PCaPAC2012 - List of Authors (Pithawa, C.K.)

Paper

Title

Page

Embedded CAMAC Controller: Hardware/Software Co-optimization for High Throughput

20

P.M. Nair, A. Behere, M.P. Diwakar, K. Jha, C.K. Pithawa, P. Sridharan
BARC, Trombay, Mumbai, India

Advances in technology have resulted in availability of low-power, low form-factor embedded PC based modules. The Embedded CAMAC Controller (ECC) is designed with ETX standard Single Board Computer having PC architecture with Ethernet connectivity. The paper highlights the software and hardware design optimizations to meet high throughput requirements of multi-parameter experiments and scan mode accelerator control applications. The QNX based software is designed for high throughput by adopting design strategies like multi-threaded architecture, interrupt-driven data transfer, buffer pool for burst data, zero memory copy, lockless primitives and batched event data transfer to host. The data buffer and all control logic for CAMAC cycle sequencing for LIST mode is implemented entirely in hardware in Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Through this design, sustained throughput of 1.5MBps has been achieved. Also, the host connectivity through Ethernet link enables support for multi-crate configuration, thus providing scalability. The ECC has been installed for accelerator control at FOTIA BARC, Pelletron and LINAC Pelletron TIFR and for multi-parameter experiments at NPD.

WEPD28

Re-envisioning the Operator Consoles for Dhruva Control Room

62

S. Gaur, M.P. Diwakar, P.M. Nair, C.K. Pithawa, P. Sridharan
BARC, Trombay, Mumbai, India
N.C. Gohel
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India

Control Room design is undergoing rapid changes with the progressive adoption of computerization and automation. Advances in man-machine interfaces have further accelerated this trend. This paper presents the design and main features of Operator consoles (OC) using new technologies for Dhruva control room. The OCs have been designed so as not to burden the operator with information overload but to help him quickly assess the situation and timely take appropriate steps. The consoles provide minimalistic yet intuitive interfaces, context sensitive navigation, display of important information and progressive disclosure of situation based information. The use of animations, 3D graphics, and real time trends with the benefit of hardware acceleration to provide a resolution-independent rich user experience. The use of XAML, an XML based Mark-up Language for User Interface definition and C# for application logic resulted in complete separation of visual design, content, and logic. This also resulted in a workflow where separate teams could work on the UI and the logic of an application. The introduction of Model View View-Model has led to more testable and maintainable software.

Poster WEPD28 [1.777 MB]

THPD26

Integrated Control System for LEHIPA

192

S.K. Bharade, T. Ananthkrishnan, A. Basu, G. Joshi, P.D. Motiwala, C.K. Pithawa, P. Singh, S. Singh
BARC, Mumbai, India

The Low Energy High Intensity Proton Accelerator (LEHIPA) is a 20 MeV 30 mA proton accelerator which will be achieved in multiple stages. LEHIPA consists of several sub systems/devices located at different positions of the beam path which includes ION source , RF Power , RF Protection Interlock System, Low Conductivity Water plant, Low Level RF control Systems, Vacuum System, Beam Diagnostics & Beam Line Devices. All these subsystems have their own local control systems (LCS) which will coordinate the operation of the corresponding subsystem. The control system for LEHIPA is thus being designed as a Distributed Control System with different teams developing each LCS. The control system will assist the operator to achieve a beam of desired characteristics by interacting with various sub systems of the accelerator in a seamless manner,protect the various parts machine by generating the necessary interlocks ,keep track of various parameters monitored periodically by suitably archiving them, alarms annunciation and trouble shoot from the control room. This paper describes approach to system design of ICS.

FRCB03

RF Control System for 400 keV RFQ

260

G. Joshi, T. Ananthkrishnan, S.K. Bharade, P. M. Paresh, C.K. Pithawa, C.I. Sujo
BARC, Mumbai, India

An RF control system has been developed for the 400 keV, 350 MHz RFQ coming up at BARC. This single cavity system consists of the functionalities of amplitude stabilization and frequency tracking for both continuous and pulsed mode of operation. The amplitude stabilization is implemented by modulating the attenuation across a fast modulator placed in the drive path. The frequency tracking is achieved by driving the FM port of a signal generator with a signal proportional to the phase shift across the resonator. The whole system is under computer control via CAMAC hardware. The paper describes the system architecture, housing & wiring of the system in a single instrumentation rack and development & testing of computer control.

