Auxiliary Crate Controller Research Articles

Ethernet based list processing controller for high speed data acquisition systems

CAMAC standard crates and modules continue to be used for nuclear and high energy physics experiments and test setups. They provide unbeaten performance in high precision measurements, flexibility and simplicity in the design of modules. We have designed and fabricated a new type of CAMAC crate controller with list processing capability to maximize the data throughput, event rate handling capability, while simultaneously simplifying software development efforts for data acquisition systems, also maintain complete compliance with CAMAC standards and ability to utilize all existing CAMAC compliant modules. The throughput increase is achieved by eliminating the arbitration between the CAMAC crate controller and list processing modules by integrating the list processor (auxiliary crate controller) and the crate controller. The event rate handling capability is increased by advanced list processing techniques such as Q-stop and hit-pattern based list processing. The resulting ethernet based list processing crate controller can transfer up to 1700 kbytes/s reaching up to hundreds of kilo events̸s in 16bit transfer mode from CAMAC modules measured at the analysis engine end. This makes it suitable for use in experimental systems, where a large number of signals with high event rates need to be collected with high precision.

Recent changes of JT-60 data processing system

The JT-60 data processing system is a large computer complex, gradually being modernized by utilizing progressing computer and network technologies. There were three major changes in our system recently. A VME-based fast data acquisition system (FDS) has been developed to enlarge a transient mass-data storage system (TMDS). It can acquire the data of 6 MB per channel with 1 or 5 μs sampling. Now there are three FDSs with 29 channels. The TMDS, which was composed of a mini-computer and 61 channels of 6 MB memory modules with 5-μs sampling, has been replaced with a new system based on the technology of the VME-based fast data acquisition system. One of the outdated auxiliary crate controllers with micro-processor (ACM), which controls CAMAC modules in the crate on the serial highway, acquires data from them and transfers data to the main computer, has been replaced by a workstation with a VMEbus byte-serial highway driver. The combination of a workstation and a VMEbus byte-serial highway driver has been developed and used to replace many mini-computers in our system. A workstation with a digital linear tape (DLT) library has been introduced as final data storage. The conversion of a few terabytes of raw data tapes for a cartridge tape library (CTL), which is attached to a mainframe computer, Fujitsu GS8300, will be started by using data conversion software prepared to handle mainframe data on the workstation.

Developments of a data-acquisition system using Windows NT TM workstation

We have developed a data-acquisition (DAQ) system, whereby a CAMAC system is controlled using a graphical user interface (GUI) on a Windows NT TM system. This system has enabled easy DAQ operation with a sufficient data-acquisition performance, through the use of a CAMAC auxiliary crate controller. This system is now in practical use for measurements of ( e, e ′ X) reactions at LNS.

Data-acquisition system for a target multifragmentation experiment with large solid angle detectors

We have developed a CAMAC data-acquisition system that is capable of handling not only high-rate interruptions, but also over one hundred inputs within a single CAMAC crate in order to perform exclusive measurements of target multifragmentation induced by 8 and 12 GeV primary proton beams on heavy nuclei. The system is run under PC-Linux and a CAMAC auxiliary crate controller. Since we have selected the UNIDAQ data-acquisition system for our DAQ software, which only uses standard UNIX technology, we expect easy migration to another platform in a future system upgrade.

New data acquisition system for the focal plane polarimeter of the Grand Raiden spectrometer

This paper describes a new data acquisition system for the focal plane polarimeter of the Grand Raiden spectrometer at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP) in Osaka, Japan. Data are acquired by a Creative Electronic Systems (CES) Starburst, which is a CAMAC auxiliary crate controller equipped with a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) J11 microprocessor. The data on the Starburst are transferred to a VME single-board computer. A VME reflective memory module broadcasts the data to other systems through a fiber-optic link. A data transfer rate of 2.0 Mbytes/s between VME modules has been achieved by reflective memories. This rate includes the overhead of buffer management. The overall transfer rate, however, is limited by the performance of the Starburst to about 160 Kbytes/s at maximum. In order to further improve the system performance, we developed a new readout module called the Rapid Data Transfer Module (RDTM). RDTM's transfer data from LeCroy PCOS III's or 4298's, and FERA/FERET's directly to CES 8170 High Speed Memories (HSM) in VME crates, the data transfer rate of the RDTM from PCOS III's to the HSM is about 4 Mbytes/s.

