Agenda

Review of minutes from 14-Dec-2007 meeting
Electronics diagrams - Chris
Update on event size study - David for Eugene (who is out of town)
Experiment controls (see also Experiment Control System Choice) - Vardan
Field Bus and Controller Specifications - Elliott
Slow Controls Framework Choice - Elliott
Online Design Goals and Online Major Milestones now include Electronics - Fernando, Elliott
Online Action Items

Time/Location

Note change from usual date/time: 10am Thurs 31-Jan-2008 CC F326
(Fri 1-Feb-2008 is tracking review all day)

To connect by telephone:

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Fri 15-Feb-2008 2pm CC F326

Attendees: Dave L, Dave A, Dave D, Elke, Vardan, Chris C, Fernando, Elliott.

Chris Cuevas showed the latest electronics diagrams

Chris showed some new drawings, many things moving well along
Chris showed the latest crate, FADC, and F1TDC counts
Lots of progress defining newer systems such as TS crate
ATCA may be an interesting alternative for the global sum crate (more on ATCA at the next meeting...)
Chris reviewed milestone status
Four more FADC250's coming, VXS testing continues
12-bit is our standard for the FADC250
Now have some space in Stan's lab downstairs
TI design in progress
New hire starting to work on clock and trigger distribution
Collecting specs for F1TDC version 2
Crate sum design and prototyping going well
12-bit FADC requires front-end redesign to use new chip...current one runs too hot
All drawings will follow Hall D official numbering scheme
Need network diagrams, location of patch panels, routes, etc.
More work needed on cable routes, rack layouts, etc. taking maintainability into account
Three crates per rack seems ok

Dave Lawrence reported for Eugene Chudakov on progress in the event size study

Vardan Gurjyan told us about AFECS, the JLab DAQ group experiment controls framework

AFECS == Agent Framework for Experiment Controls Systems
Includes finite state machines (FSM's)
Allows interoperation of hardware and software in a control system
Allows integration of DAQ, run control, slow controls, etc.
Talking to a component involves talking to its agent using a uniform API for all agents
Allows scalability since only the agent needs a driver, and so some bottlenecks can be avoided
Allows hiearchical design including FSM's at any level
Supports many protocols (cMsg, CA, OPC, SNMP, etc)
Written in pure Java
Web-based monitoring component exists

Elliott presented preliminary choices for controls field busses and controller protocols

This is the bottom of a three-layer proposed controls hierarchy
Goal is to minimize number of field bus types, use Ethernet whenever possible
Allen-Bradley PLC will be used for solenoid, target, gas systems, experiment cooling systems, perhaps other systems
Operator gui's will have uniform look-and-feel, so Allen-Bradly HMI (gui builder) will only be used for expert screens
Elliott proposes extensive use of OPC (world standard for talking to controllers), but also SNMP and others
Will have CAN-bus and I2C
See Field Bus and Controller Specifications for full list of bus/controller choices

Elliott proposed Linux-only EPICS for the slow controls layer in the Hall D control system

Elliott attended two ICALEPCS conferences since 2002 and learned about possibilities there
Viable alternatives are: EPICS, PVSSII, DOOCS/TINE, and Tango
None appear to be compelling alternatives to EPICS at this time
Elliott proposed world-standard Linux-only EPICS for the middle control layer
EPICS seems to be rapidly developing, has embraced Java, and old utilities are being replaced with modern versions
EPICS community seems strong and growing, and is interested in modernization
Eclipse-based Control System Studio seems like a good alternative to MEDM, DM, etc, and allows for much improved functionality
Concerns about whether promising new development will pan out
See Slow Controls Framework Choice for more details