A Standard Interface Concept for Computer-Controlled Particle Accelerators

A survey of the existing (and planned) particle accelerators throughout North America and Europe will immediately indicate the unmistakable proliferation of either partial, or total, digital computer control systems. The cybernetic-like tentacles of these systems have reached into the most remote areas of the particle accelerator. One also realizes that each facility has designed special hardware, unlike any other, to handle the interface problem between the accelerator and the computer. A further look will convince one that the various interface problems are not, in principle, different. This paper will discuss a practical solution to the standard interface concept for computer control systems. Such an accelerator/computer-independent scheme for interface could well save many man-years of redundant design effort and invoke considerable cost savings in system implementation. A system organized about the dataway and branch/control highway of the CAMAC standard is a potential contender.