Most D.O.E funded research facilities require a considerable number of high-speed data acquisition and control systems to proceed with their high-energy physics research. Large multicrate FASTBUS systems are beginning to play a major role in extremely highspeed data acquisition applications. These FASTBUS systems require at least one Cable Segment interfaced to each crate via a Segment Interconnect. The FASTBUS Cable Segment is a highly flexible parallel communication path that has become an expensive, critical link to all multicrate systems. To date, a considerable amount of effort has gone into FASTBUS Crate Segment interface development; however, the FASTBUS Cable Segment has been developed to a lesser extent. Some of the major concerns of the highenergy physics community as well as the manufacturers of FASTBUS products are the high cost, availability, and performance of the Cable Segment drivers. This proposal describes the Phase I feasibility investigation of alternative FASTBUS Cable Seg ment transceiver interfaces. If feasibility is shown, the Cable Segment interface produced under Phase III will incorporate a lower cost, enhanced driver/receiver approach on a FASTBUS Auxiliary card. This will offer the FASTBUS system designer increased flexibility by permitting the use of a particular Cable Segment transceiver interface for a specific application. The FASTBUS Cable Segment and the current methods of driving it will be studied in detail, and conceptual designs of interface alternative methods will be undertaken and breadboarded where appropriate. An appropriate FASTBUS Cable Segment interface will be recommended for Phase II R&D funding based on cost, performance, and flexibility.Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee:It is anticipated that the successful completion of this feasibility study will lead to the development and ultimate manufacture and sale of a lower cost, enhanced Cable Segment transceiver interface on a FASTBUS Auxiliary card. This will provide D.O.E.-funded research facilities with the additional flexibility demanded of a large FASTBUS data acquisition system.
