Callisto | Products: Control Software Development

Callisto has significant experience in the development of software for instrument control applications both for the laboratory environment and for operational environments. Typical applications include test & measurement automation, data logging and surveillance systems.

Control Software Development — Typical Applications:

Following are some examples of projects we have completed all using the National Instruments LabView™ graphical programming environment.

Automatic Test and Measurement

A ground station noise measurement system was developed by Callisto. The measurement system comprised a set of commercial test instruments as well as a specially designed test modem. A software application was designed and developed to control the instrument suite, to collect and process measurement results and to provide and operator MMI for system control and result presentation. The software was able to perform automatic calibration of the measurements system and saving calibration data to file for subsequent measurement sessions.

In another example Callisto has developed software to evaluate the performance of a communications link by measurement of bit error rate. The software interfaces to a modem by sending a test message for uplink transmission and receiving the downlink data from the demodulator. The software then compares the received data against transmitted data and provides statistics of bit and frame error performance. Noise Measurement Equipment

Equipment Monitor and Control

Callisto has been developing complex cryogenic low noise RF amplifiers systems for satellite ground stations for a number of years. In 1998 we developed a PC based software application for continuous operational monitoring of the low noise amplifiers systems, which included thermometry, compressor status and power supply monitoring. Later improvements included the addition of a remote monitor port for linking into a centralised ground station monitor and control network. More recently this software has been upgraded to support TCP/IP network interfaces. Cryogenic Low Noise Amplifiers

Test Dewar Monitor software

A cryogenic test Dewar is used by Callisto for the evaluation of various components at cryogenic temperatures. Software has been developed to assist with operation of the test Dewar and to monitor operational parameters in real time.

Simulators

A project was undertaken to design and develop simulators to emulate RF signal fading on satellite communications links. RF voltage variable attenuators and voltage variable phase shifters were used, driven by a programmable waveform generator. The software developed essentially controlled the parameters of the waveform generator; frequency, amplitude, phase and waveform type. In addition complex waveform generation from file sources could be used.

In a separate project Callisto has developed software to provide simulation of Doppler effects from low Earth orbit satellites. The application included a process to calculate the frequency Doppler profile of a satellite signal, based orbital parameters provided by the operator. The software was then able to steer the frequency of an RF Signal Generator to simulate the satellite downlink signal. Learn more about Test Simulators

Learn More about: