PCs And Particle Accelerator Controls

DESY will hold an international workshop on "Personal Computers And Particle Accelerator Controls" from Oct 7 to Oct 9, 1996. It is expected that many participants will engage in informal discussions and work groups in the two days following. PCs have become prevalent at most institutes, if in no other area than the desktop. Many laboratories, large and small, are making increasing use of PCs in traditional controls areas as well. Indeed, in many cases PCs are not merely a "viable alternative" but rather the machine of choice. The planned format will give participants an opportunity to exchange information and experience in the following areas:

Control System Architectures
Methods of distributing control and data exchange mechanisms. Layering models for data flow.
Operating Systems
The DOS/WINDOWS world, the UNIX world, OS/2, MAC. Advantages and disadvantages regarding programing and multi-tasking tools, ready hardware interfaces, network connectivity, and robustness.
Networking
General administration and services, network protocols, topologies, and intercommunication techniques.
Interconnectivity to other platforms
Online data exchange involving PC workstations and RISC machines and mainframes.
Component-ware
Commercial software tools in the areas of RAD (Rapid Application Design) and component-base software and OOP tools and languages.
Standardization and Software Sharing
Existing or emerging interface standards regarding control system elements. Windows Sockets, etc.
Realtime solutions
The real-time capabilites of add-on packages or the operating system versus the requirements of the control system.
Databases
The interface to and implementation of control system databases.
The PC World
Areas of suitability for PCs in the control system. PCs as crucial control system elements. Keeping up in a rapidly changing software-world.

Specifically, the workshop will cover real, working controls based entirely or in part on PCs. Abstracts are currently being solicited in all of the above areas.

Workshop Information

The workshop will be organized into sessions covering the above topics following a three-day schedule. Besides invited and contributed oral presentations and poster sessions (see the Abstract listing). there should be ample opportunity for both panel discussions and working groups. The workshop will be held on campus at DESY. Workshop proceedings will be made available via CDROM, which is included in the workshop fee of DM 450, as is the banquet.

Limited financial assistance is available for qualified attendees whose home institutions cannot afford the full costs.

DESY lies within the city-state of Hamburg and the city center can be reached via public transportation in approximately 20 minutes.

Deadlines

Accomodations

Accomodations for the attendees can be obtained by separate registration. Most attendees are expected to stay at the nearby NOVOTEL (~DM 140 per night single occupancy).

Important Addresses

DESY
Notkestrasse 85
22607 Hamburg,
Germany
Workshop
Phone: 49-40-8998-2471
Fax: 49-40-8994-4303
Internet: pcapac@desy.de
WEB: http://www-mpy.desy.de/pc_workshop.html

Notes

The perferred method for abstract submission is via electronic mail either in text format or as a WORD document.

International Program Committee: