Electronic systems often require that information concerning an event be gathered, stored, manipulated, and analyzed. Data acquisition involves the sampling of “real world” information to generate data that can be manipulated by a data-processing apparatus, such as a computer. Data acquisition generally includes acquisition of signals and waveforms, and the processing of such signals to obtain desired information. Components associated with a data acquisition system generally include appropriate sensors for converting measurement parameters to electrical signals, and a mechanism for conditioning the electrical signals, which can be then acquired by data acquisition hardware. Acquired data may be displayed, analyzed, and stored via a computer utilizing appropriate software applications.
The installation of conventional data acquisition systems, however, is a costly and time consuming endeavor, and is not retroactively compatible with earlier developments.
Based on the foregoing, it is believed that a need exists for an improved distributed data acquisition and processing system. A need also exists for a compact and programmable data acquisition node for high energy physics applications, as described in greater detail herein.