify that the CL-U3 can stream properly to the computer.
After you have confirmed that eBUS Player is receiving the test pattern from the CL-U3, disable the test
pattern so that the CL-U3 can stream images from the camera.
For detailed instructions about how to use eBUS Player, see the eBUS Player for Windows and Linux User
Guide available on Pleora’s Support Center at supportcenter.pleora.com.

To start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3
1. Start eBUS Player from the Windows Start menu.
2. Click Select/Connect.
3. In the Device Selection dialog box, click the CL-U3 and then click OK.
4. Under How is your camera powered, your selection will vary depending on the CL-U3 model:• Standard models (CL-U3B and CL-U3M). Click My camera has an external power supply(these models do not support PoCL).
• Industrial models (CL-U3B-IND and CL-U3M-IND). Click either option, depending on how
you are powering your camera.
When you select Power is provided by the frame grabber Camera Link cable (PoCL), theClSafePowerActive feature* is set to True.
* The ClSafePowerActive feature enables the SafePower protocol on the CL-U3 so it can supply
power using PoCL. This protocol also prevents the CL-U3 from attempting to supply power toa camera that does not support PoCL.
5. Click OK.

eBUS Player is now connected to the CL-U3.

To turn the test pattern on or off
1. Start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3.

For more information, see “To start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3” on page 52.
2. Under Parameters and Controls, click Device Control.
3. Under ImageFormatControl, click a test pattern option in the TestPattern list.
4. Close the Device Control dialog box.

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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

5. When the test pattern is enabled and you click Play, you will see an image similar to this (the patternand colors may vary, depending on the image settings).

Accessing your Camera Settings through Camera Link Serial
Communications
You can use eBUS Player to send serial commands between the CL-U3 and the Camera Link camera. Fora list of commands that can be sent to the camera, consult the camera’s technical documentation.

To send serial commands to your camera using eBUS Player
1. Start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3.
2. On the Tools menu, click Device Serial Communication.

3. In the Port Selection list, ensure the bulk port is selected.
4. In the Speed list, select the baud rate that matches your camera.

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player

53

Tip: If you need to set the parity and stop bits, click Device control on the main page of eBUS
Player. In the Visibility list, click Guru. Under IP Engine > PortCommunication, set the values forthese options.
5. Under Send as, select the data transmission sequence format by clicking either ASCII (text only) or

Hexadecimal.

6. Type the data string in the Data box.

For hexadecimal, enter a pair of hexadecimal digits for each byte, separated by spaces. For example,
01 23 45 67 89 AB CD EF.
7. Select one of the trailer options beside Append.

Trailer options are not mutually exclusive; they append in the order shown.
Select Other for ASCII and hexadecimal sequences in custom trailers for devices that do not use thetrailer options in the order shown, for example, CR and LF.
8. Click Send to transmit the data sequence.
9. Wait for the device to reply.

54

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide10. Close the Device Serial Communication dialog box.

This section explained how to send serial commands between the CL-U3 and the camera. Alternatively, you
can establish a serial bridge or camera bridge to communicate with your camera using serial
communication.
The following options are available:• GenCP communication, for cameras that are GenCP compliant.
• Serial port (COM port) communication, which you will use if your camera manufacturer has provided asoftware application that assumes that you use a serial port on your computer to send serialcommands to the camera.
• Camera Link DLL, which you will use if your camera manufacturer has provided a software applicationthat uses a Camera Link DLL to send serial commands to the camera.
• GenICam CLProtocol library, which you will use if you have a CLProtocol DLL (provided by the camera
manufacturer).
For information about using these serial communication methods, see the knowledge base article titled
Introduction: Establishing a Serial Bridge on the Pleora Support Center at supportcenter.pleora.com.

Configuring CL-U3 Image Settings Using eBUS Player
After you have configured your Camera Link Camera with optimal image settings, you must configure
matching image settings on the CL-U3.
The changes that you make to your CL-U3 are temporary and will not persist across power cycles. To
understand more about how to save your settings, see “Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings” on page
69.

Take note of the camera’s image settings
Take note of the camera’s image settings. You can find this information by consulting the camera’s
technical documentation or by using the camera configuration software that accompanies your camera.
• Scan type (area scan or line scan)• Number of taps (sometimes referred to as tap geometry or sensor digitization taps)• Image width• Image height• Pixel bit depth (8, 10, 12 bits, or more)• Pixel format

These settings may not be available in the software; you may need to use the camera’s technicaldocumentation to find this information. If you cannot find the pixel format, you should start byconfiguring the CL-U3 to use a Mono (monochrome) setting.
• Power source (from a power supply or PoCL)

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player55

To ensure the CL-U3 is streaming images properly, you must configure the CL-U3’s image settings tomatch those previously configured on the camera.

