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Node Summary (Process Controller)

  • primaryNode (primary)
    When written, updates the set point for the primary control loop and then waits for the hardware to either reach the desired setpoint or timeout. Device will be marked BUSY till either of these two conditions are met. While the device is still BUSY, it can be STOPPED. When read, returns the current value for the primary sensor.
  • backgroundPollPeriod
    The default time period between successive polls of the background-polled hardware properties of this device. Positive infinity means poll once then never again. NaN means never poll.
  • broken
    Indicates if this device's underlying hardware is in the "broken" state. Hardware is put into the "broken" state after repeated communication failures. Once in the "broken" state, all attempts at communication immediately fail until the a successful "recover" attempt completes. Periodic attempts to recover occur automatically, or may be forced by using the "read" console command to force an update of this node.
  • controlLoopSensor_<N>
    The ID of the sensor used in the nth control loop. Not all controllers allow this to be changed.
  • controlLoopState_<N>
    Busy/idle state of the nth control loop.
  • holdTime_<N>
    When the sensor for the nth control loop has stabilized, it will further wait for this duration before the device becomes IDLE.
  • lowerLimit_<N>
    Minimum set point allowed for the nth control loop.
  • primaryControlLoop
    Control Loop index (1-based indexing) of the loop monitoring the primary sensor
  • primarySensor
    The ID of the primary sensor of interest for the experiment. This is typically a sensor attached to the sample which has the most significant meaning to the experiment and is what will be displayed as the current temperature_controller in the client.
  • sensorIDs
    The list of sensor IDs. The device's sensor nodes are named according to the sensor ID they correspond to. For example, the sensor node with node ID "sensor_A" corresponds to a sensor ID of "A".
  • sensor_<X>
    TEMPERATURE_CONTROLLER reading on the sensor.
  • sensor_<X>_description
    Description of the sensor, specifically what it is attached to
  • sensor_<X>_relevantSlotIndices
    Links sensor to relevant slot indices
  • setpoint_<N>
    Target value for the nth control loop. If moved directly, the device will just send the setpoint to the hardware and then become IDLE. Stop isn't supported in this mode.
  • state
    Activity indicator. Can be one of: {IDLE, BUSY, STOPPING}
  • timeout_<N>
    Maximum time to wait for the nth control loop to reach its set point.
  • toleranceBandTime_<N>
    When the sensor for the nth control loop is within tolerance for this duration, then the controller is considered to have stabilized.
  • tolerance_<N>
    Allowed variation in the sensor for the nth control loop when determining if the set point is reached.
  • upperLimit_<N>
    Maximum set point allowed for the nth control loop.

 

Created September 17, 2019, Updated May 1, 2023