Slip rings for high-speed digital signals

May 2007

Mark Chatterton
University of Reading, UK

Objectives of Presentation
Project Objective Technical Background Challenges Solutions Problems Conclusion

Project Objectives
Design a slip ring assembly for HD-SDI
A standard for uncompressed HD-video 1.485Gbps 4 channels required This implementation used 100ohm twisted pair cable (non standard)

100 non-HD channels also required Main aspects

Obtaining bandwidth Reducing Crosstalk

What is a slip ring?

Pass electrical signals across a 360 degree rotating joint. Simple concept for low frequency signals.
Circuit resistance Noise Wear

Very complicated for high frequency signals

Transmission line
4

Applications
Miniature capsule
Robotics CCTV Centrifuges

Helicopters
Blade de-icing Tip lighting FLIR systems

Military vehicles
Electronics Hydraulics Pneumatics
images from moog.com

Applications
Large diameters
Amusement rides Medical scanners Luggage scanners

Wind power
Data Hydraulics

Fibre optics
High bandwidth
6

images from moog.com

Challenges

Transmission line behaviour

Not just a short circuit Ideal transmission line is uniform along its length Impedance mismatches VSWR / Return loss Bandwidth / Insertion loss

Slip ring specific issues

Ring diameter Crosstalk
7

Ring diameter
Multiple paths of different lengths
Delay in signal around path 2

FEEDLINE
SIGNAL PATH 2 SIGNAL PATH 1

BRUSH
8

Ring Diameter
Jitter

Ring Diameter
Cancellation First Resonance

10

Slip ring design fundamentals

DRUM PLATTER

MINIATURE DRUM

PCB PLATTER
11

Slip ring design fundamentals

Use both in one assembly Increase circuit density Allows mix of circuit types HD-SDI channels on the drum or platter?

12

Drum slip rings

Can have very small ring diameter Can be used to pack a large number of circuits very densely Initial experiments showed that channels suffered a lot of crosstalk High frequency signals would require wide spacing to avoid crosstalk, reducing the overall capacity of the unit Not acceptable for this project

13

Platter slip rings

PCB design allows much more control of impedances & crosstalk Rule of thumb ring circumference 1/10th of wavelength 50mm diameter slip ring only gives good VSWR up to 140MHz 1.485Gbps requires at least 2.25GHz

14

Platter slip rings

There are a number of patented techniques

Split slip rings Vernier configuration of contact points and feedlines
15

Split ring technique

No physical loop - no first resonance More resistive losses
Matching pads Terminating resistors

Active electronics needed

16

Parallel feedline technique

Vernier configuration
Reduced signal path length around the ring No worst case alignment of brush block and slip ring difficult to obtain such high ring impedances

17

Slipring impedance

Ring impedance = 123/2 = 61.5

18

Matching techniques
Lots of narrowband techniques
Quarter and half wavelength matching sections Reactive components

Transmission line transformer Klopfenstein taper

wide band Can be quite long
High impedance Low impedance

Matching pad
Very wideband Very small Introduce attenuation

Use both
19

System Design

20

System Design

21

System Design

22

Platter Design
Slip ring

23

Platter Design
Brush block

24

Platter prototypes

25

Results freq domain

Test setup
DUT 4 port network analyzer
Port 1 Port 3 4-port VNA Port 4 Port 2

DUT

26

Results freq domain

Test setup

27

Results freq domain

First prototype bi-directional matching pad

28

Results freq domain

First prototype uni-directional matching pad

29

Results phase response

pk-pk variation in group delay = 1.6ns unit interval of the HD-SDI signal = 673ps

30

Results time domain

Test setup
HD-SDI source balun balun equalizer video analyzer

31

Results time domain

First prototype

32

What went wrong?

At this stage it was time to challenge my assumptions.
Any existing working implementations of this? Do I need active electronics? Is the platter style inherently unsuitable given the space constraints of this project?

Drum style
How many circuits would have to go? Would it still be fit for its application? How could I overcome crosstalk problems?

33

New drum style slip ring

How could I overcome crosstalk problems?
Twisting wire pairs through the rotor Carefully selected wire gauge Attempt to impedance control the rings Wide spacing of high frequency channels Low pass filtering Careful thought about the cable screens
brushes rotor

rotor exit cables slip rings

34

New Results
New slip ring eye diagram

35

Conclusion
Slip ring works with HD-SDI
(still issues with the overall assembly to resolve)

What did I learn?

New skills & knowledge Dont be afraid to challenge original assumptions

Thank you for listening Any Questions?

36