Supported Device Tap Geometries for the CL-U3
The following table lists the supported device tap geometries for the CL-U3. Please note that the CL-U3
does not support tap reconstruction for the supported tap geometries (that is, the taps are received inorder from the camera).
Table 29: Supported Camera Link Tap Geometries
Tap geometry

Number of taps

Scan type

Geometry_1X_1Y

1AreascanGeometry_1X2_1Y

2AreascanGeometry_1X1LinescanGeometry_1X2

2

LinescanGeometry_1X4_1Y

4AreascanGeometry_1X4

4LinescanIf your camera outputs a tap geometry that is not listed in Table 29, you may need to perform tap
reconstruction using your software application. For more information about tap geometry, refer to the
GenICam Standard Features Naming Convention (Version 2.0 or later), available from the European
Machine Vision Association at http://www.emva.org.

To configure image settings on the CL-U3
1. Start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3.

For more information, see “To start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3” on page 52.
2. In the Visibility list, click Expert.

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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

3. Under DeviceControl, select a sensor scan type (areascan or linescan) in the DeviceScanType list.

4. Under ImageFormatControl, select the number of taps in the SensorDigitizationTaps list.

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player

57

Note: Turning on the TestPattern substantially limits the number of available pixel formats(especially when SensorDigitizationTaps is set to Four).

DeviceScanType, SensorDigitizationTaps, PixelFormat, and TestPattern are interrelated. When you
change any of these values, the CL-U3 may automatically adjust the other values to ensure theconfiguration is valid.
5. Under ImageFormatControl, enter the image width and height, and select a pixel format from the

PixelFormat list.
6. Close the Device Control dialog box.
7. Click Play to see the changes.

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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Enabling SafePower and PoCL
The industrial models can supply power to one Camera Link Base or one Camera Link Medium camera(depending on your model), using PoCL. When you use PoCL, power is supplied over one standard
Camera Link cable (for Camera Link Base models) or two standard Camera Link cables (for Camera Link
Medium models), as outlined in the Camera Link Standard.
To allow the industrial models to supply power to Camera Link cameras using PoCL, enable the
ClSafePowerActive feature. When this feature is enabled, PoCL is active and the SafePower protocol isused, which prevents the CL-U3 from attempting to supply power to a non-PoCL cable or camera.

To enable SafePower and PoCL and to view the PoCL status (industrial models only)
1. Start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3.

For more information, see “To start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3” on page 52.
2. In the Visibility list, click Expert or Guru.
3. Under CameraLinkInterfaceControl, select a connector in the ClConnectorSelector list. See thetable below for connector selection information.
4. In the ClSafePowerActive list, click True to enable SafePower and PoCL.
Table 30: Connector Selection for Enabling Camera Link SafePower
CL-U3 model

ClConnectorSelector list item

CL-U3 connector

CL-U3B-IND

Connector1

CL1

CL-U3M-IND

Connector1

CL1

Connector2

CL2

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player

59

5. Review the status that appears under ClSafePowerStatus. The following flowchart explains thestatus changes. Please note that each connector performs this process independently.
Initializing.
The detection of a PoCL
camera and cable has notstarted yet.

PoClSensing.
The CL-U3 is determining if a
PoCL camera and cable areconnected.

What type of camera/cable
is detected?
Non-PoCL

PoCL

Status changes to
NonPoClCameraOrCableDetected.

Status changes to
PoClCameraAndCableDetected.

Pixel clock
detected

Pixel clock
detected

Yes

Yes

Status changes to
NonPoClLinkUp
and CL-U3
continues to detect
pixel clock.

Status changes to
PoClLinkUp
and CL-U3
continues to detect
pixel clock.

No
No
Timeout?

Yes

Yes

No
No
Timeout?

No

No
No

Timeout?
Yes

60

Pixel clock
detected

Pixel clock
detectedNo
Timeout?
Yes

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideViewing and Testing Streaming Images
You can view and test your image settings using eBUS Player.
To view images from the camera, the test pattern must be disabled. For more information, see “To turn thetest pattern on or off” on page 52.

To view streaming images in eBUS Player
1. Start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3.

For more information, see “To start eBUS Player and connect to the CL-U3” on page 52.
2. Under Acquisition Control, select the acquisition mode you want to use to acquire images. By

default, images are streamed in Continuous mode (the CL-U3 sends a stream of continuous images
instead of a single image).
For other acquisition modes, see “Specifying How Images are Acquired” on page 64.
3. Click Play.

The images appear in the Display section of eBUS Player.

Example image. When the test pattern is enabled for the CL-U3, a stream of moving lines will appear(often black, gray, and white) instead of video from your camera.

If images or the test pattern do not stream, see the tips provided in “System Troubleshooting” on page 75.

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player

61

Configuring the Buffers
You can increase the buffer count using eBUS Player to make streaming more robust. A high number ofbuffers are needed in high frame rate applications, while a small number of buffers are needed for lower
frame rates. Latency increases as the number of buffers increases.

To configure the buffers
1. Start eBUS Player.
2. Click Tools > Buffer Options.
3. Click the buffer option that suits your requirements.
4. Click OK.

Default size for streaming is 16 buffers.

62

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideCalculating the Required Bandwidth
When using the CL-U3 and connected Camera Link camera, you may observe high data rates.
To calculate the approximate bandwidth that is required, use the following formula. Keep in mind that
this calculation results in an approximate value, and does not take into account USB3 Vision overhead.
Note that each image is broken up into many packets, which should be considered when determining
overhead.
PayloadSize is automatically calculated by the CL-U3, based on the selected image settings, which include
Width, Height, OffsetX, OffsetY, PixelSize, and any padding that has to be added to the image payload. To
see the PayloadSize, open eBUS Player, connect to the CL-U3, and then click Device control. PayloadSize
appears in the TransportLayerControl category.
For example, for a CL-U3 configured with 1280 x 720, a 16-bit pixel format, and a PayloadSize of
1.84 MB at 60 frames per second, the equation would look like this:1.84 MB x 8 x 60 Hz = 883.2 Mbps

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player

63Specifying How Images are Acquired
Continuous, SingleFrame, and MultiFrame modes are usually standard for external frame grabbers.
Acquisition starts when the Play button is pressed (the AcquisitionStart command is executed).
The acquisition modes supported by the CL-U3 are enumerated by the GenApi AcquisitionMode feature.

eBUS Player Main Page

Device Control Dialog Box

64

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Continuous Mode
This mode allows you to acquire images continuously and is the default mode for most external frame
grabbers.

Multiframe Mode
This mode allows you to acquire a fixed number of images. To configure the number of images, set the
CL-U3’s AcquisitionControl > AcquisitionFrameCount feature.
You can set the AcquisitionControl > AcquisitionFrameCount feature in the Device Control dialog box,
as shown in the following image.

SingleFrame Mode
This mode allows you to acquire a single image.

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player

65

Recording and Retrieving Images in the Onboard Memory
The recording acquisition modes allow you to capture images from a camera and store them in the
CL-U3’s onboard memory.
The readout acquisition modes allow images to be acquired from the CL-U3’s memory at a slower rate,ensuring images are not lost.
These modes are helpful when you are working with a camera that transmits images at a rate that exceeds
the connection between the CL-U3 and the computer, resulting in dropped images. For example, a Base
Configuration Camera Link camera transmits images at up to 2.04 Gbps (2 taps, 12 bits) but theconnection to the computer might be only 1 Gbps. By using the recording and readout modes in thisexample, you can capture and stream images from the camera without losing any images (as long as thereis space in the onboard memory).
The recording acquisition modes support back-to-back recording, which allow you to click the Stop andPlay buttons multiple consecutive times without clearing the onboard memory.
Acquisition starts when the Play button is pressed (the AcquisitionStart command is executed) when oneof the recording modes is selected.
Images can be stored in the CL-U3’s onboard memory as long as there is space or until there are 512
images in memory. For information about calculating how many images you can store, see “Calculating
How Many Images Can be Stored in Onboard Memory” on page 68.
If the USB cable is disconnected, or if the computer is restarted, all captured images will be lost.

ContinuousRecording Mode
With this mode, images are acquired continuously and are stored in the CL-U3’s onboard memory until
the memory is full (or 512 images are stored in onboard memory). When this limit is reached, the
CL-U3 stops acquiring new images from the camera.
We recommend that you observe AcquisitionControl > BlockBufferCount (Expert or Guru visibility
level is required). When the value for this feature stops increasing, the memory is full. For information
about the actions that clear the images from onboard memory, see “Understanding When Images are
Removed from the Onboard Memory” on page 68.
To determine how many images can be stored in memory, see “Calculating How Many Images Can be
Stored in Onboard Memory” on page 68.

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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

ContinuousReadout Mode
With this mode, images are continuously read (and removed) from the CL-U3’s onboard memory. The
readout begins at the first image in memory. To see the number of images stored in onboard memory, see
AcquisitionControl > BlockBufferCount in the Device Control dialog box (Expert or Guru visibility
level is required).
Readout continues until the Stop button is pressed (AcquisitionStop command is executed) or until thelast image has been sent by the device (BlockBufferCount will be 0).

MultiFrameRecording Mode
With this mode, a fixed number of images are stored in the CL-U3’s onboard memory. To configure thenumber of images, set the AcquisitionControl > AcquisitionFrameCount feature in the Device Control
dialog box. Images can be read out from memory using ContinuousReadout mode.
A maximum of 512 images can be acquired at one time in MultiFrameRecording mode.

To determine how many images can be stored in memory, see “Calculating How Many Images Can be
Stored in Onboard Memory” on page 68.
If AcquisitionControl > AcquisitionFrameCount is set to a value that exceeds the amount of available
memory, the CL-U3 stops acquiring new images when the onboard memory is full (or 512 images are
stored in onboard memory).
BlockBufferCount shows the number of images currently in memory. In MultiFrameRecording mode,
this number is cumulative: If the memory is empty and you acquire an image, BlockBufferCount will
match the AcquisitionFrameCount. If you stop and restart recording, BlockBufferCount will increment(to a maximum of 512 images, depending on the image size) and will no longer match theAcquisitionFrameCount.
For information about the actions that clear the images from onboard memory, see “ContinuousReadoutMode” on page 67. .

SingleFrameRecording Mode
With this mode, a single image is saved in the CL-U3’s onboard memory after each AcquisitionStart
command.
For information about the actions that clear the images from onboard memory, see “Understanding
When Images are Removed from the Onboard Memory” on page 68.

