GTRC Command

Here is a complete list of commands for a controller chip. See Table 5 for actual bit streams. Below are brief explanations on the commands. When a controller chip sends a command to front-end chips, it automatically supplies clock signals for front-end chips of an appropriate number of clock cycles depending on the command.

Load GTRC register

Loads control register of the controller chip.

Read event

Starts a readout sequence of an event; on receipt of this command, the controller chip sends a read event command to front-end chips with a broadcast address, supplies clocks to front-end chips to shift out data, reads in hit status being sent and store it to an event buffer, and sends an end-read-event command to front-end chips with a broadcast address.

Clear event

Clears one event and sends a clear event command to front-end chips with a broadcast address if necessary

Load GTFE register

Lets the controller chip send a load control register command to specified front-end chip(s)

Calibration strobe

Lets the controller chip send a calibration-strobe command to specified front-end chip(s)

Turn on clock

Force the controller chip to turn on clock output for front-end chips. Once a turn-on-clock command is sent to a controller chip, there is no way to stop the clock except for a reset-GTRC command, a reset pulse, and turning off the power.

Reset GTRC

Resets control register and readout flags of the controller chips. Also, it stops an action in progress immediately if any.

Reset GTFE

Lets the controller chip to send a reset-chip command to specified front-end chip(s).

Reset GTFE FIFO

Lets the controller chip to send a reset-FIFO command to specified front-end chip(s).

  
Table 5: Commands for a front-end chip GTFE64 and a controller chip GTRC