Generic protocol for seamless control of test instrumentation towards realization of electro optical sensors

Abstract

Space Applications Center (SAC) of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) designs and develops electro optical sensors for earth observations and inter-planetary exploration missions. The sensors are fairly complex systems involving linear/area imaging elements, optics, electronics having large number of spectral bands, making their development a highly challenging task. To ensure in-orbit performance, the sensors are exhaustively tested on ground before being flown. XSCoPE (UNIX based Software System for Payload Evaluation) caters to the evaluation requirement throughout the development cycle of the cameras accomplishing data acquisition, parametric evaluation and optimizations. The paper describes an instrument control protocol (ICP) developed as part of the system and provides an abstraction layer in order to seamlessly interface with the test instrumentation having different underlying hardware interfaces. The protocol specifically developed for tests involving repeated measurements and automation, is scalable, generic in nature and can be adopted for different situations. Details of implementation of the protocol are given citing spectral response measurement test as a specific case to explain the idea.