Ovation Link Controler Mark 4

Ovation Link Controller
GE Speedtronic Mark IV Interface

Section Title Page
Section 1. Introduction
1-1. Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
1-2. Contents of Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
1-3. Reference Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Section 2. Hardware Configuration

2-1. Section Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
2-2. Ovation Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
2-3. GE Speedtronic Mark IV Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
2-4. Interface Connection Guidelines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Section 3. Software Configuration

3-2. Required Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
3-3. Creating the Configuration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
3-3.1. Analysis of the Sample File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
3-3.2. Configuration File Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
3-3.3. Overall Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
3-3.4. Channel/Offset Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
3-4. Creating the AUTOEXEC.BAT File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Section 4. Link Controller Module Initialization

4-2. Software Needed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
4-3. Link Controller Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
4-3.1. Procedure 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
4-3.2. Procedure 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
1/02 1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

Westinghouse Process Control, Inc. Proprietary Class 2C
Table of Contents, Cont’d
Section Title Page
Section 5. Operation and Diagnostics

5-2. LC/Mark4 Startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
5-3. GE Speedtronic Mark IV Operation and Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
5-4. Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
5-4.1. Operating Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
5-4.2. SLC Drop Fault and the SLCSTATUS Algorithm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
5-4.3. External Host Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
5-4.4. Interpreting the Ovation LC Module LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Section 6. GE Speedtronic Mark IV Simulation

6-2. Mark IV Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
6-3. Simulation Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 2 1/02

Section 1. Introduction
1-1. Overview
The Ovation Link Controller GE Speedtronic Mark IV Interface (hereafter referred
to as the LC/Mark4 interface) provides communication between an Ovation Link
Controller (LC) Module and a GE Speedtronic Mark IV turbine controller.
The Mark IV interfaces with the LC Module via RS-232 serial communication. The
Mark IV sends messages in the Mark III/Mark IV protocol to the LC Module;
however, the LC module does not reply. The interface software interprets the
messages and puts the content data in memory for access by SLC algorithms in the
Ovation Controller.
The LC/Mark4 interface replaces the WDPF Station Interface Unit (SIU) GE
Speedtronic interface. The interface software runs on both the Ovation Link
Controller Module and the WDPF Q-line Serial Link Controller (QLC) card.
1-2. Contents of Document

This document is organized into the following sections:
• Section 1. Introduction provides an overview of the Ovation LC/Mark 4

Interface and lists additional manuals that might be helpful to the user.
• Section 2. Hardware Configuration describes the hardware and cabling

required for the Interface.
• Section 3. Software Configuration describes the software configuration and

files used by the Interface.
• Section 4. Link Controller Module Initialization describes the

initialization of the Ovation Link Controller (LC) module.
• Section 5. Operation and Diagnostics describes the operation and diagnostics

of the Interface.
• Section 6. GE Speedtronic Mark IV Simulation describes the setup and

operation of the Mark IV simulation.
1/02 1-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

1-3. Reference Documents
1-3. Reference Documents

Additional reference documents that will be useful are listed in Table 1-1.
Table 1-1. Reference Documents
Document
Number Title Description
R3-1100 Ovation Algorithms Reference Manual Describes algorithms available for use with
the Ovation Controller.
R3-1140 Ovation Record Types Reference Lists and describes Ovation Record Types.
Manual
R3-1150 Ovation I/O Reference Manual Describes Ovation I/O modules.
U3-1021 Ovation Link Controller (LC) User’s Describes the use and functions of the
Guide Ovation Link Controller module.
GEH-5558A “Steam Turbine Control RS-232 GE interface document
Computer Interface”
MDS 10846 “Specification MDS 10846 for a GE protocol document
simple data dump to a remote com-
puter over a serial link”
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 1-2 1/02

Section 2. Hardware Configuration
2-1. Section Overview

This section describes the hardware and cabling needed for the LC/Mark4 interface.
2-2. Ovation Hardware

The Ovation Link Controller module is described in the document, "Ovation Link
Controller (LC) User's Guide" (U3-1021) which provides details of the module
hardware as well as the module initialization procedure and programming
considerations.
The Link Controller hardware consists of the following:
• The Electronics module (Part number 1C31166G01).
• The Personality module (Part 1C31169G01). Only the Group One personality
module is appropriate for the Mark IV since it conforms to RS-232
communications standards.
• The Base Unit which provides field termination via screw terminals.
2-3. GE Speedtronic Mark IV Hardware

The GE Speedtronic Mark IV has an RS-232 serial port that is used to connect to
the Ovation Link Controller module. The connection between the Link Controller
module and the Mark IV is described in Section 2-4.
1/02 2-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

2-4. Interface Connection Guidelines
2-4. Interface Connection Guidelines

A cabling scheme appropriate to the Mark IV interface is shown in Figure 2-1
9-Pin Female J2 25-Pin Female

“D” Connector at G01 “D” Connector
Personality Module at GE Mark IV
Signal Pin
Name Number Pin Signal
Number Name
RXD 2 3 TX
RTS 7 4 CTS
GND 5 7 GND
Figure 2-1. Mark IV Interface Cabling
The cable shield should be grounded only at one end to avoid ground loops. If it is
necessary to ground the cable shield at the personality module, electrically connect
the cable shield to the connector shell.
The cable length cannot exceed fifty feet, which is the defined standard for all RS-
232 connections.
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 2-2 1/02

Section 3. Software Configuration

This section describes the software configuration of the LC/Mark4 interface.
3-2. Required Software

