A bus translator interface for high-speed image data transfer

Specialized image processing systems are sometimes limited by an inability to rapidly transfer image data to and from other computers. This capability is extremely important when the image processing system is not convenient for general purpose computing. It is also critical when being integrated into experiments requiring other types of data acquisition, especially when several tasks must be synchronized. An interface was implemented based on a Multibus-to-VERSAbus bus translator. Two different multi-tasking, multi-user, real-time operating systems with different bus structures were allowed to share a 1 megabyte address region on a common bus structure. The interface features the use of a software controlled switch to enable either system to initiate the bus connect operation. The interface permits the two systems to simultaneously share a combined bus, or operate completely asynchronously without any loss of performance.