Multi-agent CAMAC crate controller with Trident 32-bit transputers

A CAMAC crate controller is developed where three T425-25S 32-bit transputers are installed. The crate controller (CC) conforms to the specifications of the EUR 6500e CAMAC standard. It can be used as a stand-alone CC and also as an auxiliary crate controller (ACC). The transputers on the CC are enabled to execute CAMAC dataway operations independently under the supervision of an arbitration logic. Each transputer is provided with an independent register set. Owing to the transputer, the CC's can be easily networked through the connection of serial links. The CC's in the network make accesses to front-end CAMAC modules in the individual crates in parallel, communicating with each other. Data are read from front-end CAMAC modules, stored into large memory, processed and then submitted to the network concurrently and autonomously.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

New High-Performance Computer Interfaces to CAMAC

Data acquisition and control systems have often included the need for high throughput between the front-end hardware and the host computer. This is particularly true in the aerospace/defense and experimental physics fields. With the advent of more sophisticated I/O hardware and faster host computers with larger memories, the need for higher performance real-time computer interfaces has increased dramatically. A family of CAMAC-based interface products has been developed that supports high data throughput while providing the flexibility to meet the particular application. These new products fall into three basic categories: enhancements to the CAMAC Serial Highway, new CAMAC crate controllers, and software drivers. The Serial Highway enhancements provide at least a five-fold improvement in effective throughput and rival the Parallel Branch Highway in that regard. A new crate controller with a ribbon-cable bus interface uses balanced-line transmission and supports a bus length to 500 feet. List processing is provided as a hardware option for the Serial Highway Driver and is supported by a list sequencer module, an auxiliary crate controller, as well as software device drivers. This paper describes these new products, details their performance, and recommends trade-offs for their application. Benchmark comparisons indicate the extremely high data throughput that has been obtained. With certain configurations, Serial Highway throughput approaching three megabytes per second can be achieved.

An Enhanced 8086-Based CAMAC Crate Controller

An enhanced CAMAC crate controller (ECC) has been developed for data handling for Fermilab experiment E-704. The module also is currently used in an experiment to make a precise measurement of the weak vector coupling constant. The ECC incorporates hardware to do block transfers (DMA) of CAMAC modules within the crate at several times effective CAMAC rates, or it may be programmed to do individual CAMAC transfers. If desired, data may be rippled out an ECL port to fast ECL devices, or may be written in RAM for processing within the controller itself. The EEC is implemented with the CAMAC Request/Grant protocol for use with an A-2 crate controller, allowing the ECC to be used either as an auxiliary controller or crate controller. Trigger logic in the controller allows the device to respond to any of three triggers by initiating a DMA, or dedicated crates may be daisychained, one crate providing a trigger to the next at the conclusion of each DMA. The device is built as much as possible in High Performance CMOS logic using surface mount techniques, on two 8-layer printed circuit cards.

Experiences with STARBURST Front-End Data Preprocessing at LBL's SuperHILAC and 88-Inch Cyclotron

A Starburst processor, comprising a single-width CAMAC auxiliary crate controller with an on-board PDP 11/73 microcomputer and memory-mapped CAMAC interface, has been in service at the Laboratory for two years. It was originally implemented to allow zero-suppressed CAMAC data acquisition, but its versatility has led to the development of a front-end data acquisition language which can be used to significantly reduce acquisition deadtime and the volume of data recorded. Starburst has been implemented as a slave to the existing ModComp data acquisition computers, and has also been linked to a MicroVAX II computer through a standard parallel interface. Data format, system performance, and the data acquisition language and structure are discussed.

Personal computer-basedcamac system for data acquisition

A single board auxiliarycamac crate controller for a Z80-A based personal computer ZX-spectrum to drive thecamac crate housing multipleadc, tdc, dac and 16 I/O ports has been developed. Thecamac crate controller used in this system is of A2 type which supports multiple auxiliary crate controllers. Acamac exerciser/training software for the use ofcamac commands in process control as well as data acquisition has been developed.

A fast and economical CAMAC front-end processor

We describe a fast and economical CAMAC auxiliary crate controller (ACC 9445) based on Fairchild's F9445 16-bit microprocessor. Design and performance as well as examples of applications are given.