The following software is required to implement the LC/Mark4 interface:
• DOS operating system version 5.0 installed on the LC module.
- DOS is loaded during module testing, however, a copy should be available

in case the LC module RAM memory becomes corrupted (if necessary, refer
to Section 4 for instructions on installing DOS).
• A configuration file must be created (described in Section 3-3) and installed on

the LC module (as described in Section 4).
• An AUTOEXEC.BAT file must be created (described in Section 3-4) and

installed on the LC module (described in Section 4) so that the interface can be
started automatically.
• LC Module utilities
- RLCEXTPC.EXE (disk RLC10A)
- RLCFLASH.EXE (disk RLC20A)
• The executable program MARK4.EXE is provided with the distribution

diskette and must be installed on the LC module (described in Section 4).
3-3. Creating the Configuration File

The first step is to create the configuration file in a text editor. Once the
configuration file has been created and verified, it must be loaded along with the
driver executable file (MARK4.EXE) to the LC module.
The LC/Mark4 interface uses a configuration file to specify communication

parameters and correspondences between Mark IV data fields and Ovation LC
module registers. Ovation algorithms are used in the Ovation controller to map
Ovation LC module registers to Ovation process points.
1/02 3-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

A section of an LC/Mark4 configuration file is shown in Figure 3-1. A brief analysis

of the file is provided after the sample, and the file sections are described in detail
after the analysis.
Note
See Section 4 for instructions for downloading this

file to the LC module.
* Sample configuration file for the LC/Mark4 interface

platform RLC
timeout_action = quality
pt_timeout = 5000
link_stat_reg = 2000
status_hold_time = 5000
drop_timeout = 15000
channel 1
offset 0 point S0000 type int8
offset 6 point S0018 type float
pt_timeout = 10000
channel 3
offset 0 bit 0 point D0050 type digital
Figure 3-1. Sample Configuration File
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 3-2 1/02

3-3.1. Analysis of the Sample File

In the example in Figure 3-1, an Ovation LC Module is configured to communicate
with a GE Speedtronic Mark IV turbine controller. Because the line characteristics
are not specified, communication defaults to 9600 bits per second with an eight bit
character frame, even parity, and one stop bit. Note in the tables below (Table 3-1 -
Table 3-4) that these can be explicitly specified.
The first line is a comment line as indicated by the “*” comment introducer.
The first section of the configuration file specifies overall operating parameters. The
platform RLC line tells the interface to accommodate the Ovation LC module
hardware. It could also be set to QLC for the WDPF QLC card or PC for testing
on a PC compatible computer.
The line timeout_action = quality tells the interface to set the Ovation
points to bad quality when no message has been received within five seconds as
specified in the line pt_timeout = 5000 where the timeout is specified in
milliseconds.
The link_stat_reg = 2000 line tells the interface that an SLCSTATUS

algorithm is configured with a starting address of 2000.
The status_hold_time = 5000 values used with the SLCSTATUS

algorithm will be held in memory for five seconds as specified in the next line.
The overall drop_timeout = 15000 interval after which the SLCSTATUS

algorithm will be informed of a timeout is specified in the next line as fifteen
seconds.
The remainder of the example file maps Mark IV data fields to Ovation LC Module
registers, and hence to Ovation process points using SLC algorithms. The Mark IV
protocol provides for eight channels of data, each with up to 253 bytes of data. This
section maps byte offsets within each channel message to LC module registers.
First in the mapping section is the mapping for channel 1. All the lines following
pertain to channel one until the next channel specification. The first specifier
within this channel offset 0 point S000 type int8 maps byte offset 0
to an analog value with status at LC module register 0. The Mark IV type
specification for this field is int8 meaning a one byte (eight bit) signed integer
value.
The next line maps byte offset 1 to S0003, also of type int8. The analog with
status point type consumes three registers, hence S0003 follows S0000.
1/02 3-3 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

At byte offset 6, the Mark IV type changes to float. Four consecutive bytes
from channel one’s message will be interpreted as an IEEE floating point number.
This is why the next offset specified is 10, four bytes more than the previous.
Just before the channel 3 specification, a new value for pt_timeout is

entered. This points timeout will be ten seconds whereas the previous channel
timeout was five seconds.
The entirety of channel three in this example is mapped as digital points. The least
significant bit of byte offset 0 is mapped to LC module register D0050. Bit 1 is
mapped to D0051, and, at the end of the channel, bit 0 of byte offset 2 is
mapped to D0066.
3-3.2. Configuration File Rules
1. The configuration file is an ASCII text file that is case-insensitive.
2. The format of the file is a parameter keyword followed by a parameter value.

Example:
channel = 2
3. Many of the keywords and values have aliases (see Table 3-1)
4. Comments may be inserted in the file using an asterisk “*”. All text from the
asterisk to the end of the line is ignored.
5. Commas, equal signs, tabs, spaces, and line breaks, are separators for parameter
keywords and values.
6. The configuration file has two types of parameters:
• Overall communication parameters (Table 3-1)
• Channel/Offset specific parameters (Table 3-2)
7. The configuration file format is as follows: Overall parameters at the top of the
file followed by the Channel/Offset specific parameters.
3-3.3. Overall Parameters

The first parameters in the configuration file are the “overall” parameters. They
provide general information specifying communication with the Mark IV.
Table 3-1 describes the “overall” parameters.
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 3-4 1/02

