The US VME-P and Cern VSC committees
AbstractWith the ubiquitous availability of commercial VME modules and interface chips many Experiments in all branches of Experimental Physics are turning to VME as the module packaging and backplane protocol of choice for application specific modules.
The current VME backplane, electrical and mechanical standards are clearly lacking when it comes to implementing the analogue and digital front end modules that Physics experiments rely on to provide the needed high speed, intelligent, cost effective, solutions to their data collection requirements.
To address these needs the European ESONE and American VME-P committees are collaborating with the ANSII and ISO standards committees, and the VME VITA/VSA manufacturers associations, to define standard extensions to the VME protocols for such HEP needs as "sparse data scans", standard uses and implementations of previously user defined pins and connectors, standardization of the 9U form factor VME cards etc. In addition, based on the overall positive feedback to the definition of CAMAC and FASTBUS software interface standards, definitions of standard software access mechanisms for use with VME modules are being defined.
This paper reports on the current status and directions of this standards effort - with emphasis on the overlap of European and American High Energy Physics needs and on the overlap of the requirements and directions of the Physics community with the needs and directions of the wider VME commercial sector.
Submitter's Name: Ruth Pordes Submitter's EMAIL Address: ruth@fnal.gov Sumbitter's Institution: Fermilab