Title :
Multitasking multiprocessing system distributes tasks to hardware measurement task sequencer and 32-bit processors in 100 K sample/s 16-bit portable data acquisition and processing system
Author :
Briscoe, Thomas D.
Author_Institution :
Campbell Scientific, Inc., Logan, UT, USA
Abstract :
A low power portable data acquisition and control system is described that permits high resolution measurements both in a laboratory setting and in the field. Integrated processing in the system provides a means for analyzing the results of measurements in real-time instead of recording the measurements and transferring the data to a second system for post processing. By distributing low level measurement tasks to a specialized hardware task sequencer and high level processes to one or more 32-bit processors, 16-bit resolution measurements can be made with very precise timing while maintaining processing power. Use of serial links as direct memory access (DMA) channels from the analog-to-digital converter to the main processor and between multiple processors allows high level processing without interrupting or changing the timing of the 100 K sample/s data acquisition. One of the first applications of the system as part of a trace gas analyzer is described
Keywords :
analogue-digital conversion; computer architecture; computerised instrumentation; data acquisition; gas sensors; multiprocessing systems; portable instruments; real-time systems; 16-bit portable data acquisition; 32 bit; 32-bit processors; analog-to-digital converter; direct memory access; high resolution measurements; multiple processors; multitasking multiprocessing; real-time; serial links; specialized hardware task sequencer; trace gas analyzer; Control systems; Data acquisition; Hardware; Laboratories; Level measurement; Multiprocessing systems; Multitasking; Power measurement; Real time systems; Timing;
Conference_Titel :
Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference, 1993. IMTC/93. Conference Record., IEEE
Conference_Location :
Irvine, CA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1229-5
DOI :
10.1109/IMTC.1993.382552