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arXiv · 2501.00686

NIOS II Soft-Core Processor and Ethernet Controller Solution for RPC-DAQ in INO ICAL

Yuvaraj Elangovan·Mandar Saraf·B. Satyanarayana·S. S. Upadhya·Nagaraj Panyam·Ravindra Shinde·Gobinda Majumder·D. Sil·Pathaleswar·S. Thoi Thoi·K. C. Ravindran
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Abstract

This paper introduces a high-performance Soft-Core Processor based data acquisition system designed for handling Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs). The DAQ consist of FPGA-based hardware equipped with Soft-Core Processor and embedded hardwired Ethernet controllers named RPC-DAQ, offering a versatile and fast network-enabled data acquisition solution. A soft processor, NIOS, is instantiated within an Intel Cyclone IV FPGA, overseeing control, communication, and data transfer with remote processing units. These integrated RPC-DAQ units, in substantial numbers, connect to a limited set of high-end processing units via LAN switches. This paper provides a detailed account of the software implementation scheme for the NIOS processor in the RPC-DAQ system. A remarkable 28,800 RPC-DAQ units will be deployed in proximity to the RPCs, serving the proposed INO-ICAL experiment in Theni-Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The network-enabled RPC-DAQ units controlled by the soft processor offloads FPGA tasks including event data acquisition, periodic health monitoring of RPCs, command interfaces, high voltage control, and data transfer to back-end data concentrators. Communication and data transfer are executed efficiently via TCP and UDP protocols over a 100 Mbps Ethernet interface. This system provides innovative solutions to improve data acquisition and control in large-scale scientific experiments.

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Yuvaraj Elangovan, Mandar Saraf, B. Satyanarayana, S. S. Upadhya, Nagaraj Panyam, Ravindra Shinde, Gobinda Majumder, D. Sil, Pathaleswar, S. Thoi Thoi, K. C. Ravindran. 2025-01-01. NIOS II Soft-Core Processor and Ethernet Controller Solution for RPC-DAQ in INO ICAL. https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.00686

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