On-Line Data-Acquisition Systems in Nuclear Physics, 1969: A MEDIUM-SIZED ON-LINE COMPUTER SYSTEM

On-Line Data-Acquisition Systems in Nuclear Physics, 1969, by H. W. Fulbright et al. National Research Council is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here. Chapter 2: A MEDIUM-SIZED ON-LINE COMPUTER SYSTEM

1. Introduction

An EMR 6130 computer system has been installed and is being prepared for use with Columbia University's Neutron Velocity Spectrometer data-acquisition and analysis system. The spectrometer is characterized by high data rates and many events per burst. At present, peak arrival rates are approximately 106 events per second, with 40-60 events per burst and a burst rate of 70 Hz. The arrival distribution is random; therefore, 10 percent of the interarrival intervals are 100 nsec long, and 1 percent are 10 nsec long. In the future, peak arrival rates of 107 events/sec and 400-600 events per burst are possible, with a burst rate of 300 Hz. With an appropriate time-of-flight "front end," the 6130 will be able to handle the anticipated faster rates.The EMR 6130 is a 16-bit, 775-nsec computer. The memory has a multibus structure which permits each bus to communicate simultaneously with a separate memory module. Up to four memory buses may be purchased. The Columbia system has two memory buses. If a high-speed buffered data channel is used, block transfer may occur at memory cycle speeds. With two buses, data may be stored in two memory modules at rates up to twice memory speed. Alternatively, one bus, channel, and one or more memory modules may be dedicated to data acquisition, while the central processor and standard peripheral devices, using the second bus, simultaneously operate in the remaining memory modules.

2. Description of the System

A block diagram of the Columbia system is given in Figure 5. The system has three 8k core modules. Memory bus 1 is dedicated to a high-speed channel serving the time-of-flight acquisition system. Memory bus 2 serves both the central processor and a second high-speed channel. Low-speed input-output devices, such as the operator's console, teletype, card reader, and plotter communicate directly through the processor. The high-speed input-output devices, namely, a magnetic tape unit, line printer, fixed head disk, and interactive CRT display, communicate through the channel.

The box designated as "time-of-flight system" represents special-purpose electronics, including a 50-mHz clock, time-quantizing 

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