pATLAS presents a powerful acquisition, supervisory and control system that consists of multiple small-size components, which are mutually merged in an efficient way to match existing operational requirements for a specific process environment.  The inherent pATLAS openness and flexibility allow different approaches to the system organization to accomplish existing process monitoring and control tasks, making pATLAS suitable for many different implementations.

Each of the pATLAS components consists of two major parts: an underlying hardware, and supporting program (software).  Strictly speaking, pATLAS presents a programmable hardware-based system that consists of numerous program-managed system and process interface modules.  It means that each hardware module, as well as the pATLAS configuration in general, are largely software dependent – program is the one that makes the underlying hardware alive and functional.  Therefore, the very same hardware could provide very different functionality, depending on the implemented programs.  Due to the fact that the pATLAS internal program is stored “in silicon”, we address such software support “firmware”.

For more details about pATLAS hardware organization click HERE.
For more details about pATLAS firmware organization click HERE.