SingleFrameReadout Mode
With this mode, a single image is acquired from the CL-U3’s onboard memory.

Connecting to the CL-U3 and Configuring General Settings Using eBUS Player

67Understanding When Images are Removed from the Onboard Memory
The following actions remove the images from the CL-U3’s onboard memory:• Streaming images from the onboard memory using one of the readout acquisition modes(ContinuousReadout or SingleFrameReadout).
• Power cycling the CL-U3, which clears all images from the onboard memory.
• Making any of the following AcquisitionMode changes and then clicking the Play button(AcquisitionStart command):
Table 31: Changes that Clear Images from the Onboard Memory
First you acquire images with...

And then you change the Acquisition mode to...

ContinuousRecording, MultiFrameRecording, orSingleFrameRecording

Continuous, MultiFrame, or SingleFrame

SingleFrameReadout or ContinuousReadout

SingleFrame, MultiFrame, or Continuous

SingleFrameReadout or ContinuousReadout

ContinuousRecording, MultiFrameRecording, orSingleFrameRecording

Calculating How Many Images Can be Stored in Onboard Memory
First, take note of the PayloadSize, which appears under TransportLayerControl in the Device Control
dialog box. Expert or Guru visibility level is required to access this feature.
The PayloadSize is automatically calculated by the CL-U3 based on the selected image settings, which
include Width, Height, OffsetX, OffsetY, PixelSize, any chunk data, as well as any padding that has to be
added to the image payload.
For example, for a CL-U3 configured to use Mono10p with images that are 1920 x 1080, the PayloadSize
is equal to 2 592 000 bytes per image or 2.472 MB (2 592 000 / 1 048 576).
You can use the following equation to determine the number of images that can be saved in onboard
memory:Available onboard memory MB / PayloadSize MB = Number of images that can be saved
Using our example, the equation is:
120 MB / 2.472 MB = 48 images

Implementing the eBUS SDK
You can create your own image acquisition software for the CL-U3. Consult the following guides for
information about creating custom image acquisition software:• eBUS SDK API Quick Start Guides, available for C++, .NET, Linux, and macOS• eBUS SDK API Help Files, which are installed on your computer during the installation of the eBUS

SDK. You can access this documentation from the Windows Start menu under eBUS SDK.
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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Chapter 9

Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings
This chapter describes the various ways to save your eBUS Player and CL-U3 settings.
The changes that you make to your CL-U3 are temporary and WILL NOT PERSIST ACROSS POWER CYCLES
unless you save the changes to the flash memory of the CL-U3 or to a .pvcfg file on your computer.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:• “Choosing the Best Method for Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings” on page 70• “Using File > Save” on page 72• “Using Tools > Save Preferences” on page 72• “Using User Sets: Saving Settings to the CL-U3’s Flash Memory” on page 73• “Ensuring Configuration Settings are not Overwritten” on page 74• “Saving the CL-U3 XML File to your Computer” on page 74

Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings

69Choosing the Best Method for Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3
Settings
eBUS Player offers several ways to save your eBUS Player and CL-U3 settings. Each method saves different settings, as
outlined in the following table.
Table 32: eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings Saving Options
Format and location of saved settings:
Saves to a .pvcfg file on
your computer

Saves to yourcomputer’s user profile

Saves to the CL-U3
flash memory

eBUS Player procedure for saving:
File > Save

Tools > Save
preferences

Device Control >Usersets

Settings saved:
Default USB 3.0 host-side communication
parameters.

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

These parameters are set using the Default
USB3 Vision Communication Parameters
dialog box, accessed from the Tools menu in
eBUS Player.
USB 3.0 host-side communication parameters.
These parameters are set using theCommunication Control dialog box (click theCommunication control button on the main
page of eBUS Player).
CL-U3 parameters.
These parameters are set using the Device
Control dialog box (click the Device control
button on the main page of eBUS Player).
Image stream parameters.
These parameters are set using the Image
Stream Control dialog box (click the Image
stream control button on the main page ofeBUS Player).

70

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTable 32: eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings Saving Options (Continued)
Format and location of saved settings:
Saves to a .pvcfg file on
your computer

Saves to yourcomputer’s user profile

Saves to the CL-U3
flash memory

eBUS Player procedure for saving:
File > Save

Tools > Save
preferences

Device Control >Usersets

Settings saved:
Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Camera bridge configuration settings.

Yes

Yes

No

Identification (GUID) of devices to which you areconnected.

Yes

No

No

CL-U3 serial communication settings.

No

No

No

1. eBUS Player settings accessed from theTools menu:•

Setup: eBUS Player role and stream
destination•

Image filtering•

Image saving•

Event monitor•

Buffer options•

Display options

2. GenICam browser settings configured using
the Device Control dialog box: Parameter
visibility level, browser options, expanded orcollapsed feature lists.
Serial communication bridge settings.
These parameters are set using the Serial
Communications Bridge dialog box, accessedfrom the Tools menu.

These parameters are set using the Device
Serial Communication dialog box accessedfrom the Tools menu.

