XXVI.

ASR '2001 Seminar, Instruments and Control, Ostrava, April 26 - 27, 2001 Paper 50

SSI - Interface and protocol for industrial sensors

NOVÁK, Petr
Doc., Dr., Ing., Department of robotics-354, VŠB-TU Ostrava, 17. listopadu, Ostrava -
Poruba, 708 33, Czech republic petr.novak@vsb.cz http://www.vsb.cz/~nov20

Abstract:
Present mechatronics systems as automotive machines and robots are multi-axes systems
usually. Therefore more axes of mechatronics systems must be controlled and monitored by
sensors. Most often sensors for positioning of axes of industrial robots are encoders. At more
number of controlled axes the problem cabling appear with bit-parallel interfaces. These
problems may be technical and financial. The Synchronous Serial Interface (SSI) provided a
data transmission on six-wire cable with signals RS422 compatible.
The next text described basic properties of SSI interface and protocol.

Keywords: SSI, interface, sensor, robotics.

Serial Synchronous Interface

SSI (Serial Synchronous Interface) is a widely used serial interface between a position sensor
and a controller. SSI uses a clock pulse train from a controller to initiate a gated output from
the sensor. Absolute position encoders have the advantage to know exactly where your axis is,
regardless of power loss or emergency stop situations. These encoders have had the
disadvantage of using 15 or more wires to even connect single-turn devices. The SSI encoding
solves this problem by using two wire pairs and adds the reliability of differential
transmission

Interface
Advantages of SSI interface are serial communication between sensor and controller
and small number of wires. The interface is realised by two RS422 compatible signals. RS422
interface is based on differential signals; therefore communication is proof to noises and cross
talks. The twisted pair lines are sufficient for transmission. But extremely high noise
immunity is achieved when shielded twisted pair lines are used. In a published study [1], a
high noise environment typical for factory automation was coupled on the data lines and the
number of defective transmitted data was totalled. The failure rate for the RS422 interface
was about 80 times less compared to other transmission systems.
Transmission rate depends on line length (upper limitation) and on dwell time (lower
limitation). Relation between transmission rate and line length is illustrated on Fig. 1.

-1-
 [m]

1200

100

10 [bits/s]
10k 100k 1M 10M

Fig. 1 Transmission rate and line length limitations

The main summarised advantages of SSI are:

• Noise immunity
• Cost effective data transfer (only one 6-wire cable is needed)
• Effective synchronisation in closed-loop control
• Transmission over long distances (due to selectable baud rate)
• Data transmission rate is adjustable and independent of length and resolution

Sensor Distance Controller

code disk

Monoflop

Clock +
Shift

Clock -
Clock
Schmitt
MUX
trigger

Data +

Data -
Data
Interface
Photo receiver

RS422
Photo transmitter

Fig. 2 Interface description block diagram

Protocol
Position data is continually updated by the sensor and made available to the shift
register. Between each clock pulse train, there is a minimum dwell of 25 microseconds
(approximately) required during which fresh data is moved into the register. Data is shifted
out when the sensor receives clock pulses from the controller. When the clock is held high
and the minimum dwell time has elapsed, new data is available to read. Refer to diagram

Clock (+)

Data (+)
MSB LSB

Fig. 3 Principle of basic SSI protocol

Single Transmission Single-Turn

The transmission of position value of a single-turn encoder with a resolution up to 13 bits
(8196 steps per revolution) is principally the same as the transmission of position value of a
multi-turn encoder. But a lower number of clock pulses are needed; that means the clock
sequence for the transmission of a position value consists of max. n = 13 clocks.

Single Transmission Multi-Turn

For the transmission of one position value of a rotary encoder, a specific number (n) of clock
pulses (one clock sequence) must be placed on the clock input of the rotary encoder. As soon
as the clock signal of a clock sequence changes for the first time from high (H) to low (L), the
bit-parallel data on the parallel-serial converter (see Fig. 2) will be stored via an internal
Sload-Signal in the input latch of the shift register. This ensures that the data cannot change
during the transmission of a position value. With the following rising edge transition of the
clock signal the transmission begins with the most significant bit (MSB).
With each following rising edge transition of the clock signal, the next lower significant bit is
set on the output of the data line. After the least significant bit (LSB) was shifted out, the last
rising edge transition of the clock signal switches the data line to low. It is end of
transmission.
After the last falling edge of the clock signal, a retriggerable mono flop determines with its
internal delay time tm, how long it will take until the rotary encoder can be selected for the
next transmission.
With this, the minimal admissible break time tp between two successive clock sequences is
given (standard tw = 16µs).
 Clock sequence

Clock (+) 1 2 3 n n+1

t tm
Data (+)
MSB LSB 0

tp

Fig. 4 Single Transmission Multi-Turn (tp > 20 µs t < tm)

Multi-Transmission Multi-Turn
A multiple transmission of a position value is possible with doubling or multiplying the clock
sequence. It is very important that a clock sequence includes n + 1 = 26 clocks).
After the last Low to High transition of 26-clock sequences an "L" signal appears on data
output. The double (or multiple) successive position values are separated from another with
this information.

