Data Acquisition and Control System for the IPNS Time-of-Flight Neutron Scattering Instruments

The Argonne Intense Pulsed Neutron System (IPNS-I) presently under construction at Argonne National Laboratory will include a number of neutron scattering instruments. This paper investigates the data acquisition requirements of these instruments and proposes three alternative multiprocessor systems which will satisfy these requirements. All proposals are star configurations with a super-mini as the central node or HOST. The first proposal is based on front-ends composed of two or more 16-bit microcomputers, the second proposal is based on front ends consisting of a combination of a mini and microcomputers, and the third is based on a minicomputer with an intelligent CAMAC controller.