For more information about the settings and parameters shown in the table above, see the eBUS Player For Windows andLinux User Guide.

Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings

71

Using File > Save
When you select Save As on the eBUS Player File menu, the changes you have made to the eBUS Player
application settings, along with most of the settings configured on the CL-U3 to which eBUS Player isconnected, are saved to a .pvcfg file on your computer. When you are next connected to the CL-U3 using
eBUS Player, you can apply the saved .pvcfg file to restore all of your previously configured settings.
The settings saved to the .pvcfg file include the GUID of the connected CL-U3. This enables you toconnect to the device automatically and restore the CL-U3 and eBUS Player application settings. For
more information about the eBUS Player settings saved using this method, see “eBUS Player and CL-U3
Settings Saving Options” on page 70.

To save CL-U3 settings to a .pvcfg file on your computer
1. After you have changed settings on the CL-U3 using eBUS Player, select Save As from the Filemenu.
2. Choose a file name and location on your computer to save the .pvcfg file.
3. Click Save.

To apply a saved .pvcfg file to the CL-U3
1. Connect to the CL-U3 using eBUS Player.
2. Select Open from the File menu.
3. Navigate to the saved .pvcfg file and click Open.

You can apply the settings in the saved .pvcfg file to a CL-U3 with a different GUID.

Using Tools > Save Preferences
When you select Save Preferences on the eBUS Player Tools menu, specific eBUS Player application
settings along with Communication control options, such as a specific heartbeat interval and answer
timeout value, are saved to your Windows/Linux/macOS operating system user profile. When you next
open eBUS Player, your preferences are the same as when you closed the application. For more
information about the eBUS Player settings saved using this method, see “eBUS Player and CL-U3
Settings Saving Options” on page 70.
The Device control settings and the Image stream control settings are not saved when you click Save
Preferences.

72

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTo save eBUS Player preferences• On the eBUS Player Tools menu, click Save Preferences.

The eBUS Player preferences, including the Communication control options such as a specificheartbeat interval and answer timeout value, are saved.

To restore default eBUS Player settings• Clicking Restore Default Preferences on the Tools menu.

Settings are restored to the values set on the CL-U3 before it was first used.

Using User Sets: Saving Settings to the CL-U3’s Flash
MemoryWhen you use the UserSetSave feature available in the UserSetControl section of the eBUS Player Device
Control dialog box, you are saving configuration changes to the flash memory of the CL-U3. Thesesettings persist across power cycles. A User Set can be configured to be the default settings for the CL-U3
so that each time you start the CL-U3 it starts with these settings applied, or you can start the CL-U3
and then apply User Set configurations.
Most Pleora external frame grabbers support two User Sets: UserSet1, which consists of the userconfigured settings, and Default, which consists of the pre-configured settings, to which you can always
revert. Settings identified as Default in the Device Control dialog box cannot be changed.
Not all CL-U3 configuration changes can be saved to a User Set. Features in the Device Control dialog box
that can be saved to the CL-U3’s flash memory have Streamable: True in the Help section at the bottom of
the Device Control dialog box.
The following table describes the options available in UserSetControl.
Table 33: Saving Configuration Settings to the CL-U3
Setting

Description

UserSetSelector

Selects the User Set to load or save.

UserSetLoad

Loads the User Set (specified by UserSetSelector) to the CL-U3 and makes it active.

UserSetSave

Saves configuration data to the User Set specified by UserSetSelector, which is part of
the non-volatile memory of the CL-U3.

UserSetDefaultSelector

Specifies the User Set to load and make active when the CL-U3 is reset or power-cycled.

UserSetLoadLastUserSet

Shows the last User Set executed by the CL-U3 from a UserSetLoad command, or as aresult of a reset (or power cycle) of the CL-U3.

UserSetLoadStatus

Indicates the success or failure of the last User Set applied. The User Set can beapplied through a power cycle or through user selection.

Saving eBUS Player and CL-U3 Settings73

To save a configuration change to UserSet1
1. In the Device Control dialog box, make the required configuration changes.
2. Under UserSetControl, change the UserSetSelector setting to UserSet1.
3. Click UserSetSave.

To load the default configuration settings (one-time)
1. In the UserSetControl section of the Device Control dialog box, select Default in the

UserSetSelector box.
2. Click the UserSetLoad setting and then click the UserSetLoad button that appears to the right.

The default settings are applied to the CL-U3.

To specify the persistent settings that are loaded every time the CL-U3 is reset• In the UserSetControl section of the Device Control dialog box, select a User Set in the

UserSetDefaultSelector box and then close the Device Control dialog box.
The next time the CL-U3 is reset or power cycled, the User Set that you selected is loaded.

Ensuring Configuration Settings are not Overwritten
When you choose a method to save eBUS Player and CL-U3 settings, you could overwrite previously
configured settings. You should consider the following when saving settings.
• Each newly applied .pvcfg file overwrites all settings configured by a previously applied .pvcfg file.
• Each newly applied .pvcfg file overwrites the settings from a previously applied User Set.
• When you apply CL-U3 settings from a User Set, device settings configured by a previously applied.pvcfg are overwritten.