1. Clock sequence 2. Clock sequence

Clock (+) 1 2 3 n 1 2 n n+1

t tw tm

Data (+)
0
MSB LSB MSB LSB

position value X position value X tp

Fig. 5 Multi-Transmission Multi-Turn (tw ≤ t < tm)

Multi-Transmission Single-Turn
A multiple transmission of a position value is possible by doubling or multiplying the clock
frequency. It is very important that a clock sequence includes n + 1 = 14 clocks. Otherwise
the transmission is the same as that of the multi-turn; refer to Fig. 5, but only 13 bits are
transmitted for each clock sequence.
Special bits
Optional, a few data bits (1-8) can by added after LSB bit. These bits can inform about
various things, as errors (disturbance power supply of sensor), parity bit, etc. The number of
these bits isn't given and every producer can use other. The Fig. 6 demonstrates the structure
of 24 data bits (position value) followed by 8 special bits. The data is in Gray code and
position value is 0,1mm (10 pulses).

data
000000000000000000001111
data bits of position (24 bits) 8 spec bits

Fig. 6 The example of transmission of 24 bits (value 10 in Gray code = 1111) and 8 spec bits

Data transfer in Tree format

The data configuration (as well as the number of turns and steps revolution) is determined
when programming the encoder. If the encoder has less than 12 bits (4096) of turns, zeros will
precede the data. If it has fewer than 12 bits (4096) steps/revolution, the zeros will follow the
data.

Encoder SSI interface

Producers of SSI sensors supplied various solves of connection between sensor and control
system. The control system can be make on PLC, PC etc. For PC (or industrial PC) platform
the PC card "PC-ssi Slot3" is offered for example. This card is suitable for three sensors up to
25 Bits. For PLC platform exists modules with SSI interface too. Because exist whole series
protocol however it is possible recommend use only interface from manufacturer of sensor
(encoder). Problems can happen with length and format of data bits, number and meaning of
spec bits etc.
For research purposes and education was developed a universal encoder SSI interface. This
encoder decoding the coming serial data in Gray code and translate these to RS232 interface
in decimal code. At the same time also print decoding value on alphanumerical LCD display.
This encoder applied the cheap 8-bit microcontroller Atmel 89C2051 working on clock
frequency 24 Mhz see Fig. 7. Using this high clock frequency is very important in relation to
time of period of data signal that must be generated by microcontroler. For clock signal 100
kHz must microcontroller-generated pulses consist 5µs signal in "L" and 5µs signal in "H"
levels.
 +5V
+ +24V
+5V
RST RS422
Atmel
DE
89C2051 clock +
P0.0
clock -
SN75176A
Sensor
data +
P0.1 RE
data -
24Mhz
X-tal
SN75176A
X-tal
+5V
Ucc
P1.7 DB4-7
P1.6
P1.5
TxD P1.4
Dist. = 128,23
RS232 232 RxD P1.3 E
P1.2 R/S

GND

Fig. 7 SSI interface and decoder to RS232 realized by microcontroller Atmel (x51 family)

This article was compiled as part of projects J17/98:272300008, supported by the Fund
for University Development from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Physical
Education, 2000.

References
[1] MAZeT SSI Synchronous-Serial-Interface - [online]. (Data sheet) pp. 96-100., Germany,
9/1999. Available from www: <URL: www.mazet.de>
[2] TR ELECTRONIC Absolute rotary encoder series: CE, CH, AE. TR Electronic GmbH,
Eglishalde 6, D-78647 Trossingen, Germany, 65 p.
[3] STEGMANN Synchron serielles Interface für absolute Winkelcodierer. Technische
Information Ausgabe 4/90, 8p. Germany 1990.
[4] MAZeT MAC4124A Quadrature Decoder with Counter Interface or Serial Synchronous
Interface (SSI). (Data sheet) 19 p., Germany 2000. Available from www:
<URL: www.mazet.de>
[5] STEGMANN PC-SSI/Slot.3 – Interfacekarte PC und SSI. Technische Information
Ausgabe 3/93, 12p. Germany 1993.