Table 3-1. Overall Parameter List
Parameter Description Value/Range Example

(alias)
platform Hardware platform PC = Personal Computer Platform=RLC
QLC = Q-Line card
RLC = Ovation module
Default = RLC
baud Communication rate 110 through 19200 bits per baud = 9600
(bit_rate) between LC module and second.
Mark IV Default = 9600
data_bits Number of data bits per 7 or 8 data = 7
(data) character frame default = 8
parity Type of parity checking Odd, Even, None Default = parity = odd
Even
stop_bits Number of stop bits per 1, 1.5, or 2 stop_bits=2
character frame default = 1
reset_time Reset time for digital 0 to 2147483647 reset_time = 5000
values (in milliseconds) default = 5000
good_count_reg Register number to hold 0 to 2047 good_count_reg =
count of good messages 1000
received from Mark IV default is NOT USED
bad_count_reg Register number to hold 0 to 2047 bad_count_reg =
count of bad messages 1001
received from Mark IV default is NOT USED
last_good_msg_reg Register number to hold 0 to 2047 last_good_msg_reg
elapsed time since last =1002
good message received. default is NOT USED
SetRTS Whether to set RTS on or off SetRTS = on
handshake line default is ON
link_stat_reg Register number at 0 to 2044 link_stat_reg =
which SLCSTATUS 2000
algorithm is located default is NOT USED
status_hold_time Time to hold 0 to 2147483647 status_hold_time
(loop_time) SLCSTATUS values in =5000
memory in milliseconds default is 1000 msec. (1 sec.)
drop_timeout Timeout beyond which 0 to 2147483647 Drop_timeout =
no message causes drop 15000
fault via SLCSTATUS default is 10000 msec. (10
sec.)
1/02 3-5 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

3-3.4. Channel/Offset Parameters

The data items passed by the Mark IV are specified in the configuration file by
channel number, byte offset within the channel, and type of data at that offset.
Table 3-2 describes the parameters used in the configuration file to specify the
Channel/Offset definitions.
The channel number specified by the Channel parameter is in effect until a

subsequent channel number specification.
Table 3-2. Channel/Offset Parameter List
Parameter (alias) Description Value/Range Example

channel Channel number 1 through 8 channel 1
offset Byte offset within 0 through 253 offset 122
channel message
bit Bit number for digitals 0 through 7 bit 7
type Type of data at specified int8, uint8, int16, uint16, int32, type float
offset uint32, float, digital. See Table 3-3.
point Ovation LC module style See Table 3-4. point S0100
pseudo-point name
Mark IV Type Specifiers
The type specifier for each Channel/Offset tells the interface software which of
several Mark IV data types is associated with that Channel/Offset. The Mark IV
data types supported by the LC/Mark4 interface are described in Table 3-3.
Table 3-3. Mark IV Type Specifiers
Specifier Description
int8 Treat a single byte as an eight-bit signed integer in the range –128 through +127.
uint8 Treat a single byte as an eight-bit unsigned integer in the range 0 through 255.
int16 Treat two bytes as a sixteen-bit signed integer in the range –32768 through +32767.
uint16 Treat two bytes as a sixteen-bit unsigned integer in the range 0 through 65535.
int32 Treat four bytes as a 32-bit signed integer in the range –2147483648 through +2147483647.
uint32 Treat four bytes as a 32-bit unsigned integer in the range 0 through 4294967295.
float Treat four bytes as an IEEE format floating point number in the range 3.4E±38.
digital Treat an individual bit of the byte as a digital state (used in conjunction with bit parameter).
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 3-6 1/02

Ovation LC Module Point Name
The point parameter for each Channel/Offset is entered as though it was an Ovation
point name (a pseudo point name). Analog values and digital states are exchanged
between the Ovation controller and the Ovation LC module through a shared
memory region which is thought of as consisting of 16-bit registers.
The point reference consists of an initial letter which indicates the type of reference,
and a four digit number which specifies an LC register address, or offset into the
shared memory region. This is described in Table 3-5.
Table 3-4. LC Module Point Names
Point Name Point # LC Value Type Read Algorithm and Write Algorithm and
Type Regs Format 1 Format 1
D0000 to D2047 Digital 1 SLCDIN 2 SLCDOUT 2
I0000 to I2047 Analog 1 integer SLCAIN - 0 format 3 SLCAOUT - 0 format 3
F0000 to F2046 Analog 2 float (IEEE) SLCAIN - 1 format 4 SLCAOUT - 1 format 4
S0000 to S2045 Analog 3 float (IEEE) SLCAIN - SLCAOUT -
2 or 3 format 5 2 or 3 format 5
1 Refer to “Ovation Algorithm Reference Manual” (R3-1100) for more information about the SLC
algorithms and their formats.
2 The interface software and algorithm use a single 16 bit word to represent the digital status word as
described in “Ovation Record Types” (R3-1140). The state of the point is represented as the least
significant bit of the word. When reading a digital using the SLCDIN algorithm, some of the remaining
bits of the digital status word are used to set the quality of the point.
3 When using the SLCAIN or SLCAOUT algorithm with format 0 and an I0000 style point designator, the
interface software and algorithm pass a single 16 bit word treated as a signed integer.
4 When using the SLCAIN or SLCAOUT algorithm with format 1 and an F0000 style point designator, the
interface software and algorithm pass a four byte (two word or two register) IEEE format floating point
value.
5 The interface software and algorithm pass a 16 bit word which represents the Analog Status Word
followed by a four byte (two word or two register) IEEE format floating point value. A single S0000 style
point uses three LC registers, this must be taken into account when laying out the data.
1/02 3-7 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

3-4. Creating the AUTOEXEC.BAT File
3-4. Creating the AUTOEXEC.BAT File

An AUTOEXEC.BAT file must be created so that the interface will start
automatically when power is applied to the LC Module or when the LC is reset. This
file must be installed on the LC module (described in Section 4-2)
The AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains two lines:
• The first line sets an environment variable that informs the run-time library that
the module has no floating-point coprocessor:
Set NO87=<text string>
where <text string> can be any text string.
• The second line invokes the interface executable program and specifies the
configuration file name:
Mark4 –f <configuration filename> <options>
Example of AUTOEXEC.BAT File
set NO87=project
Mark4 –f proj.cfg -d
Several command line options are available for debugging purposes. They are
described in Table 3-5.
Table 3-5. Command Line Options
Option Description
-f Specifies the name of the configuration file. This parameter is required.
-p Specifies the platform on which the interface is loaded: PC, QLC, or RLC.
-d Enables display of the LC module registers. The register display slows down the operation
of the interface and should be used only while debugging.
-a Enables display of the Mark IV format messages sent to the LC module. The message
display slows down the operation of the interface and should be used only while debugging.
-e Specifies the level of the syslogging parameter, that is sets the debug message level: 1 - 7.
-t Enables test mode where simulation of the Mark IV is available. See Section 6.
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 3-8 1/02

