A parallel 8 bit computer interface circuit and software for a digital nuclear spectroscopy system

Innovative Systems Design and Engineering www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1727 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2871 (Online)
Vol.5, No.2, 2014
75
A Parallel 8-Bit Computer Interface Circuit And Software
For A Digital Nuclear Spectroscopy System
Onyemaechi N. Ofodile1
Matthew N. Agu2
1. Directorate of Manpower Training and Capacity Development, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission,
Abuja, Nigeria
2. Directorate of Nuclear Power Plant Development, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, Abuja, Nigeria
Email: onofodile@nigatom.org.ng
Abstract
There are 3 errors that are associated with the measurement of nuclear radiations. These are from the noise
accompanying an incident radiation pulse, the dead time required for the processing of the incident radiation
pulse and the pile-up of pulses. We have designed and implemented a digital nuclear radiation processing system
(DNRPS) that significantly solves the 3 problems as well as being less complex and cheap. The interfacing of the
digital processing system to a computer has been achieved through a less complex and cheap interface circuit
using discrete integrated circuit (IC) chips. The interface circuit accepted parallel 8-bit data which were
simultaneously processed. Furthermore, the operation of the digital processing section involved only digital
addition and subtraction of the parallel 8-bit data. This approach has removed the need for complex digital
operations requiring the use of digital signal processor chips, microprocessors and other complex and expensive
devices as in commercial digital pulse processing systems.
Keywords: Analog, Circuit, Computer, Digital, Interface, Parallel Port, Processing, Programming.
1. Introduction
Analogue and digital electronics means are used in the processing of nuclear radiations to determine the type,
energy and intensity of such radiations. The processing is adversely affected by the responses of the electronic
devices or components which culminate in 3 kinds of errors, namely, noise associated with a detected radiation
and its processing, dead time and pile-up losses. Dead time loss arises due to the time interval required to process
a radiation pulse during which another detected radiation pulse cannot be processed. Pile-up loss arises due to
the fact that two radiation pulses may arrive close to themselves in time with the result that their values overlap
and are summed up such that the new summed value does not represent any of the two pulses. This constitutes
serious distortions to the accuracy of measured pulse values.
Many modern popular gamma ray spectroscopy systems still use analogue schemes to implement the processing
of radiation pulses while digital schemes are used to interface the analogue processor to the computer. The
effects of noise, deadtime and pileup errors are often down-played, leading to the obtained results not being as
accurate as they should be.
Digital pulse processing systems do exist but many of the modern systems employ complex mathematical
schemes such as adaptive trapezoidal/triangular filtering, symmetric or asymmetric cusp-like weighting and
others. Such schemes require complex data operations such as digital multiplications, exponentiations, look-up
tables for weighting functions, data set buffering for both time variant processing and inter-process
synchronization and others. These are expensive to implement in terms of the processing times and costs of
the required electronic components. The designed and implemented digital pulse processing system and its
associated interface circuit can be used to produce relatively cheap, simple and much more accurate computer
controlled gamma ray spectroscopy systems for laboratory uses especially in developing countries.
2. Materials and method
Figure 1 shows the block diagram of the digital nuclear radiation measurement system. The circuit blocks
in the dashed box 1 constitute the main pulse processing system which includes the filters, peak detection
and pile-up inspection (FPPI) circuits such as in the progenitors of more complex and expensive products
(Mott, R.B. 2009; Warburton, W.K. and Hubbard, B. 1999; X-ray Instrumentation Associates (Xia) Inc. 2006).
The Analogue Signal Conditioner (ASC) is contained in the dashed box 2 and includes the input amplifier
stage and the Analogue-to-Digital Converter (ADC). It shapes and converts the incoming radiation pulses
to appropriate digital forms for further digital pulse processing. The computer interface circuit (CIC)

