A realtime feedback microprocessor for the TEVATRON

A feedback microprocessor has been built for the TEVATRON. Its inputs are realtime accelerator measurements, data describing the state of the TEVATRON, and ramp tables. The microprocessor includes a finite state machine. Each state corresponds to a specific TEVATRON operation. Transitions between states are initiated by the global TEVATRON clock. Each state includes a cyclic routine which is called periodically and where all calculations are performed. The output corrections are inserted onto a fast TEVATRON-wide link from which the power supplies will read the realtime corrections. We also store all of the input data and output corrections in a set of buffers which can easily be retrieved for diagnostic analysis. I describe use of this device to control the TEVATRON tunes, and discuss other uses