A CAMAC-Based Intelligent Subsystem for Atlas Example Application: Cryogenic Monitoring and Control

A subunit of the CAMAC accelerator control system of ATLAS for monitoring and, eventually, controlling the cryogenic refrigeration and distribution facility is under development. This development is the first application of a philosophy of distributed intelligence which will be applied throughout the ATLAS control system. The control concept is that of an intelligent subunit of the existing ATLAS CAMAC control highway. A single board computer resides in an auxiliary crate controller which allows access to all devices within the crate. The local SBC can communicate to the host over the CAMAC highway via a protocol involving the use of memory in the SBC which can be accessed from the host in a DMA mode. This provides a mechanism for global communications, such as for alarm conditions, as well as allowing the cryogenic system to respond to the demands of the accelerator system.

The LEGS Data Acquisition Facility

The data acquisition facility for the LEGS medium energy photonuclear beam line is composed of an auxiliary crate controller (ACC) acting as a front-end processor, loosely coupled to a time-sharing host computer based on a UNIX-like enviromnent. The ACC services all real-time demands in the CAMAC crate: it responds to LAMs generated by data acquisition modules, to keyboard commands, and it refreshes the graphics display at frequent intervals. The host processor is needed only for printing histograms and recording event buffers on magnetic tape. The host also provides the environment for software development. The CAMAC crate is interfaced by a VERSAbus CAMAC branch driver.

A General Purpose Nuclear Data Acquisition System Based on an Auxiliary Crate Controller

This paper describes a readout system for nuclear and atomic physics experiments at the Heavy Ion Accelerator UNILAC. Input modules reside in CAMAC crates and are set up conventionally via the CAMAC Branch Highway. For data taking, control is transferred to auxiliary crate controllers which transfer data directly through DMA to the DEC POP-11 or VAX host computer. The readout sequence is determined for each event by bit patterns or preprogrammed lists actuated by external triggers. Four modes of operation and provision for cascading several CAMAC crates ensure expansibility and the flexibility required for a diverse range of experiments. Overall data rates in excess of 2 × 105 words per second have been achieved for single parameter events.

A CAMAC-Based Controller for Nuclear Power Plant Radiation Monitoring

A CAMAC-based controller for radiation monitoring equipment is described. Due to its use of CAMAC, it can be easily configured for many monitoring and control functions by simply changing modules and software. The controller consists of a partial crate with internal power supplies and battery backup, along with a control and display panel which is hinged to the front of the crate. Typical modules used in the controller include an L2-type serial crate controller, a U-port adaptor to provide redundant serial highways, a microcomputer auxiliary crate controller to provide local intelligence, and input/output modules such as scalers, analog-to-digital converters, and output registers.

An Application of Parallel Preprocessors in Data Acquisition

A data-acquisition system is being developed for a large-scale experiment at LAMPF. It will make use of four microprocessors running in parallel to acquire and preprocess data from 432 photomultiplier tubes (PMT) attached to 396 NaI crystals. The microprocessors are LSI-11/23s operating through CAMAC Auxiliary Crate Controllers (ACC). Data acquired by the microprocessors will be collected through a programmable Branch Driver (MBD) which also will read data from 52 scintillators (88 PMTs) and 728 wires comprising a drift chamber. The MBD will transfer data from each event into a PDP-11/44 for further processing and taping. The microprocessors will perform the secondary function of monitoring the calibration of the NaI PMTs. A special trigger circuit allows the system to stack data from a second event while the first is still being processed. Major components of the system were tested in April 1981. Timing measurements from this test are reported.

LSI-11 Based Auxiliary Crate Controller for Beam Line and Experiment Control

A beam line control system using an Auxiliary Crate Controller incorporating a LSI-11/2 processor has been developed at the Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility. The LSI-ll runs under the RSX-11S operating system and by means of a specially designed control console allows easy implementation of beam line and experiment controls independent of a larger computer system.

A Multi-Microprocessor Auxiliary Crate Controller for Front-End Data Processing in CAMAC

An Auxiliary Controller utilizing both single chip and bipolar microprocessor technologies and the newly established concepts in distributed control for CAMAC systems, has been developed at the Daresbury Laboratory. Two to three Auxiliary Controllers per CAMAC Crate will perform fast data acquisition and "front-end" preprocessing for physics experiments at facilities now in construction at the Laboratory.