Changes

[[Image:Control Board Functional Block.JPG|thumb|Functional Block Diagram]]

[[Image:Control Board Functional Block.JPG|thumb|Functional Block Diagram]]

The hub of the control board, its "central nervous system", is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FPGA FPGA].  All components on the board connect to the FPGA and it coordinates their interactions.  Communication with the outside world (more specifically an external PC) occurs over [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet Ethernet].  Towards that end an Ethernet chip is included on the board and connected to the FPGA.  The main purpose of the board is to control bias voltages, so a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital-to-analog_converter DAC] is attached to the board and connected to the FPGA.  There are two monitoring devices so that the board can ensure that it is running properly: a temperature sensor and an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog-to-digital_converter ADC], both of which are connected to the FPGA.  The functional block diagram of the board is shown to the right.  Note that communication on the left (to the analog sensor board) is outgoing simplex and communication to the right (to the Ethernet hub) is half-duplex.

The hub of the control board, its "central nervous system", is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FPGA FPGA].  All components on the board connect to the FPGA and it coordinates their interactions.  Communication with the outside world (more specifically an external PC) occurs over [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet Ethernet].  Towards that end an Ethernet chip is included on the board and connected to the FPGA.  The main purpose of the board is to control bias voltages, so a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital-to-analog_converter DAC] is attached to the board and connected to the FPGA.  There are two monitoring devices so that the board can ensure that it is running properly: a temperature sensor and an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog-to-digital_converter ADC], both of which are connected to the FPGA.  The functional block diagram of the board is shown to the right.  Note that communication on the left (to the analog sensor board) is outgoing simplex and communication to the right (to the Ethernet hub) is duplex.

== The components ==

== The components ==