Section 4. Link Controller Module
Initialization

This section describes the initialization of the Ovation Link Controller (LC)
module.
4-2. Software Needed

The following programs are provided on floppy disks for the initialization of the LC
module through an external personal computer:
• RLCFLASH.EXE (provided on disk RLC10A)
Backs up the Link Controller’s RAM disk to flash (non-volatile) memory.
• RLCEXTPC.EXE (provided on disk RLC20A)
The external Personal Computer host program formats the LC’s RAM disk (if
needed), loads DOS (if needed) and copies any desired files to the Link
Controller RAM disk. Allows the LC to receive commands from the computer
and to write information to the PC’s CRT.
Note
It is assumed that the user is proficient in DOS.

(DOS 5.0 is the required version.)
1/02 4-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

4-3. Link Controller Initialization

To perform the initial programming (or any later action requiring keyboard/CRT
I/O), a serial port (J1) on the LC is linked to the external personal computer’s COM1
or COM2 port. In this configuration, code generated on the external personal
computer can be loaded into the LC. Use Procedure 1 or 2, as applicable.
COM1 or
COM2
Connector
J1 Port in
LC Module
Ovation I/O Cabinet Personal Computer

(Rear View)
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 4-2 1/02

Once the LC is initialized, the external personal computer can be removed, and the
LC operates as a stand-alone IBM-compatible microcomputer.
Note
After initialization, the RAM must be backed up to

non-volatile memory.
Two programs are provided for use in LC initialization: RLCEXTPC.EXE and
RLCFLASH.EXE (described in Section 4-2).
4-3.1. Procedure 1
LC Modules Containing DOS 5.0
Typically, LC modules have DOS 5.0 installed and tested at the factory, and are
configured to boot from the local RAM disk before they are shipped to the field.
These modules can be initialized by Procedure 1.
However, if the LC module does not have DOS 5.0 installed on it, or its RAM
memory has become corrupted, use Procedure 2 described in Section 4-3.2 to
initialize the LC module.
It is recommended that all LC initialization and file operations be performed from

a floppy disk using the following procedure (which assumes that “C” is the PC hard
drive and “A” is the PC floppy disk drive):
Note
While communicating with the LC, only one disk

drive on the personal computer will be accessible. All
desired files must be on that drive.
1. Copy the following files to Drive C on the PC:
— RLCFLASH.EXE program (on RLC10A disk)
— RLCEXTPC.EXE program (on RLC20A disk)
— MARK4.EXE (on distribution disk)
— LC/Mark 4configuration file (described in Section 3)

2. Place the LC module (Personality and Electronics) in an appropriate Base Unit
in an Ovation I/O cabinet (if necessary, refer to “Planning and Installing Your
Ovation System” (U3-1000 or U3-1005).
1/02 4-3 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

3. Connect an applicable cable from the LC module (J1 Programming Port) to the
personal computer (COM1 or COM2). (See Section 2 for additional
information on the cable to be used.)
4. Copy the following programs and files from Drive C on the PC to the floppy
disk in Drive A.
— MARK4.EXE
— Mark4 interface configuration file
5. Run RLCEXTPC.EXE from Drive A, using the command line syntax shown
below:
A:\>RLCEXTPC.EXE [port] [baud]
where:
port = COM1 or COM2 (default = COM1)
baud = 9600 or 19200 (default = 19200 with no jumper installed)
Note
If a baud rate of 9600 is desired, install a wire jumper

in the Base Unit terminal block of the LC module
between B7 and B8.
For example, the following command line specifies that the LC is linked to
COM1 and that the baud rate is 19200:
A:\>RLCEXTPC.EXE COM1 19200
If the port and baud rate are not specified, the default values will apply
(port = COM1, baud = 19200).
6. Reset the LC module by removing it from its Base Unit, waiting five seconds,
and then replacing it.
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 4-4 1/02

7. The LC module will perform a set of self-test diagnostics. Figure 4-1 illustrates
the diagnostic LEDs on the LC Electronics module.
PCEI 12345678
Status LEDs
Electronics Module
Figure 4-1. Link Controller Module LED Positions (Top View)
8. Observe the following indications:
— Each of the set of eight LEDs (1 - 8) will be individually lit and then turned
off in sequence starting with LED 1. When this test is completed, all LEDs
(except P and C) should be off.
— The 640 Kbytes of user RAM will be tested. The amount tested will be
displayed on the external personal computer. If the test encounters an error,
LED 1 will be lit and an error message will be written to the external
personal computer.
— If the LC boots successfully, the following will occur:
— Only LED P (Power OK) will be lit.
— The screen on the PC will display the A: \ > prompt.

