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Firmware and Camera Start |
uEye Camera Manual Version 3.80
Firmware and Camera Start
Every uEye camera has its own firmware that handles internal processes in the camera. The camera firmware varies from model to model.
USB uEye cameras
USB uEye cameras have a two-tier firmware that is uploaded to the camera each to you connect it to a PC:
1. | Common firmware (uEye boot) The general firmware identifies what camera model you have connected, and uploads the corresponding firmware. |
2. | Model-specific firmware (e.g.: uEye UI-154x series) The model-specific firmware is named after the camera type and provides the functions of the relevant model. |
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The USB uEye cameras firmware is part of the driver. The automatic upload always loads the firmware that matches the driver installed in the camera.
GigE uEye HE cameras
With GigE uEye HE cameras, the firmware consists of three components. As opposed to USB uEye cameras, the first two firmware components are stored in the camara's non-volatile EEPROM.
1. | Starter firmware When the GigE uEye camera has been connected to the power supply and the network, it loads the starter firmware stored in the camera's EEPROM. The starter firmware enables the camera to register on the network and establish a connection to a host PC. As soon as the starter firmware is loaded, the camera sends a heartbeat broadcast to the network once every second. In the next step, the camera checks whether a persistent IP address is stored. If it is, the camera uses the persistent IP address. Otherwise the camera is assigned the IP address 0.0.0.0. |
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2. | Failsafe firmware If the starter firmware cannot be found or is corrupted, the failsafe firmware is loaded from a write-protected memory area in the GigE uEye. The failsafe firmware allows starting the camera so that an executable starter firmware can be uploaded. |
3. | Runtime firmware The runtime firmware is the camera's actual operating software. The runtime firmware is not uploaded to the camera until it is paired with a PC (see also Pairing). This ensures that the currently installed driver and the runtime firmware are always compatible. After the IP address has been assigned, the host PC transfers the runtime firmware to the camera and the camera is restarted. The time it takes to transfer the runtime firmware and restart the camera depends on the camera model and might take a few seconds. |
GigE uEye SE / RE cameras
The starter firmware for GigE uEye SE / RE cameras also contains the runtime firmware. If the camera firmware version is incompatible with the driver version on the PC, the appropriate firmware version will be loaded into the camara the first time the GigE uEye SE is paired.
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