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76
interfaces these two sections to the computer. The operations of the ASC, FPPI and the CIC are controlled
by the computer through the DNRPS interface software. The output of the DNRPS hardware is comprised
of parallel 8-bit data that require simultaneous processing.
The simultaneous processing of the parallel 8-bit data results into a form that is easy for visual interpretation. To
achieve this, two interface systems are needed. These are the hardware interface which links the physical pulse
processing stage to the computer and the software interface that enables the hardware interface components to
function with the computer. The software interface also provides a platform for further processing of the output
of the digital pulse processing section and presentation in a visually interpreted form.
There are various ways of interfacing a device to a computer, mostly through the various ports. The more
common ports are the Universal Serial Bus (USB), the Serial and the Parallel (printer) ports. Though the Parallel
port is being phased out on many recent computer systems, but it is the most commonly used port for interfacing
design projects such as ours as it allows the input of up to 8 bits or the output of 8 bits at any given time. It also
requires minimal external circuitry to implement many tasks. The port is composed of 4 control lines, 5 status
lines and 8 data lines. It is found commonly on the back of the personal computer as a D-Type 25 Pin female
connector. Besides these, it is easier to understand and implement. In view of the above, we also chose to use the
parallel port. For newer computer systems without the physical parallel port, cheap USB and Serial converter
cables are available to connect the CIC to such computers. In this case, the parallel port is virtual to such
computers and all data are processed as if they are passed from the physical parallel port. The design of the CIC
and its accompanying software is based on the parallel processing of 8-bit data which can be easily achieved
using the parallel port programming approach. This approach drastically reduces the complexities of the circuits
resulting to cheaper systems.
In writing programs for the use of Parallel port lines, the following software registers for the various port lines of
a Standard Parallel Port (SPP) can be used.
 The base address, usually called the Data Port or Data Register is simply used for outputting or
writing data on the Parallel port's data lines (Pins 2-9). This register is normally a write only port.
However, if the port is bi-directional, one can receive or read data from this address.
 The Status port (base address + 1) is a read only port. Any data written to this port will be ignored.
The Status port is made up of 5 input lines (Pins 10,11,12,13 and 15). It is to be noted that bit 7
(Busy) is an active low input. e.g. if bit 7 shows a logic 0, then there is +5 V at pin 11.
 The Control port (base address + 2) is intended as a write only port but can also be used as an input
port. Whenever a printer is attached to the Parallel port, four "controls" are used. These are Strobe,
Auto Linefeed, Initialize and Select Printer, all of which are inverted except Initialize.
The Status port is used to read the most significant nibble, MSnibble while the Control port is used to read the
least significant nibble, LSnibble of the parallel 8-bit data. The Data port is used to send a parallel 8-bit data
from the computer to the digital processing system either for the setting of parameters or the control of certain
functions. Both the MSnibble from the Status port and the LSnibble from the Control port are combined together
to form a byte using the written software.
Figures 2 and 3 show the block diagram and the circuit diagram of the CIC respectively. The integrated
operation of both the interface hardware (CIC) and software (DNRPS) is best explained with the circuits of
Figures 2 and 3 in the following sequence.
 The integrated system first checks if a device is connected. Bit S7 of the Status port lines is
inverted while bit S3 is used to check for connected device. By reading the Status port, if the
device is connected, then the result will be &H77 (decimal 119 or binary 01110111). If no device
is connected, the result will be &H7F (decimal 127 or binary 01111111) and the computer will
display “No Device Found”.