— The internal disk on the LC card is known as Drive A.
— The external floppy is known as Drive B.
1/02 4-5 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

9. Copy the programs and files necessary for the operation of the LC application
to Drive A from Drive B. For example: copy b:MARK4.EXE a:
These include the following:
— MARK4.EXE.
— RLCFLASH.EXE program (if desired, and if there is sufficient space on the

LC’s internal Drive A).
— Mark4 interface configuration file.
— Custom AUTOEXEC.BAT file (typically required to auto-start an LC

application upon reset or power up of the LC). Do not place this file on the
LC card until the application has been tested.
10. Enter the following command to save the current configuration of the LC’s
internal disk:
B:\>RLCFLASH
OR
B:\>A:\RLCFLASH
Caution
It is extremely important to run the RLCFLASH.EXE

program at this time. If this is not done, then the data on
the LC internal disk will be lost.
11. To auto-start the application, reboot the LC by removing it from the Base Unit
and then replacing it, or by pressing Control-Shift-Delete.
After initial configuration of the LC card, it is still recommended that the LC

card be operated from a floppy disk. This will avoid any potential problems with
the hard disk drive.
12. The LC operates as an IBM-compatible personal computer. Executable files

which are copied to (or created on) the RAM disk can be executed by entering
the program name.
13. To exit the RLCEXTPC.EXE program at the external personal computer, press
Control-Break.
For general information on the recommended LC programming approach, refer

to “Ovation Link Controller (LC) User’s Guide” (U3-1021). For additional
information on IBM-PC programming, refer to the applicable IBM and DOS
documentation.
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 4-6 1/02

4-3.2. Procedure 2
LC Module Not Containing DOS 5.0, or LC Module with a Corrupted RAM Disk
It is recommended that all LC initialization and file operations be performed from

a floppy disk using the following procedure (which assumes that “C” is the PC hard
drive and “A” is the PC floppy disk drive):
Note
While communicating with the LC, only one disk

drive on the personal computer will be accessible. All
desired files must be on that drive.
1. Copy the following files to Drive C on the PC:
— LC/Mark4 configuration file
2. Place the LC module (Personality and Electronics) in an appropriate Base Unit

in an Ovation I/O cabinet (if necessary, refer to “Planning and Installing Your
Ovation System” (U3-1000 or U3-1005).
3. Connect an applicable cable from the LC module (J1 Programming Port) to the
personal computer (COM1 or COM2). (See Section 2 for additional
information on the cable to be used.)
4. Format a floppy disk as a DOS 5.0 bootable floppy by doing the following:
Place the disk into a floppy drive at the PC and type the following command
(assuming the disk is in Drive A):
C:\>FORMAT A: /S
1/02 4-7 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

5. Copy the following programs and files from Drive C on the PC to the floppy
disk in Drive A.
— FORMAT.COM program (DOS program)
— Custom AUTOEXEC.BAT file (required for automatic start-up of the LC

application)
— LC/Mark4 interface configuration file (described in Section 3)

6. Install the following jumper in the Base Unit terminal block of the LC module
in order to communicate with the external PC and to boot from the external PC
disk:
• Wire jumper between terminal block positions C7 and C8
7. The baud rate for the Programming Port defaults to 19200 (no jumper installed).
Note
If a baud rate of 9600 is desired, install the following

jumper in the Base Unit terminal block of the LC
module:
• Wire jumper between terminal block positions B7 and B8
8. Set the floppy drive as the default disk by typing the following command
(assuming the disk is in Drive A):
C:\>A:
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 4-8 1/02

9. Run RLCEXTPC.EXE using the command line syntax shown below:
RLCEXTPC.EXE [port] [baud]
where:
port = COM1 or COM2 (default = COM1)
baud = 9600 or 19200 (default = 19200 with no jumper installed)
For example, the following command line specifies that the LC is linked to
COM1 and that the baud rate is 19200:
A:\>RLCEXTPC.EXE COM1 19200
If the port and baud rate are not specified, the default values will apply
(port = COM1, baud = 19200).
10. Reset the LC module by removing it from its Base Unit, waiting five seconds,
and then replacing it. This will cause the LC to initialize itself and then to load
DOS from the floppy disk.
After DOS is loaded, the following will occur:
• The screen on the PC will display the A:\> prompt.
• DOS is executing on the LC card.
• The external floppy is known as Drive A.
• The internal disk on the LC card is known as Drive B.
11. When power is applied, the LC board will perform a set of self-test diagnostics.
Figure 4-2 illustrates the diagnostic LEDs on the LC Electronics module.
PCEI 12345678
Status LEDs
Electronics Module
Figure 4-2. Link Controller Module LED Positions (Top View)
1/02 4-9 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

12. Observe the following LED indications:
— Each of the set of eight LEDs (1 - 8) will be individually lit and then turned
off in sequence starting with LED 1. When this test is completed, all LEDs
(except P and C) should be off.
— The 640 Kbytes of user RAM will be tested. The amount tested will be
displayed on the external personal computer. If the test encounters an error,
LED 1 will be lit and an error message will be written to the external
personal computer.
— The LC will now enter its bootstrap routine. If the LC is configured to boot
from the external disk, and it cannot communicate with the external personal
computer, LED2 will be lit. If this occurs, check the cabling.
If no errors occur, when the LC has completed its start-up routine, only LEDs P
(Power OK) and C (Communication OK) will be lit.
13. After the LC card has been booted from the external PC, format Drive B as a
system disk by entering the following command:
A:\>FORMAT B: /S
14. Copy any programs and files necessary for the operation of the LC application
to the LC disk (Drive B). These may include the following:
— MARK4.EXE.
— RLCFLASH.EXE program (if desired, and if there is sufficient space on the

LC’s internal disk, Drive B).
— Mark4 interface configuration file.
— AUTOEXEC.BAT file (typically required in a LC application). Do not place

this file on the LC card until the application has been tested.
15. Enter the following command to save the current configuration of the LC’s
internal disk:
B:\>RLCFLASH
OR
B:\>A:\RLCFLASH
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 4-10 1/02

