Integrated data acquisition system for coastal research vessel

Abstract

An integrated data acquisition system using personal computers interconnectEd. by ARCNET local area network to log data from shipboard equipment and sensors is described. Each data acquisition node sends its data to a central computer which in turn broadcasts integrated information on the network; thereby network wide real time data can be monitored from any mode. Net-BIOS based peer-to-peer communication software supports real time transaction and guarantees bardware independence and software transportability. The data is logged on a central file server based on a Novell Netware operating system with fault tolerant features. Remote node communication allows easy access to data from shore-based LAN. The network supports microcontroller interface to log data, in addition to use of PCs. The system can be easily reconfigured for different requirements