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 After confirming a connected device, the Data port line D7 is set HIGH ie &H80 (decimal 128 or
binary 10000000), causing the output of NAND gate U1A to jump HIGH, thereby arming the
NAND gates U1B –U1D for further operations of loading parameters.
 NAND gates U1B – U1D are then programmed to go from HIGH to LOW so that values set at the
D0 to D6 data lines of the Parallel Port of the computer are transferred and latched in the
respective latches U2 – U4. These latched values are available to the pairs of loadable down
counters DC U5 and U6, U7 and U8, U9 and U10 respectively as preset parameter values for the
pulse processing sections. U5 and U6 hold the time values for the Pile-up Inspection Time (PIT),
U7 and U8 hold the values for the Slow Peaking Time (SPT) while U9 and U10 hold the values for
the Fast Peaking Time (FPT). With the parameter values loaded and latched, NAND gate U1A is
again programmed for LOW output in order to disable any further changes to the latched output
values of U2 – U4.
 Specifically, Data port line D7 is used for the control of NAND gate U1A. Hence, only lines D0 –
D6 are available for the loading of parameter values. These Data port lines (D0 – D6) are loaded
with the appropriate values, followed by a clock delay of about 200 pulses before the Control port
lines are loaded with &HA, &H9, and &HF respectively, each followed by a clock delay of about
200 pulses for their corresponding parameter loading. &HA (decimal 10 or binary 00001010)
means that Control port line C0 is HIGH. &H9 (decimal 9 or binary 00001001) means that Control
port line C1 is HIGH. &HF (decimal 15 or binary 00001111) means that Control port line C2 is
HIGH. Through the initial reset operations, the output of NAND gate U1A becomes HIGH, which
makes one input each of the NAND gates U1B –U1D to become HIGH. As each Control port line
C0, C1 and C2 goes HIGH and then LOW, the outputs of the NAND gates U1B – U1D will transit
from HIGH to LOW and back again to HIGH, thereby latching the parameter values in their
respective latches U2 – U4 and finally setting the output of NAND gate U1A LOW. Through the
LOW inputs, the NAND gates U1B – U1D outputs remain HIGH irrespective of subsequent
Control port values. Since Data port lines D0 – D6 (7 bits) are used for parameter values and to
eliminate any accidental bit value on D7 (8th
bit), any value to be loaded is first ANDed with
&H7F (decimal 127 or binary 01111111). In terms of time values, the maximum peaking time is
restricted to 127 multiplied by the clock pulse width. With a clock pulse width of 1.6 μS, the
peaking time ranges from (127 x 1.6 μS) 1.6 μS to 203.2 μS.
 The pairs of loadable down counters U5 and U6, U7 and U8, U9 and U10 operate in similar
manner. The counters count down from the fixed loaded values at their binary inputs provided by
the U2 and U3 latches. As long as the STP, SPE and FPE connections are HIGH, the Carry-Out
(CO) pins of U6, U8 and U10 ie, STE, SCO and FCO respectively remain HIGH. If STP, SPE or
FPE is LOW, the respective counter starts counting down from the loaded or preset value to zero
when the CO line goes LOW and then returns to HIGH on the next rising edge of the clock pulse.
STP, SPE and FPE are therefore used to reset the counters to their loaded or preset values before
any down counting.
To control the CIC, the DNRPS software has to meet the following requirements.
 Recognise the presence of the digital processing device when connected to the Parallel port of the
computer. In other words, it checks for the presence of device on the Parallel Port.
 Reset all counters, registers, flip-flops, latches etc before the commencement of operations.
 Load the digital processing device parameters (Pile-up Inspection Time (PIT) and the Slow
channel filter Peaking Time (SPT), Fast Peak Time (FPT) and the first gain and second gain (ASC
Gain) settings.
 Read the processed signal (data) from the output of the digital processing device, transform it into
a visually interpreted form and present the final form on a computer screen.

