Description

When the Metadata Insertion feature is enabled, the frame grabber inserts real-time metadata into the Camera Link image data stream.

Metadata Insertion Methods

There are two distinct metadata insertion methods in the Grablink series.

METHOD 1: "Replace, on all taps, the pixel component data of the first Camera Link time slot."

The pixel(s) data conveyed during the first Camera Link time slot after an LVAL are replaced by metadata.

The quantity of metadata is defined by the number of taps.

The 3 configurations using this method are named, 1-field, 2-field, and 3-field, according to the quantity of metadata they contain.

This method is invoked when MetadataLocation=LVALRISE.

METHOD 2: "Insert metadata on an unused tap, during several Camera Link time slots."

This method is invoked by setting MetadataLocation=TAP10.

There is only one configuration using this method: TAP10.

In the Tap10 configuration, the 3-field of metadata are effectively inserted on Tap10 during the first 10 Camera Link Clock cycles of every line after the LVAL rising edge. For the other clock cycles, the frame grabber inserts bytes of '0'.

Metadata Configurations

The metadata combines 1, 2, or 3 fields using the following 4 configurations:

Field Name 1-field configuration 2-field configuration 3-field configuration Tap10 configuration
I/O State OK OK OK OK
LVAL Count - OK OK OK
Q Count - - OK OK

The enumerated parameter MetadataContent reports the metadata configuration.

Metadata Fields Content

Field Name Description
I/O State A 6-bit field reporting the logical state of all System I/O input lines belonging to the Channel
LVAL Count A 32-bit field reporting the current value of the LVAL pulse counter
Q Count A 32-bit field reporting the current value of the motion encoder pulse counter (Q)

Feature Availability

The 1-field, 2-field and 3-field configurations of the Metadata Insertion feature, are available since version 6.9.4 of MultiCam on the following products:
Supported Products Supported BoardTopology Values
PC1626 Grablink Full XR All values: MONO, MONO_SLOW and MONO_DECA
PC1622 Grablink Full All values: MONO, MONO_SLOW and MONO_DECA
PC1623 Grablink DualBase All values: DUO and DUO_SLOW
PC1624 Grablink Base All values: MONO and MONO_SLOW
The Tap10 configuration of the Metadata Insertion feature, is available since version 6.11 of MultiCam on the following products:
Supported Products Supported BoardTopology Values
PC1626 Grablink Full XR MONO_DECA
PC1622 Grablink Full MONO_DECA

Compatible Camera Interface Configurations

The following camera configurations allow to enable the metadata insertion feature and provide at least one field of metadata:

Camera Interface Characteristic Supported cases
Image sensor geometry
  • Line-scan (including bi-linear and TDI)
  • Area-scan cameras
Pixel type
  • Monochrome
  • Color (Bayer CFA and RGB)
Camera Link configurations

BASE, MEDIUM, FULL, and 80-BIT

Pixel bit depth
  • 8-/10-/12-/14-/16-bit monochrome and Bayer CFA
  • 24-/30-/36-/42-/48-bit RGB
Tap geometries All tap geometries except:
  • 2XR, 2XR_1Y, 2XR_1Y2, 2XR_2YE
  • 2XM, 2XM_1Y, 2XM_1Y2, 2XM_2YE
  • 2X2M, 2X2M_1Y, 2X2M_1Y2, 2X2M_2YE
  • 4XR, 4XR_1Y, 4XR_1Y2, 4XR_2YE
  • 8XR, 8XR_1Y

The following camera interface configurations provide 3-field metadata:

Imaging TapConfiguration TapGeometry Description

LINE or TDI

FULL_8T8 1X8 8-bit 8-tap, single X region, monochrome line-scan or TDI line-scan camera
MEDIUM_2T24 1X2 24-bit 2-tap, single X region, RGB color line-scan or TDI-line-scan camera
MEDIUM_6T8 1X3_1Y2 8-bit 6-tap, single X region, bilinear monochrome or Bayer CFA line-scan camera

The following camera interface configurations provide 3-field metadata:

Imaging TapConfiguration TapGeometry Description

LINE or TDI

DECA_10T8 1X10 8-bit 10-tap, single X region, monochrome line-scan camera

Usage Restriction

Using the Metadata Insertion feature is NOT compatible with the following frame grabber pixel processing options:
  • Look-up table transformation
  • On-board Bayer CFA to RGB color conversion
  • Pixel bit depth reduction