IAD

2/3/06

IceCube Acronym Dictionary

Acronym

Longer Description

Definition

ADC

Analog to Digital Converter

Translates an analog input to a digital value

ant

Java based build tool, similar to make

ATWD

Analog Transient Waveform Digitizer

ASIC developed at LBNL for capturing, storing, and digitizing an electrical waveform

AY$

At year dollars

Budget value which includes the amount from inflation

BFD

Baseline File Development

Icecube software development environment (integrates build tools, cvs, etc.)

CAD

Computer Aided Design

Engineering software suite used to turn ideas into hardware products

ConfigBoot

The write once boot program residing in configuration memory on DOM

CPLD

Complex Programmable Logic Device

A CPLD is a combination of a fully programmable AND/OR array and a bank of macrocells. The AND/OR array is reprogrammable and can perform a multitude of logic functions. Macrocells are functional blocks that perform combinatorial or sequential logic, and also have the added flexibility for true or complement, along with varied feedback paths.

CPU

Central Processor Unit

Computational processor, either a board level component, or a chassis level element.

cunit

Unit test framework for C programs

CVS

concurrent versions system

Used as an underpinning to BFD as a source code version control system

DAC

Digital to Analog Converter

Converts a digital number to a current or voltage output fraction of a reference level.

DAQ

Data Acquisition

The system, both hardware and software, for collecting data with Icecube

DC

Direct Current

Power delivered which does not vary in voltage.

DC-DC

DC to DC Converter

Applied DC power, processed through electronics, is delivered as DC power at a different voltage.

DESY

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron Zeuthen

Collaborating institution in Zeuthen, a suburb  of Berlin, Germany

DMA

Direct Memory Access

Protocol for tranferring data from a computer peripheral to main memory which does not involve the computer copying the data. Suited to transferring large blocks of data with minimum overhead.

DOM

Digital Optical Module

Module consisting of photomultiplier tube, and data acquisition electronics board, base and flasher board which is deployed into the antarctic ice

DOM App

the primary configuration and data taking application on the DOM

DOM HUB

Digital Optical Module communications HUB

A network communications board level component residing in industrial computer chasses in  the IceCube counting house at the pole, or in offices or laboratories at collaborating institutions

DOM Hub App

the application which runs on the DOM Hub machine which acts as an interface to the DOM MB programs, interacts directly with the DOR Card Driver

DOM MB

DOM Main Board

Main Electronics Board of the Digital Optical Module

DOMTest

data analysis framework  being developed at Penn State for use within TestDAQ

DOR

DOm Readout Card

Communications and power distribution interface between the DOM Hub PCI computer bus, and the communications/power twisted pair connected to digital optical modules

DOR Driver

Linux kernel module device for use with DOR Card

Doxygen

utility for producing documentation from commented C code

DP

Dual Port

RAM memory addressable simultaneously from two busses, as a shared resource

DSB

DOM hub Service Board

PC board in the DOM Hub to fan out synchronizing and timing signals from the MCU to 8 DOR cards

EB

Event Builder

assembles events from data requested from SP based on global trigger input

EMI

ElectroMagnetic Interference

Electrical interference radiated or received by electronics

ETC

Estimate to Complete

Cost to complete an item. Does not include costs expended before the ETC.

fADC

Fast ADC

Analog to Digital Converter with sampling rate faster than 10 MHz, typically with parallel data output

Flash

Flash Memory

Memory which retains data through power cycling. Data may be rewritten into flash many times.

FPGA

Field Programmable Gate Array

The home of DOM firmware, actually part of the Excalibur processor IC.  This IC is also found in the DOR card

FTE

Full Time Employee

Measure of manpower

GUI

Graphical User Interface

A user interface based on graphics (icons and pictures and menus) instead of text; uses a mouse as well as a keyboard as an input device

HAL

Hardware Access Layer

the software functions which interact directly with hardware and support DOM MB programs such as IceBoot and DOM App

HEP

High Energy Physics

HUB

The DOM Hub machine

HV

High Voltage

Acceleration electrical potential applied to a PMT which causes it to operate.