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The software can be developed using any one of the numerous programming languages such as C, C++, Delphi,
Visual Basic dot Net, Matlab etc. However, the DNRPS software was developed using Visual Basic 6.0 as the
interpreter and compiler. The choice of Visual Basic 6.0 is that its syntax is relatively easy to understand, being
close to normal useage and logic of English language. However, there is a major limitation built into Visual
Basic. It cannot directly access the hardware on a computer system. All hardware requests must pass through the
Windows operating system environment especially, from Windows 95 to the recent versions XP, VISTA and
Windows 7. Hence, in order to access and control the Parallel port directly, we established a link between the
Parallel port hardware and the software we developed. This link can be established through the use of a Dynamic
Link Library (DLL) tool known as INPOUT32.DLL. The DLL tool can be by Jan Axelson which works only on
Windows 95/98/ME, or the version from LOGIX4U, which works on Windows95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP/Win7.
Both can be obtained from http://www.lvr.com/parport.htm#Programming. The DLL file must be copied into the
WindowsSystem folder of the computer where the interface control software is developed and/or used.
3. Results
Using Figure 3, the sequence of operation of the CIC as controlled by the DNRPS software is as follow:
3.1 Device connected
This is software determined. Bits 0, 1 and 3 of the Control port are inverted. Hexadecimal value &HB (decimal
11 or binary 00001011) is initially loaded on the Control port lines. The lines are then read back. As the output
of the Control port lines are open collector type, the use of pull-up resistors causes zero (0) to be written to the
lines. Theoritically, by reading back the lines and obtaining zero simply means that the device is connected
otherwise the result will be decimal 255 or binary 11111111, meaning HIGH or open collector outputs. The
sample program is:
Call Out(Controlport1, &HB) “send &HB or decimal 11 or binary 1011
PortData = Inp(Controlport1)
If PortData = &H0 Then “ Device is connected to Parallel port
3.2 Reset
After confirming a connected device, the Control ports are set to &H0 (decimal 0 or binary 00000000), causing
the output of U1A to jump HIGH, thereby arming the U1B, U1C and U1D gates for further operations of loading
parameters. The sample program is:
Call Out (Controlport1, &H0) “send &H0 or decimal 0 or binary
“00000000
3.3 Load Parameters
Loading the parameters is achieved in a sequence of Slow (PIT), followed by Fast and ASC Gain. The Data port
lines are loaded with the appropriate values, followed by a clock delay of about 100 pulses before the Control
port lines are loaded with &H1, &H2, &H4 and &H8 respectively, each followed by a clock delay of about 50
pulses for their corresponding parameter loading. Through the initial reset operations, the output of U1A
becomes HIGH, which makes one input each of the U1B to U1D gates to become HIGH. As each Control port
line C0, C1 and C2 goes HIGH and then LOW, the outputs of the U1B to U1D gates will transit from HIGH to
LOW and back again to HIGH, thereby latching the parameter values in their respective Latch1 to Latch4 and
finally setting the output of U1A LOW. Through the LOW inputs, the U1B to U1D outputs remain HIGH
irrespective of subsequent Control port values. The sample program is:
Call Out (AddressLPT1, Slow) “send Slow and Pile-up Inspection values
Call Out (Controlport1, &H1) “send &H1 or decimal 1 or binary 00000001 to transfer Slow and Pile-
up values to the Slow (SPT) and Pile-up Inspection (PIT) latches
Call Out (AddressLPT1, Fast) “send Fast value
Call Out (Controlport1, &H2) “send &H2 or decimal 2 or binary 00000010 to transfer Fast (FPT) value
to the Fast latch
Call Out (AddressLPT1, Gain) “send Gain and ADC Controls