Saving the CL-U3 XML File to your Computer
You can save the CL-U3 XML file to your computer.
This allows you to view the CL-U3’s GenICam XML file; it does not save your eBUS Player or camera settings.

To save your camera’s XML file
1. Click Tools > Save GenICam XML.
2. Navigate to the location in which you want to save the XML file.

Click Save.

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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Chapter 10

System TroubleshootingThis chapter provides you with troubleshooting tips and recommended solutions for issues that can occur
during configuration, setup, and operation of the CL-U3. It also shows you how to switch between the
backup and main firmware loads.
Not all scenarios and solutions are listed here. You can refer to the Pleora Technologies Support Center at
supportcenter.pleora.com for additional support and assistance. Details for creating a customer accountare available on the Pleora Technologies Support Center.

Refer to the product release notes that are available on the Pleora Technologies Support Center for known
issues and other product features.

Troubleshooting Tips
The scenarios and known issues listed in this chapter are those that you might encounter during the setup
and operation of your CL-U3. Not all possible scenarios and errors are presented. The symptoms, possible
causes, and resolutions depend upon your particular setup and operation.
If you perform the resolution for your issue and the issue is not corrected, we recommend you review theother resolutions listed in this table. Some symptoms may be interrelated.

System Troubleshooting

75

Table 34: Troubleshooting Tips
Symptom

Possible cause

Resolution

When selecting the CL-U3 forconnection, the Speed (in the
Device Selection dialog box ineBUS Player) says High instead ofSuper, and a warning icon appears.

The CL-U3 is connected to a
USB 2.0 port on yourcomputer, not a USB 3.0 port.

Connect the CL-U3 to a USB 3.0 port onyour computer.

The USB 3.0 port may haveexperienced a power surge.

Troubleshoot the USB 3.0 port in yourcomputer by:• Connecting the CL-U3 to another USB
3.0 port on your computer.
• Disconnecting the CL-U3 from thecomputer and rebooting thecomputer.

76

When you connect the CL-U3 to a
USB port on your computer, aWindows warning appears,
indicating that the driver could not
be installed.

The Pleora USB3 Vision driver
is not installed on yourcomputer.

Install the Pleora USB3 Vision driver on
your computer using the eBUS Driver
Installation Tool (Start > All Programs >eBUS SDK > eBUS Driver Installation
Tool).

When selecting the CL-U3 forconnection, the License field (in the
Device Selection dialog box ineBUS Player) says Unavailable.
Resolve other errors. And thePleora Driver Installed field says
Unknown.

The Pleora USB3 Vision driver
is not installed on yourcomputer.

Install the Pleora USB3 Vision driver on
your computer using the eBUS Driver
Installation Tool.

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideTable 34: Troubleshooting Tips (Continued)
Symptom

Possible cause

Resolution

The License field (in the Device
Selection dialog box in eBUS
Player) says Invalid.

The Pleora USB3 Vision driver
is not installed, or not
installed correctly on yourcomputer.

Install the Pleora USB3 Vision driver on
your computer using the eBUS Driver
Installation Tool.

If you have a third-party USB3
Vision driver on yourcomputer, that driver may beinterfering with the Pleora
USB3 Vision driver’s ability torecognize the CL-U3.

Uninstall the third-party driver and install
the Pleora USB3 Vision driver on yourcomputer using the eBUS Driver
Installation Tool.

For the industrial models, the
CL-U3 may have beenconnected to the USB port
before it was connected tothe external power supply.

Disconnect the CL-U3 from the USB port.
Connect it to an external power supply andthen reconnect it to the USB port.

For the industrial models,
external power is not being
supplied to the CL-U3.

Disconnect the CL-U3 from the USB port.
Connect it to an external power supply andthen reconnect it to the USB port.

The USB host controller isshared, resulting in an
inadequate power supply.

Disconnect devices from your USB hub
that are drawing power from the USB hub.

Your camera does not use
Pleora’s technology for device
control and to transmit andreceive images.

Purchase a Pleora eBUS SDK GigE Vision
Receiver license to license the camera
and remove the watermark. For more
information, visit www.pleora.com/
products/ebus-sdk.

The CL-U3 settings may not
match the configuration of
the image data that is being
received from the camera.

Ensure the following CL-U3 settings matchthe configuration of the image data fromthe camera:

The CL-U3 appears in the Device
Selection dialog box in eBUS Player
but you cannot connect to it.

The License field (in the Device
Selection dialog box in eBUS
Player) says Unlicensed.
Watermark, limited use.
A Pleora watermark appears ontransmitted and received images.
Image errors appear as soon as you
click Play and images do notstream.

• DeviceScanType• SensorDigitizationTaps• PixelFormat• Width• Height

Images do not appear and theimage count (located beside
Stream at the bottom of eBUS
Player) does not increase when you
click Play.

System Troubleshooting

The test pattern is off or novideo source is available.

Turn the test pattern on. Or, connect avideo source and ensure that
PixelBusInterfaceControl >PixelBusClockPresent is True.

77

Table 34: Troubleshooting Tips (Continued)
Symptom

Possible cause

Resolution

Dropped images, dropped
connection, or failure to connect to
the CL-U3.

