Experiment Data Acquisition

Introduction

Detector Signals

• Pulse Signal Terminology
• Analog and Digital Signals
• Fast and Slow Signals
• Bandwidth

Readout Electronics

• Signal Cables
• Preamplifiers
• Main Amplifiers and Shapers
• Pulse Stretchers
• Linear Transmission Gate
• Fan-in and Fan-outs
• Delay Lines
• Discriminators and Single-Channel Analyzer
• Scalers
• Ratemeter
• Gate and Delay Generators (Timers)
• Coincidence Units
• Analog-to-Digital Converters
• Multichannel Analyzers
• Digital-to-Analog Converters
• Time-to-amplitude Converters and TDCs

Example Readout Systems

• A Simple Counting System
• Pulse Height Selection
• Basic Coincidence Technique
• Pulse Shape Discrimination
• Inhibit or Busy
• Walk and Jitter
• Time-Pickoff Methods
• Analog Timing Methods
• Digital Timing Methods

Trigger Systems

• Definitions and Goals of Triggers and Filters
• Trigger Schemes
• Queuing Theory and Simulation
• Classifications of Triggers
• Implementation of Triggers
• Bus Systems
• Programmable Devices

Example Trigger Systems

• Triggering on Tracks
• Triggering on Energy
• Detector Systems

Real-Time Computing

Introduction

• Parallel Computer Efficiency
• Debugging

Computer Architectures

• SISD, SIMD, MIMD, RISC, etc.
• Multiple Data Paths
• Multiple Instruction Paths
• Parallel Processing
• Interprocessor Communication
• Communicating Sequential Processes
• Deadlocks
• Configuration Description
• Networks

Processing Farms

• Example Processor Farms
• Efficiency Concerns
• Storage and Communication Issues
• Efficiency Measurements

Pipeline Processing

• Program Issues
• Pipeline Efficiency
• Pipeline Example
• Communication Methods
• Multidimensional Pipelines

Data Parallelism

• Program Issues
• Data Distribution
• Loading Data
• Sampling
• Expanded Data Sets
• Communicating Data Sets
• Efficiency Comparison

Deadlock-Free Routing

• Program Issues
• One-way Virtual Channels and a Ring Router
• Two-way Virtual Channels and a Ring Router
• A Four-way Toroidal Router
• Performance Comparisons

Worms

• Searching Strategies
• Bootstrapping a Processor
• Sequential, Parallel and Exploratory Worms

Real-Time Processing

• Interrupt Handlers
• Performance Comparisons

Advanced UNIX Programming

• Process Control
• Interprocess Communication
• Signals