file: lwrflash.html
09 Apr 2002

FLASH CARD INTERNAL FORMAT - LWR

The following describes the data storage format of the 8MB Intel-Compatible FLASH memory card used in ASIMET instrumentation.

Major Divisions by card address:

Address Range      Description

000000h - 0000FFh reserved system area (256 bytes) 000100h - 0004FFh EEPROM image backup (1024 bytes) (see EEPROM data structure below) 000500h - 01FFFFh reserved (129792 bytes) 020000h - 3FFFFFh data records (8257536 bytes) total capacity: 13492 records (1 hour each) (see LWR_record data structure below)

Description of LWR data storage area beginning at 20000h

The LWR data storage area consumes most of the 8MB FLASH card. Each record is 612 bytes long, containing the date and time written, 60 minutes of packed dome temperature data, 60 minutes of packed body temperature data, 60 minutes of IEEE single-precision thermopile voltage data, 60 minutes of packed longwave flux data, a flag which is set to 0xA5A5 when the record is written, and a 2 byte CRC of the previous 510 bytes. The actual C language struct is reproduced here to show the format of the stored image.

   /* this is the LWR data record structure, 612 bytes */
   struct LWR_record
      {
      struct time_type time1;   /* 8 bytes of time */
      unsigned short temp_dome[60];      /* 60 minutes of packed dome temp data */
      unsigned short temp_body[60];      /* 60 minutes of packed body temp data */
      float volts_pile[60];     /* 60 minutes of thermopile voltage data */
      unsigned short lw_flux[60];      /* 60 minutes of packed LW_flux data */
      unsigned short used;     /* set to 0xA5A5 upon record write */
      unsigned short lwr_CRC;  /* CRC of previous 510 bytes */
      };


struct time_type { unsigned char hour; unsigned char min; unsigned char sec; unsigned char day; unsigned char dow; /* day of week - NOT USED */ unsigned char mon; unsigned int year; };

Note that time structure is NOT ANSI-compatible.


Data packing - this is the packing code from the LWR instrument

     /* every minute, from 0 to 59, store the records */
     LWR_data.temp_dome[t_time.min] = (unsigned short)(temp_dome * 100.0);
     LWR_data.temp_body[t_time.min] = (unsigned short)(temp_body * 100.0);
     LWR_data.volts_pile[t_time.min] = volts_pile;
     LWR_data.lw_flux[t_time.min] = (unsigned short)(LW_flux * 10.0);

Data is written to the FLASH card immediately following the acquisition of data at the rollover to the 59th minute of each hour. This is reflected in the time stamp on each record, typically 1 second into minute 59.


*** IMPORTANT NOTE ***

The byte order of the some numeric values stored by the VOSLWR53 firmware is reversed relative to Intel-based PC's. That is, a long integer (4 bytes) or short integer (2 bytes) stored by a PC will be LS byte first in memory. The VOSLWRE53 firmware stores MS byte first in memory. This must be accounted for when processing the data.

Note that single precision IEEE float values are little-endian, and thus compatible with Intel-based PC's. See the float storage format below.


The "used" flag value is used to simplify finding the end of valid records in the FLASH card on module startup. The FLASH card is cleared to all FFh before deploying the module; as each record is written, the "used" flag is set to A5A5h to provide a distinct pattern to search on for good records.

The CRC is NOT IMPLEMENTED.

Description of EEPROM image storage area

The EEPROM image area contains miscellaneous text information about the VOS module, as well as any calibration constants required by the module. The actual C language struct is reproduced here to show the format of the stored image.

      struct ee_page0_type
         {
         char spare[8];       /* */
         char modmfg[16];     /* module manufacturer */
         char modmod[16];     /* model number */
         char modser[8];      /* serial number */
         char moddat[8];      /* manufacture date */
         char senmfg[16];     /* sensor manufacturer */
         char senmod[16];     /* model number */
         char senser[8];      /* serial number */
         char sendat[8];      /* manufacture date */
         char sftmfg[16];     /* program origin */
         char sftnam[16];     /* program name */
         char sftrev[8];      /* serial number */
         char sftdat[8];      /* revision date */
         char sftpce[8];      /* not used */
         char calfac[16];     /* calibration facility */
         char calper[16];     /* calibration technician */
         char caldat[8];      /* calibration date */
         char modadr[8];      /* module address (bytes 200-207) */
         char mode[8];        /* comms mode: 232 or 485 - NOT USED */
         char spare2[40];
         char datfrm[64];     /* cal data format */
         char datdes[64];     /* cal data description */
         char datuni[64];     /* cal data units */
         char spare3[64];
         char rawfrm[64];     /* raw data format */
         char rawdes[64];     /* raw data description */
         char rawuni[64];     /* raw data units */
         char spare4[64];
         float calset[8][5];  /* array of 8 sets of 5 cal terms */
         };

For calibration constant usage, refer to the update command of the LWR module commands document.


"float" 4 byte values are IEEE-754 single-precision float.

Storage format for these float values is as follows:

      byte addr      +0         +1           +2         +3
      contents     MMMMMMMM   MMMMMMMM    EMMMMMMM    SEEEEEEE

            where S => Sign bit;  1 = negative,  0 = positive
                  E => Exponent (2's comp) with offset 127 (decimal)
                  M => 23-bit normal mantissa (highest bit always 1 and
                           therefore not stored)