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Call Out (Controlport1, &H4) “send &H4 or decimal 4 or binary 00000100 to transfer Controls to the
ASC Gains and ADC Start latched lines
3.4 Reading Data
Data is read from the digital pulse processor through the Status and Control ports. The Status port is first read. Its
value is ANDed with &HF (decimal 15 or binary 00001111) to clear the MSnibble of the Status port. Then the
state of bit 3 of the Status port is checked. If it is HIGH, then data is waiting to be read from the input (C0-C3
and S4-S7) lines. To check bit 3, if the Status port value is greater than 7 but less than 16 (PortData >7 And
PortData < 16), then C3 is HIGH. Thereafter, the count of occurrences of the peak value of the input line, which
corresponds to a channel value, is incremented by one. The sample program is:
Dim Count (1000000)
PortData = (Inp(Statusport1) And &HF)
If PortData >7 And PortData < 16 Then “Check if bit 3 is HIGH. If so, read data from the C0-C3 - S4-
S7 lines. C3 is HIGH in the range >7 and <16
Call Out (Controlport1, &H4)
PortData = (Inp(Statusport1) And &HF0)
PortData = PortData Or (Inp(Controlport1) And &HF)
PortData = PortData Xor &H8B “ Channel or peak value
PeakCount(PortData) = PeakCount(PortData) + 1 “Increment the PeakCount by one
4. Discussion
Figure 4 shows the physical realization of the CIC and the other circuit blocks of the DNRPS system while
Figure 5 is the graphical user interface (GUI) displayed when the DNRPS software is run. The DNRPS software
provides a general purpose visual display environment for the visual presentation of the processed information
from the processing hardware. Being a general purpose GUI, no specialized statistical or analytical tools are
provided. Depending on the application area, the software can be modified to include any statistical or analytical
tools. The GUI has two sections: the upper section for the control and setting of parameters for the processing
system and the lower section for the processing and display of captured data.
 In the upper section of the GUI, parameters that can be set include the Pulse Width in Shaping
Amp (analogue processing) mode and Slow Peaking Time, Fast Peaking Time in Digital Filter
(digital processing mode), ASC Gain and Preset Time. Once the Pulse Width/Slow Peaking Time
value is selected, the Maximum Expected Count Rate is also displayed. This upper section also
allows for the saving of the selected parameters, recalling of earlier saved parameter values and the
configuring of the system before data collection, analyses and display can take place.
 The lower section of the GUI allows for the display of processed data either in graphical or
numerical mode by toggling the Display Type button. Also, the default Counts Display button can
be toggled for Rate display. Other facilities available in this section include opening a saved graph
data file for display, saving a displayed graph data, saving a displayed graph as a picture, copying
a displayed graph for pasting into other documents and printing a displayed graph. There are also
facilities for zooming into a graph area for more details and selection of graph options such as
colours for the grid lines, background display etc.
Before data collection, processing and display are carried out, the parameters have to be set and the system
configured by clicking on the Configure System button. If the hardware is not connected, there is a warning that
“No Device Found”. At the end of data collection and processing, the displayed graph looks like that shown in
Figure 3. There are other information available when the processed data is displayed and they include Start
Processing Time, Stop Processing Time, Accumulation Time, and others such as Slow Count and Slow-Fast
Peak Time Ratio when in digital filter mode.
A comparison of performance with a popular analogue processing system based on the ICS-PCI computer
interface card showed that the DNRPS system through the CIC provided the same kind of information as an ICS-
PCI based analogue system as can be seen from Figures 5 and 6 of the GUIs respectively for the spectra of Co-

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60 collected for 5 minutes. In terms of circuit complexities, the CIC circuit has just 10 cheap and readily
available discrete ICs while the ICS-PCI card has complex microprocessor based circuitries.
5. Conclusion
In an effort to produce a relatively cheap and less complex digital nuclear radiation processing system for
gamma ray spectroscopy, we have also designed and implemented a computer interface circuit, CIC that is less
complex and cheap to produce. The CIC can be used to interface any system that requires parallel processing of
its 8-bit output data. Such processed 8-bit data can also be displayed in a graphical form using the implemented
DNRPS software. Both the CIC and the DNRPS software offer a cheap and simple interface of a digital pulse
processing system to the computer.
References
[1] Mott, R.B. (2009). Digital Pulse Processor Slope Correction. US Patent No US2009/0033913 A1.
www.freepatentsonline.com.
[2] Warburton,W.K. and Hubbard, B. (1999). Method and Apparatus for Combinatorial Logic Signal
Processor in a Digitally Based High Speed X-Ray Spectrometer. US Patent No 5873054.
www.freepatentsonline.com
[3] X-ray Instrumentation Associates (Xia) Inc. (2006). AppNotes/DXP_Pile.pdf; microDXP Technical
reference Manual, version 1.0.3. www.xia.com
Configure Enable Signals 1-3
To
Computer
From
Detector-
Preamplifier
INPUT
AMPLIFIER
STAGE
Figure 1: Diagram of the Measurement System with the Component Blocks.
Box 2
ASC
(Analog Signal
Conditioner)
Box 1
FPPI
(Filters, Peak detector &
Pile-up inspector)
CIC
COMPUTER
INTERFACE
CIRCUIT
Parallel 8-bit Data

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Background Noise Counts
Figure 5: DNRPS Graphical Display of Co-60 Spectra Collected for 5 Minutes
Figure 4: Physical Realisation of the Computer Interface Circuit

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Figure 6: ICS-PCI Display of Co-60 Spectra Collected for 5 Minutes
Background Noise Counts

A parallel 8 bit computer interface circuit and software for a digital nuclear spectroscopy system

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