HW

Hardware

Electronics components and subsystems at the board and module level

IceBoot

The boot program that resides in flash memory on DOM

IceBucket

The IceCube library for components common to two or more sub-systems.

IceTray

IceCube's Application Framework

IDE

Integrated Development Environment,

A GUI-based environment for editing, documenting, building, running and debugging software applications

Jboss

An implementation of a J2EE server, build on a JMX kernel

J2EE

Java 2 Enterprise Edition (The version of Java for businesses)

javadoc

Utility for producing documentation from commented Java code

JMX

Java Management eXtensions

Framework for providing common management interface for Java based components

JTAG

Joint Test Action Group

IEEE 1149.1 In-System-Programming Protocol for loading and testing FPGAs, CPLDs, and computing devices, named for the Joint Test Action Group, developed in the 1980's.

junit

Unit test framework for Java programs

KB

Kilo-Bytes

Thousand data bytes, or 8 thousand data bits. (often 1024 bytes)

LBNL

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Also LBL or Berkeley Lab

LED

Light Emitting Diode

Semiconductor Diode which produces light output proportional to the current passed through it

log4j

Package of Java classes for handling common logging functions

MB

Main Board

See DOMMB

MCU

Master Clock Unit

Subsystem providing high precision timing and synchronizing signals to the DOM Hubs in the IceCube counting house, or at other instatutions so equipped.

MHz

Mega Hertz

Million cycles per second

MUX

MUltipleXor

Under the control of a digital address, convay multiple inputs independantly to a single output.

OM

Optical Module

See DOM

PCB

Printed Circuit Board

Substrate for electronics components usually consisting of laminated layers of fiberglass epoxy matrix with thin copper conductor strips, and plated-through holes for layer to layer interconnect built into it.

PCI

Peripheral Computer Interface

Bus for plugging peripherals into a computer system.

PDD

Preliminary Design Document

For IceCube, the document describing the nature and goals of the IceCube experiment

PLD

Programmable Logic Device

See CPLD

PMT

PhotoMultiplier Tube

Cold Cathode Vacuum tube which converts optical input to electrical output

PY

Project Year

April 1 through March 31.   PY1 was April 1, 2002 through March 31, 2003.

QA

Quality Assurance

A planned and systematic pattern of all actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that the product optimally fulfils customers' expectations, i.e. that it is problem-free and well able to perform the task it was designed for.

Q/A

Question and Answer

Iterative information sharing process

RAM

Random Access Memory

Computer memory whos data is accessable in random fashion

RAPCAL

Reciprocal Active Pulsing CALibration

Method for calibration DOM clock involving round-trip time measurement from the DOR card to the DOM

ROOT

Physics analysis tool based in C++

sbi

Extension of FPGA images loaded to DOM FPGA

SDD

System Design Description

Document that contains the description of various views of the software system. The standard views are 'decomposion' of the system into sub-systems; 'dependency' of the sub-systems on each other; and 'interfaces' between sub-systems.

SDRAM

Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory

Typically, volatile main memory in a computer or electronics device. RAM does not retain data through power cycling.

SP

String Processor

DAQ software component where data records are time corrected and correlated. The SP generates and passes trigger primitives on to the global trigger.

SPE

single photo electron

The amount of light charge when one photoelectron is detected in  a phototube

STF

Simple Test Framework

Test framework for testing components of the DOM MB - client component runs outside DOM and server component runs on the DOM MB

STFServ

Simple Test Framework Server

The server component of STF which runs on the DOM MB

TCAL

Time CALibration

Periodicity of timing calibration in the DOM-to-DOR universe

Trig

Global Trigger

Interacts with SP and instructs EB which data to use in assembling events

UV

Ultra Violet

In the IceCube context, wavelength of Cerenkov light from physics tracks, or light emitting diode calibration sources

UW

University of Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin, lead institution in the IceCube experiment