Slides FRCB03 [0.484 MB]

Paper	Title	Page
WEPD10	Embedded CAMAC Controller: Hardware/Software Co-optimization for High Throughput	20
	P.M. Nair, A. Behere, M.P. Diwakar, K. Jha, C.K. Pithawa, P. Sridharan BARC, Trombay, Mumbai, India
	Advances in technology have resulted in availability of low-power, low form-factor embedded PC based modules. The Embedded CAMAC Controller (ECC) is designed with ETX standard Single Board Computer having PC architecture with Ethernet connectivity. The paper highlights the software and hardware design optimizations to meet high throughput requirements of multi-parameter experiments and scan mode accelerator control applications. The QNX based software is designed for high throughput by adopting design strategies like multi-threaded architecture, interrupt-driven data transfer, buffer pool for burst data, zero memory copy, lockless primitives and batched event data transfer to host. The data buffer and all control logic for CAMAC cycle sequencing for LIST mode is implemented entirely in hardware in Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Through this design, sustained throughput of 1.5MBps has been achieved. Also, the host connectivity through Ethernet link enables support for multi-crate configuration, thus providing scalability. The ECC has been installed for accelerator control at FOTIA BARC, Pelletron and LINAC Pelletron TIFR and for multi-parameter experiments at NPD.

WEPD28	Re-envisioning the Operator Consoles for Dhruva Control Room	62
	S. Gaur, M.P. Diwakar, P.M. Nair, C.K. Pithawa, P. Sridharan BARC, Trombay, Mumbai, India N.C. Gohel Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India
	Control Room design is undergoing rapid changes with the progressive adoption of computerization and automation. Advances in man-machine interfaces have further accelerated this trend. This paper presents the design and main features of Operator consoles (OC) using new technologies for Dhruva control room. The OCs have been designed so as not to burden the operator with information overload but to help him quickly assess the situation and timely take appropriate steps. The consoles provide minimalistic yet intuitive interfaces, context sensitive navigation, display of important information and progressive disclosure of situation based information. The use of animations, 3D graphics, and real time trends with the benefit of hardware acceleration to provide a resolution-independent rich user experience. The use of XAML, an XML based Mark-up Language for User Interface definition and C# for application logic resulted in complete separation of visual design, content, and logic. This also resulted in a workflow where separate teams could work on the UI and the logic of an application. The introduction of Model View View-Model has led to more testable and maintainable software.
	Poster WEPD28 [1.777 MB]

THPD26	Integrated Control System for LEHIPA	192
	S.K. Bharade, T. Ananthkrishnan, A. Basu, G. Joshi, P.D. Motiwala, C.K. Pithawa, P. Singh, S. Singh BARC, Mumbai, India
	The Low Energy High Intensity Proton Accelerator (LEHIPA) is a 20 MeV 30 mA proton accelerator which will be achieved in multiple stages. LEHIPA consists of several sub systems/devices located at different positions of the beam path which includes ION source , RF Power , RF Protection Interlock System, Low Conductivity Water plant, Low Level RF control Systems, Vacuum System, Beam Diagnostics & Beam Line Devices. All these subsystems have their own local control systems (LCS) which will coordinate the operation of the corresponding subsystem. The control system for LEHIPA is thus being designed as a Distributed Control System with different teams developing each LCS. The control system will assist the operator to achieve a beam of desired characteristics by interacting with various sub systems of the accelerator in a seamless manner,protect the various parts machine by generating the necessary interlocks ,keep track of various parameters monitored periodically by suitably archiving them, alarms annunciation and trouble shoot from the control room. This paper describes approach to system design of ICS.

FRCB03	RF Control System for 400 keV RFQ	260
	G. Joshi, T. Ananthkrishnan, S.K. Bharade, P. M. Paresh, C.K. Pithawa, C.I. Sujo BARC, Mumbai, India
	An RF control system has been developed for the 400 keV, 350 MHz RFQ coming up at BARC. This single cavity system consists of the functionalities of amplitude stabilization and frequency tracking for both continuous and pulsed mode of operation. The amplitude stabilization is implemented by modulating the attenuation across a fast modulator placed in the drive path. The frequency tracking is achieved by driving the FM port of a signal generator with a signal proportional to the phase shift across the resonator. The whole system is under computer control via CAMAC hardware. The paper describes the system architecture, housing & wiring of the system in a single instrumentation rack and development & testing of computer control.
	Slides FRCB03 [0.484 MB]