The power supply from theUSB port may be inadequate

Ensure 900 mA is available from the USB
port. For more information, see “Powering
the CL-U3” on page 26.

After resetting the CL-U3 using theDeviceReset feature in eBUS Player
and then trying to reconnect to the
CL-U3, the error message“ABORTED. Error reading manifest
table address.” appears and you
cannot connect to the CL-U3.

You tried to connect to the
CL-U3 too soon after using theDeviceReset feature.

For the standard models, thepower supply from the USB
port may be inadequate.

Wait at least ten seconds before you
attempt to reconnect to the CL-U3 afterusing the DeviceReset feature.

Changing to the Backup Firmware LoadIn the event that the main firmware load fails to start, the CL-U3 will start up using the backup firmware
load when it is restarted or power cycled.
In the rare event that the backup load is not used automatically (as indicated by the fact that eBUS Player
will not be able to detect the CL-U3), you can use the slide switch to change to the backup load.
After the CL-U3 starts up using the backup load, you can apply a firmware update to the CL-U3 torecover the main load. For more information see the Updating Pleora Firmware knowledge base article on
the Pleora Support Center (supportcenter.pleora.com).

SW1 Slide Switch
Main load position (OFF)
Backup load position (ON)FPGA Board (Back View)

78

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Chapter 11

Reference: Mechanical Drawings and Material List
This chapter provides mechanical drawings and also provides a list of connectors with corresponding
manufacturer details.
Three-dimensional (3-D) mechanical models are available at the Pleora Technologies Support Center.

The following topics are covered in this chapter:• “Mechanical Drawings” on page 80• “Enclosed Models” on page 80• “CL-U3B-IND OEM Board Set” on page 82• “CL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set” on page 85• “GPIO Board Assembly” on page 88• “Material List” on page 90• “Using USB3 Vision Locking Cables with the Inverted Micro-B USB 3.0 Connector” on page 90

Reference: Mechanical Drawings and Material List

79

Mechanical Drawings
The mechanical drawings in this section provide the CL-U3’s dimensions, features, and attributes. All
dimensions are in millimeters. Connectors are dimensioned to the center.
The drawings in this section include all connectors that could be present on any CL-U3. Because there aredifferent CL-U3 models, your device may not have all of the connectors shown in this chapter.

Enclosed Models
Figure 5: Enclosed CL-U3 Camera Link Camera Side

Figure 6: Enclosed CL-U3 Side View

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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Figure 7: Enclosed CL-U3 Top View

Figure 8: Enclosed CL-U3 USB Side View

Reference: Mechanical Drawings and Material List

81

CL-U3B-IND OEM Board Set
Figure 9: iPORT CL-U3B-IND OEM Board Set

Figure 10: iPORT CL-U3B-IND OEM Board Set

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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Figure 11: iPORT CL-U3B-IND OEM Board Set

Figure 12: iPORT CL-U3B-IND OEM Board Set

Reference: Mechanical Drawings and Material List

83

Figure 13: iPORT CL-U3B-IND OEM Board Set

84

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User GuideCL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set
Figure 14: iPORT CL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set

Figure 15: iPORT CL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set

Reference: Mechanical Drawings and Material List

85

Figure 16: iPORT CL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set

Figure 17: iPORT CL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set

86

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Figure 18: iPORT CL-U3M-IND OEM Board Set

Reference: Mechanical Drawings and Material List

87

GPIO Board Assembly
Figure 19: GPIO Board — Front and Back Views

Figure 20: GPIO Board — Dimensions

88

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Figure 21: GPIO Board — Dimensions (Continued)

Figure 22: GPIO Board — Side Views

Reference: Mechanical Drawings and Material List

89

Material List
The connector summaries for the CL-U3 are listed in the following table.
Table 35: Connector Summary
Description

Manufacturer part number

Manufacturer

Micro-B USB 3.0 connector

897-10-010-00-300002

Mill-Max Mfg. Corp.

12-pin circular connector

HR10A-10R-12PB(71)

Hirose Electric Co. Ltd.

Miniature Camera Link

12226-1100-00FR

3M

Source manufacturer, description, and identification may vary for each connector.

Using USB3 Vision Locking Cables with the Inverted Micro-B
USB 3.0 Connector
The CL-U3 uses a USB 3.0 Micro-B connector in an inverted configuration, which affects use with cables
that right-angled USB 3.0 Micro-B connectors. The following table provides guidance for selecting theappropriate cable.
Right

Up

Table 36: USB3 Vision Locking Cables Orientation on CL-U3

90

Desired cable exit angle

Cable type to use

UpRight-Angle Down

Down

Right-Angle Up

Right

Right-Angle Left

Left

Right-Angle Right

Straight

Straight

iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Chapter 12

Appendix: Timing for Camera Link Base/Medium
Signals
The output of the camera must match the format of the CL-U3. You should select a case for yourapplication and then refer to “Timing Values for All Cases” on page 93. The stated timing restrictions areminimum values.

