Fiber optic link design for INMOS transputers

Roger W. Luce; Nick C. Buchholz

doi:10.1117/12.60517

1 July 1992 Fiber optic link design for INMOS transputers

Roger W. Luce, Nick C. Buchholz

Proceedings Volume 1684, Infrared Readout Electronics; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.60517
Event: Aerospace Sensing, 1992, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

This paper describes a fiber optic subsystem currently in use at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) for linking infrared instruments at the telescope with the remotely located digital signal processor (DSP) in the telescope computer room. This system is capable of transmitting and receiving ten transputer links at full link speed over four optical fibers. Transputers are equipped with bidirectional serial communication links. These links, coupled with a simple processor architecture, make transputers ideal for the embedded controller, state generator, and parallel processing tasks required by modern infrared instruments using large two-dimensional arrays. Communication between transputers separated by a short distance can proceed over wires in the conventional sense but for communication over long distances, such as between subsystems in astronomical instruments, other techniques are needed if the full link speed of 20 Mbits/sec is to be maintained. Fiber optics provides an ideal solution to this problem. It also provides immunity from noisy environments and electrical isolation between subsystems. The problem with using fiber optics with transputers is that the links are asynchronous (synchronization is handled within the receiving transputer) while the fiber optic transmitters and receivers require a clock for encoding and decoding the transmitted data. In this paper we address this problem and provide a solution which satisfies both needs.

Citation Download Citation

Roger W. Luce and Nick C. Buchholz "Fiber optic link design for INMOS transputers", Proc. SPIE 1684, Infrared Readout Electronics, (1 July 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.60517

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