In IEEE Std 960-1989, IEEE Standard FASTBUS Modular High-speed Data Acquisition and Control System, mechanical, signal, electrical, and protocol specifications are given for a modular data bus system, which, while allowing equipment designers a wide choice of solutions, ensure compatibility of all designs that obey the mandatory parts of the specification. This standard applies to systems consisting of modular electronic instrument units that process or transfer data or signals, normally in association with computers or other automatic data processors. IEEE Std 1177-1989, ZEEE FASTBUS Standard Routines, defines standard software routines for use with the sys...

FASTBUS is a standardized modular data-bus system for data acquisition, data processing, and control. A FASTBUS system consists of multiple bus segments that can operate independently, but link together for passing data and other information. FASTBUS can operate asynchronously using a handshake protocol to reliably accommodate different speed devices without prior knowledge of their speed. It can also operate synchronously without handshake for transfer of data blocks at maximum speed.

Complex systems such as FASTBUS are more easily understood if the specifications are accompanied by general descriptive material that places the details of the various parts of the system in perspective. Hence, this section presents an overview of the principal characteristics and operations of FASTBUS. Most of the ensuing sections contain, in addition to the mandatory parts of the specification, descriptions of the usage of the features being specified. Section 2 contains the definitions of words that have a special meaning for FASTBUS systems. The symbols used in diagrams to designate various parts of a FASTBUS system are defined and a list of commonly use...