[en] This paper discusses HEP experiments in the next decade which will require sophisticated trigger systems in which massively parallel processing structures such as the Associative String Processor (ASP) could take an important part. For such systems, ultimate real time performance may be achieved in a matched network of high performance (computation and communication oriented) conventional processors, using ASPs for data searching and filtering. Requirements and specifications for an ASP Embedded Node (ASPEN) are defined, and the application of a prototype ASPEN architecture to medium term trigger applications is reviewed. Larger applications which could integrate such nodes for local and/or global data processing are then presented

[en] The NA48 charged trigger is a mixed hardware and software real-time processing system intended to detect the interesting configurations of K⁰ charged decays. It achieves real-time event building, track reconstruction and kinematics computation on drift chamber data at an event rate of 100 kHz and within a maximum decision latency of 100 μs. The system uses data driven, FPGA-based coordinate builders, a hardware event builder based on a crossbar switch, and a farm of up to 16 event processors for its software part. It has been installed and operated at CERN since 1995. After a description of the constraints and architecture of the various subsystems, the paper gives an account of the results and performance of the system based on the 1996/1997 runs. More specifically, the replacement of the present DSP-based implementation of the processing farm by RISC processors will be discussed. (author)

No abstract available

[en] This contribution reports on the read-out system of the future KM3NeT undersea network of several thousands of synchronized optical detecting nodes. Each node embeds a specifically designed fully integrated communicating system based on Xilinx FPGA SoC technology. It runs the VxWorks real-time OS and DAQ software designed within the Ice middleware framework resulting in a highly flexible, controllable and scalable distributed application. Clock distribution and delay calibration over customized fixed latency gigabit Ethernet links enable synchronous time stamping of events with nanosecond precision.

[en] The System-on-Chip (SoC) approach consists in using state-of-the-art FPGA devices with embedded RISC processor cores, high-speed differential LVDS links and ready-to-use multi-gigabit transceivers allowing development of compact systems with substantial number of IO channels. Required performances are obtained through a subtle separation of tasks between closely cooperating programmable hardware logic and user-friendly software environment. We report about our experience in using the SoC approach for designing the production test bench of the off-shore readout system for the ANTARES neutrino experiment

[en] SCOTT is an ASIC designed for the readout electronics of photomultiplier tubes developed for KM3NeT, the cubic-kilometer scale neutrino telescope in Mediterranean Sea. To digitize the PMT signals, the multi-time-over-threshold technique is used with up to 16 adjustable thresholds. Digital outputs of discriminators feed a circular sampling memory and a “first in first out” digital memory. A specific study has shown that five specifically chosen thresholds are suited to reach the required timing accuracy. A dedicated method based on the duration of the signal over a given threshold allows an equivalent timing precision at any charge. To verify that the KM3NeT requirements are fulfilled, this method is applied on PMT signals digitized by SCOTT

[en] KM3NeT aims to build a cubic-kilometer scale neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea based on a 3D array of photomultiplier tubes. A dedicated ASIC, named SCOTT, has been developed for the readout electronics of the PMTs: it uses up to 16 adjustable thresholds to digitize the signals with the multi-time-over-threshold technique. Digital outputs of discriminators feed a circular sampling memory and a “first in first out” digital memory for derandomization. At the end of the data processing, the ASIC produces a digital waveform sampled at 800 MHz. A specific study was carried out to process PMT data and has showed that five specifically chosen thresholds are suited to reach the required timing precision. A dedicated method based on the duration of the signal over a given threshold allows an equivalent timing precision at any charge. A charge estimator using the information from the thresholds allows a charge determination within less than 20% up to 60 pe.

[en] We report on the work done in massively parallel processing with a view to studying possible solutions for extracting interesting high-energy physics particle events at future high-luminosity hadronic colliders operating in the TeV energy domain. We concentrate on a special Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) architecture: the Associative String Processor (ASP). The Massively Parallel Processing Collaboration (MPPC) Project, grouping nine European institutes, was launched by CERN to carry out this RandD programme. This report, written by partners of the MPPC collaboration, describes the main results achieved at the end of the project: construction of ASP machines, parallel software development and application studies in high-energy physics and in other fields of science. A final, positive assessment of the ASP concept has been made by the Collaboration. (orig.)

[en] The ANTARES project is an international collaboration with the aim of building a deep-sea large area neutrino telescope within the next decade. The achievements and status of the project as at the time of the conference are briefly discussed, and short term steps as well as longer term plans are described

[en] In this paper we report on the data recorded with the first Antares detector line. The line was deployed on 14 February 2006 and was connected to the readout 2 weeks later. Environmental data for one and a half years of running are shown. Measurements of atmospheric muons from data taken from selected runs during the first 6 months of operation are presented. Performance figures in terms of time residuals and angular resolution are given. Finally the angular distribution of atmospheric muons is presented and from this the depth profile of the muon intensity is derived. (authors)