Caution
It is extremely important to run the RLCFLASH.EXE

program at this time. If this is not done, then the data on
the LC internal disk will be lost.
16. At this time, remove the wire jumper between C7 and C8 on the LC Base Unit
terminal block. This tells the LC to boot from the internal disk.
Reboot the LC by removing it from the Base Unit and then replacing it.
After initial configuration of the LC card, it is still recommended that the LC

card be operated from a floppy disk. This will avoid any potential problems with
the hard disk drive.
17. Once DOS is loaded to the RAM disk, the LC operates as an IBM-compatible
personal computer. Executable files which are copied to (or created on) the
RAM disk can be executed by entering the program name.
18. To exit the RLCEXTPC.EXE program at the external personal computer, press
Control-Break.
For general information on the recommended LC programming approach, refer

to “Ovation Link Controller (LC) User’s Guide” (U3-1021). For additional
information on IBM-PC programming, refer to the applicable IBM and DOS
documentation.
1/02 4-11 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

Section 5. Operation and Diagnostics

After the LC/Mark4 software has been configured (Section 3) and used to initialize
the LC module (Section 4), interface operation can be started.
This section describes the operation and diagnostics of the Ovation LC/Mark4
interface.
5-2. LC/Mark4 Startup

Startup of the LC/Mark4 interface begins when power is applied to the module.
First, self-tests contained in the BIOS are executed. If the tests are successful, the
DOS operating system is loaded and the AUTOEXEC.BAT file is run. The
environment variable NO87 is set by the set command in the AUTOEXEC.BAT and
the LC/Mark4 interface software is started by the command line in the
AUTOEXEC.BAT file (as described in Section 3).
The interface software reads and interprets the configuration file, and builds a
database in memory that represents the configuration. The interface software
conditions the serial port as directed in the configuration file and awaits messages
from the Mark IV.
5-3. GE Speedtronic Mark IV Operation and Protocol

The Mark IV communicates with the Ovation LC module using the protocol defined
in GE documents:
• “Specification MDS 10846 for a simple data dump to a remote computer over a
serial link”, Rev. 3, dated 7/88.
• “Steam Turbine Control RS-232 Computer Interface”, document GEH-5558A,

dated 10/88.
1/02 5-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

5-4. Diagnostics
The Mark IV sends data messages to the LC module that consist of a buffer of 8
data-bit bytes. Up to 253 data bytes can be sent in a message. The format of the
messages is this:
Table 5-1. Mark IV Message to LC Module
flag chan seq count data checksum
where:
Table 5-2. The Fields of a Mark IV Message
field size Description

flag one byte Beginning of a message. The flag is always AA16. Subsequent occurrences
of AA16 within the message are subject to transparency (doubled).
chan one byte Channel to which the data belongs. Can be from 1 to 8.
seq one byte Message sequence number. Incremented for each message and rolls over
from 127 to 0. Use to detect lost messages.
count one byte Count of data bytes in the message. Ranges from 0 to 253.
data 0 to 253 bytes This channel’s data.
checksum Two bytes Summation of all the preceding bytes (except the flag byte). Transmitted
Least Significant Byte first.
Occurrences of AA16 other than the flag are subject to transparency (that is, are sent
as AA16AA16). The second AA16 is discarded and is not included in the count or
the checksum calculation.
The Ovation LC module does not reply to the messages from the Mark IV. There is
no mechanism for acknowledging successful receipt of a message.
5-4. Diagnostics
There are several types of diagnostic information available during the operation of
the LC/Mark4 interface:
• Operating statistics are kept and made available to the Ovation Controller as
point values and the interface can be made to generate values for use with the
SLCSTATUS algorithm.
• The external host PC can be made to display diagnostic information.
• The LC module LEDs display communication information.
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 5-2 1/02

5-4. Diagnostics
5-4.1. Operating Statistics

The Overall Parameter keywords good_count_reg, bad_count_reg, and
last_good_msg_reg, described in Section 3-3.3, can be used to specify Ovation LC
module registers to hold operating statistics. These three values can be read into the
LC module using an SLCAIN algorithm with format 0 (implying that they are
sixteen bit integers). The significance of these are:
• good_count_reg - incremented each time a good message is received from the

Mark IV.
• bad_count_reg - incremented each time an error occurs during message

reception.
• last_good_msg_reg - this timer (in milliseconds) is set to zero on good message

reception.
The statistics are not placed in memory if the parameters are not specified in the
configuration file.
5-4.2. SLC Drop Fault and the SLCSTATUS Algorithm

The Overall Parameter keywords link_stat_reg, status_hold_time, and
drop_timeout, described in Section 3-3.3, can be used to coordinate indication of
link problems between the LC module and the SLCSTATUS algorithm in the
Ovation controller. A description of this algorithm can be found in “Ovation
Algorithms Reference Manual” (R3-1100).
The parameter keyword link_stat_reg should be set to the same value as the entry
REG1 of the SLCSTATUS algorithm. The interface software will place status
values in the LC module memory at that register (plus the next three) to indicate the
status of operation. These values will be held in memory for the amount of time
specified with status_hold_time parameter keyword. After that time, the interface
software zeroes out four registers so that the operator can clear the drop fault.
drop_timeout is used to specify how long the link must be idle before a timeout is
indicated to the controller.
The Drop Faults are displayed in the Drop Details Display diagram. The following
conventions are used in this diagram.
• The Fault Code (129) is displayed in decimal notation.
• The Fault ID (131 for Mark4) is displayed in hexadecimal (8316).
• Parameter 1 is displayed in hexadecimal notation.
1/02 5-3 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

5-4. Diagnostics
• Parameter 2 is displayed in hexadecimal notation.
The possible Drop Fault codes are described in Table 5-3.