Appendix: Timing for Camera Link Base/Medium Signals

91

Camera Link Signals
Case 1: FVAL and LVAL are Level-Sensitive

Case 2: FVAL and LVAL are Edge-Sensitive

Case 3: FVAL is Edge-Sensitive and LVAL is Level-Sensitive

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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Timing Values for All Cases
The timing values stated in the following table are minimum values only.
Table 37: Timing Values for All Cases
From

To

SymbolCase 1(level)Case 2(edge)

Case 3(both)

(tcp)

(tcp)

(tcp)

FVAL valid

LVAL valid atFV2LV0b0

1

FVAL valid

Data valid a, c, dtFV2DV0b

16

1

LVAL valid

Data valid a, c, dtLV2DV0

1

0

LVAL valid

LVAL invalid atLV2LI

1

1

1

LVAL invalid

LVAL valid atLI2LV

1

1

1

LVAL invalid

Data valid a, c, dtLI2DV

1

N/A

1

Data valid

tLI2DV

16

N/A

16

Data invalid

LVAL invalid a, c, dtDI2LI0

N/A

0

LVAL invalid

FVAL invalid atLI2FI

0e

N/A

N/A

Data invalid

FVAL invalid a, c, dtDI2FI

0e

N/A

N/A

FVAL invalid

FVAL valid atFI2FV

1

1

1

FVAL invalid

Data valid a, c, dtFI2DV

1

N/A

N/A

Last LVAL invalid

Data validtLLI2DV

16

N/A

16

FVAL valid

FVAL invalid

tFV2FI

16

1

1

FVAL valid

FVAL valid

t2FV2FV

17

17

17

(Automatic Internal
Retrigger disabled)
LVAL invalid(Automatic Internal
Re-trigger enabled)a. The valid state of FVAL and LVAL is high when they are set as level-high sensitive or rising-edge

sensitive. Their valid state is low when they are set as level-low sensitive or falling-edge sensitive.
b. If LVAL is valid before FVAL becomes valid, the grabber drops the full line.
c. Data valid is defined by FVAL valid (note a), LVAL valid (note a), and DVAL valid (note d).
d. The valid state of DVAL is high when it is set as level-high sensitive, and low when set as level-low

sensitive. DVAL is always valid in the grabber when the parameter PixelBusDataValidEnabled isoff.
e. If FVAL becomes invalid and LVAL is still valid, the line is truncated.

Appendix: Timing for Camera Link Base/Medium Signals

93

Chapter 13

Reference: Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) Data
The following table provides MTBF data.
Table 38: MTBF Data
Model

MTBF @ 40°C

CL-U3B External Frame Grabber

1,135,333 hours

CL-U3M External Frame Grabber
CL-U3B-IND External Frame Grabber

958,332 hours

CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber

Assumptions:
1. The calculation is performed using the RelCalc for Windows V5.1-TELC3 software, which

implements Telcordia SR-332 (Issue 3) failure rate models.
2. The operating internal chassis temperature is 40°C. The calculation assumes the temperature acrossthe boards is relatively constant.
3. The Telcordia environment is GB.
4. Each part’s operating current/voltage/power stress is 50%.
5. The typical operating power value (as specified in the component’s datasheet) is used for each IC

and semiconductor.
6. The calculation uses the 90% UCL (Upper Confidence Level) Telcordia Issue 3 model.
7. Each part’s Telcordia Quality Level is I.

Reference: Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) Data

95

Chapter 14

Reference: Regulatory Statements
This chapter provides regulatory statements for the CL-U3, and pertain specifically to the following
products.
Table 39: CL-U3 Regulatory Statements
Order codeModel

903-0007iPORT CL-U3B External Frame Grabber

903-0008

iPORT CL-U3M External Frame Grabber

903-0009

iPORT CL-U3B-IND External Frame Grabber

903-0010

iPORT CL-U3M-IND External Frame Grabber

Reference: Regulatory Statements

97

United States & Canada
These devices comply with FCC Part 15 standard(s). Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference.
2. This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operationof the device.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant
to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmfulinterference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particularinstallation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which canbe determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct theinterference by one or more of the following measures:• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver isconnected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void theuser's authority to operate the equipment.
CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3(B) - This Class B Digital Apparatus Complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet Appareil numerique de la classe (B) est conforme a la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

European Union
These devices comply to the EC directive 2014/30/EC - Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive underClass B ITE equipment. They have been tested and found to comply with EN 55024:2010, EN
55032:2012/AC 2013 and EU Directive 2011/65/EU.
These are Class B products. In a domestic environment, these products may cause radio interference; inthis case, the user may be required to take adequate measures.

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iPORT CL-U3 External Frame Grabber User Guide

Chapter 15

Technical Support
On the Pleora Support Center, you can:
• Download the latest software.
• Log a support issue.
• View documentation for current and past releases.
• Browse for solutions to problems other customers have encountered.
• Get presentations and application notes.
• Get the latest news and information about our products.
• Decide which of Pleora’s products work best for you.

To visit the Pleora Support Center• Go to supportcenter.pleora.com and click Support Center.

If you have not registered yet, you are prompted to register.
Accounts are usually validated within one business day.

Technical Support

99