The TRISTAN control system

Abstract

The 8 GeV accumulation ring and the 30 GeV main ring of TRISTAN, an accelerator-storage ring complex at KEK, are controlled by a highly computerized control system. Twenty-four minicomputers are linked by optical fiber cables to form an N-to- N token ring network. The transmission speed on the cables is 10 Mbps. From each minicomputer, a CAMAC serial highway extends to the controlled equipment. At present, twenty minicomputers are connected to the network and are used to control the accumulation ring. The software system is based on the NODAL language devised at the CERN SPS. The KEK NODAL system retains main features of the original NODAL: the interpretive scheme, the multi-computer programming facility, and the data-module concept. In addition, it has the following features: (1) fast execution due to the compiler-interpreter method, (2) a multi-computer file system (3), a full-screen editing facility, and (4) a dynamic linkage scheme for data modules and NODAL functions. The accelerators are operated through five operator consoles, each of which is managed by one minicomputer in the network. An operator console contains two 20-inch high-resolution color graphic displays, a pair of touch-panels, and ten small TV monitors. One touch-panel is used to select a program and a piece of equipment to be controlled; the other is used mainly to perform the console actions.