Table 5-3. Mark IV Interface Drop Fault Codes (FC=129) (ID=131)
Fault Parameter Fault Parameter Description

1 2
4 channel number Message out of sequence while receiving channel FP2
5 0 No messages received for drop_timeout milliseconds
5-4.3. External Host Diagnostics

During LC/Mark4 commissioning, the external host PC is used to change
configuration and operate the interface. Keyboard driven diagnostic features are
available at the external host. The keystrokes used to operate the diagnostics are
listed in Table 5-4.
On startup the interface displays only error messages which describe serious
problems with the interface operation. Increasing or decreasing the system logging
priority using the (+) and (-) keys causes more or less severe messages to be
displayed. For example, at the default priority, if the communication is operating
correctly, no messages are displayed. Turning up the syslog priority by pressing the
+ key several times results in the display of more messages about normal
communication progress.
The “a” key can be used to cause the interface software to display the content of the
messages it receives from the Mark IV.
The “t” key can be used to cause the interface software to display the contents of the
LC module registers. Options allow the display to be in decimal notation,
hexadecimal, etc. The values of registers can be entered at the keyboard. Refer to
Table 5-4.
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 5-4 1/02

5-4. Diagnostics
Table 5-4. Diagnostic Keystrokes
Key Action
ESC Exit the LC/Mark4 interface program in an orderly fashion.
t Toggle display of registers.
a Toggle analyze mode (causes Mark IV messages to be displayed).
PgUp* Page up through register display.

PgDn* Page down through register display.
h* Display registers in hexadecimal notation.
d* Display registers in decimal notation.
f* Display register pairs as IEEE floating point numbers.
c* Clear all registers (set to zero).
i* Set registers to consecutive integer values.
g* Go to a specific page number (prompts for page).
m* Modify a register (prompts for location).
x* Examine specified point (prompts for point name).
2* 25 line display.
5* 50 line display.
+ Increase “system logging priority” by one.
- Decrease “system logging priority” by one.
* indicates key is only active when registers are displayed.
5-4.4. Interpreting the Ovation LC Module LEDs

The row of LEDs on the face of the LC electronics module displays information
about the operation of the interface. These LEDs are labeled 1 through 8 on the
module case. LED2 will be illuminated when the interface is receiving a message
from the Mark IV. LED1 is the transmit LED, but, as this interface never transmits,
LED1 will remain extinguished. LED3 through LED8 have no significance.
1/02 5-5 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

Section 6. GE Speedtronic Mark IV
Simulation

The GE Speedtronic Mark IV interface LC/Mark4 can be used to simulate the Mark
IV turbine controller. This provides a way to confirm operation of the interface with
the project configuration before actually connecting to the Mark IV controller.
This section describes the setup and operation of the Mark IV simulation.
6-2. Mark IV Simulation

The Mark IV simulation is accomplished by running the LC/Mark4 software on a
PC compatible computer and using the –t command line parameter to tell the PC to
enable the simulation menu. The PC serial port is then connected to the application
port of the target Ovation LC module using a standard PC to PC 9-pin female to 9-
pin female null-modem cable.
Using the same configuration file on both the target LC module and the simulator
PC allows the simulating software to prompt you for the correct data types. For
example, if the LC module command line is:
Mark4 –f stmtrb.cfg
then, on the simulator PC, use the command line:
Mark4 –f stmtrb.cfg –t
6-3. Simulation Menu

When the LC/Mark4 software is started with the –t command line parameter, a
simulation menu becomes available for driving the simulation. The simulation
menu is activated by pressing the “l” key. The user is then prompted to either enter
values for channel/offsets or send a message to the target LC module. Figure 6-1
shows a sample Mark IV simulation session. An analysis of the session is provided
after the figure. User keyboard entries are indicated by bold face type.
1/02 6-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

A: Mark4 -f stmtrb.cfg -t
WDPF-QLC/Ovation-LC module/RS232/GE Speedtronic Mark IV Interface Version 0ß
Copyright (C) 2001 by Westinghouse Process Control Inc.
Starting in test (simulator) mode, use "l" to enter simulator menu
simulation menu keys:
e - enter channel/offset data
s - send message
q - leave simulation menu
m4sim> e
m4sim> enter channel (1-8): 1
m4sim: entries will apply to channel 1.
m4sim: to change channel, exit entry loop by entering offset = -1.
m4sim> enter offset (<=253, -1 to return to sim_menu): 0
m4sim> enter 8 bit unsigned value (0 - 255): 59
m4sim: setting ch <1> off <0> pt <S0000> to <59.000000>
m4sim> enter floating point value (3.4E 38):323.2
m4sim: setting ch <1> off <14> pt <S0018> to <323.200012>
m4sim> enter 0 or 1 for bit 0: 1
m4sim: setting ch <1> off <162> bit <0> pt <D0500> to <1>
m4sim> enter offset (<=253, -1 to return to sim_menu): -1
simulation menu keys:
e - enter channel/offset data
s - send message
q - leave simulation menu
m4sim> s
m4sim> enter channel (1-8): 1
m4sim: sending channel <1>
aa0101a93b000000000000000000000000009a99a143000000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000550000000000005203
m4sim> q
operator exit.
A:
Figure 6-1. Sample Mark IV Simulation Session
U3-1049 (Rev 0) 6-2 1/02

The simulation begins with the entry at the A: prompt of the command line with the
–t option. The program displays the copyright banner and a message that indicates
that the interface is in simulation mode. The user presses the “l” key (which is not
echoed to the screen) and a simulation menu is displayed.
In preparation for sending a message, the user enters values for some of the channel/
offsets. After pressing the “e” key, the user is prompted for a channel number. The
user enters “1”; the remainder of the entries will correspond to channel 1 until the
user exits the entry loop.
The software prompts the user for an offset number, the user enters “0”. The
software checks the configuration for channel 1 offset 0 as it was read from the
configuration file at startup and prompts the user for the appropriate type and range
of data (channel 0 in this example was configured as “uint8”). The user enters the
value “59” and its stored for later transmission.
Next, the user enters offset 14 which in this example was configured as float. The
user enters “323.2” and its stored for that channel/offset. Then the user enter offset
“162” seven bits of which have been configured as digital. The user is prompted for
bit states (0 or 1) for these seven bits, and the entries are stored for later
transmission.
Finally, the user enters an offset of –1 to end the entry sequence. Next, the user types
an “s” for send, is prompted for a channel number, enters “1”, and the appropriate
message is sent. The message is displayed on the PC screen and can be verified to
conform to the protocol described in Section 5-3.
The message is sent to the LC module, which receives it, interprets the data, and
stores it in memory for the SLC algorithms to read.
A second PC, running RLCEXTPC connected to the programming port of the LC

module, can be used to observe the reception and interpretation of the messages by
the LC/Mark4 interface. Refer to Section 5-4.3 for details.
1/02 6-3 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

