µP‑D

WELFBA: a data communications project

Microprocessor-Design created a Modula-2 application for a dedicated PC:

• to collect serial data from an EARSS instrument in real-time
• to scan the output for the detection of an earthquake event by the instrument, and
• to form the earthquake data into packets for serial transmission to a VAX computer nearby.

This application had to be multi-tasking as otherwise data following a larger earthquake could be ignored. It also had to be fail-safe so that data could be saved to local disk if and while the VAX was unresponsive. This could happen in the event of a large earthquake resulting in a loss of mains power, and only the PC had a UPS.

The application designed by Microprocessor-Design has run continuously for several years. Its output data is used to estimate the magnitude of significant earthquakes and alert the duty seismologist in almost real-time.

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Other projects completed by Microprocessor-Design