Index
A J
AUTOEXEC.BAT file 3-1, 3-8, 4-6 J1 programming port 4-2
command line options 3-8
example 3-8 L
LEDs 4-5
C Link Controller module
Cabling 2-2 initialization 1-1, 4-1
Configuration LEDs 4-5
AUTOEXEC.BAT file 3-8
hardware 2-1 M
Sample file 3-2 MARK4.EXE 4-3
sample file analysis 3-3 copy to LC module 4-6
Configuration File 3-1
copy to LC module 4-6 O
copy to PC 4-3 Operating Statistics 5-2, 5-3
parameters 3-4
rules 3-4 P
Connections Parameters 3-4
PC to LC module 4-2 channel 3-6
list 3-4, 3-6
D offset 3-6
Diagnostics 5-2 point 3-7
drop fault codes 5-4 specifiers 3-6
external host 5-4 Point 3-7
LEDs 4-5 name 3-7
message 5-2 reference 3-7
operating statistics 5-3 Protocol 3-3
protocol 5-1
SLC Drop Fault 5-3 R
SLCSTATUS Algorithm 5-3 Reference Documents 1-2
startup 5-1 RLCEXTPC.EXE 4-1, 4-3, 4-7
RLCFLASH.EXE 4-1, 4-3, 4-7
E copy to LC module 4-6
External Host Diagnostics 5-4
S
H Sample Configuration File 3-2
Hardware Configuration 2-1 analysis 3-2
Simulation 6-1
I menu 6-1
Initialization –t command 6-1
LC module 4-1 SLC Drop Fault 5-3
procedure 1 (DOS already installed) 4-3 SLCAIN algorithm 3-7
procedure 2 (DOS not installed) 4-7 SLCAOUT algorithm 3-7
RLCEXTPC.EXE 4-1 SLCDIN algorithm 3-7
RLCFLASH.EXE 4-1 SLCSTATUS algorithm 5-3
Interface Connection 2-2 Software 3-1, 4-1
Startup 5-1
message 5-2
1/02 Index-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)


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Ovation Link Controller

GE Speedtronic Mark IV Interface

Section 2. Hardware Configuration

Section 3. Software Configuration

Section 4. Link Controller Module Initialization

1/02 1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

Section 5. Operation and Diagnostics

Section 6. GE Speedtronic Mark IV Simulation

U3-1049 (Rev 0) 2 1/02

1-2. Contents of Document

• Section 1. Introduction provides an overview of the Ovation LC/Mark 4

• Section 2. Hardware Configuration describes the hardware and cabling

• Section 3. Software Configuration describes the software configuration and

• Section 4. Link Controller Module Initialization describes the

• Section 5. Operation and Diagnostics describes the operation and diagnostics

• Section 6. GE Speedtronic Mark IV Simulation describes the setup and

1/02 1-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

1-3. Reference Documents

U3-1049 (Rev 0) 1-2 1/02

2-1. Section Overview

2-2. Ovation Hardware

The Link Controller hardware consists of the following:

• The Electronics module (Part number 1C31166G01).

2-3. GE Speedtronic Mark IV Hardware

1/02 2-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

2-4. Interface Connection Guidelines

9-Pin Female J2 25-Pin Female

Figure 2-1. Mark IV Interface Cabling

U3-1049 (Rev 0) 2-2 1/02

3-1. Section Overview

3-2. Required Software

• DOS operating system version 5.0 installed on the LC module.

- DOS is loaded during module testing, however, a copy should be available

• A configuration file must be created (described in Section 3-3) and installed on

• An AUTOEXEC.BAT file must be created (described in Section 3-4) and

- RLCEXTPC.EXE (disk RLC10A)

- RLCFLASH.EXE (disk RLC20A)

• The executable program MARK4.EXE is provided with the distribution

3-3. Creating the Configuration File

The LC/Mark4 interface uses a configuration file to specify communication

1/02 3-1 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

A section of an LC/Mark4 configuration file is shown in Figure 3-1. A brief analysis

See Section 4 for instructions for downloading this

* Sample configuration file for the LC/Mark4 interface

Figure 3-1. Sample Configuration File

U3-1049 (Rev 0) 3-2 1/02

3-3.1. Analysis of the Sample File

The link_stat_reg = 2000 line tells the interface that an SLCSTATUS

The status_hold_time = 5000 values used with the SLCSTATUS

The overall drop_timeout = 15000 interval after which the SLCSTATUS

1/02 3-3 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

Just before the channel 3 specification, a new value for pt_timeout is

3-3.2. Configuration File Rules

1. The configuration file is an ASCII text file that is case-insensitive.

2. The format of the file is a parameter keyword followed by a parameter value.

6. The configuration file has two types of parameters:

• Overall communication parameters (Table 3-1)

• Channel/Offset specific parameters (Table 3-2)

3-3.3. Overall Parameters

U3-1049 (Rev 0) 3-4 1/02

Table 3-1. Overall Parameter List

Parameter Description Value/Range Example

1/02 3-5 U3-1049 (Rev 0)

3-3.4. Channel/Offset Parameters