CONSIDERATIONS ON A VXI BASED DIGITAL IMAGE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

In 1992 the International Atomic Energy Agency established the IAEA Integrated Safeguards Instrumentation Programme (FSIP) which provides a conceptual framework to guide new equipment development activities. One of the main goals of PSIP is to define the optimum structure of future safeguards equipment inventory that would enable the integration of containment, surveillance and unattended radiation monitoring modules for application in facilities with complex safeguards systems. This approach implies a modular equipment structure in both hardware and software. In December 1993, a Consultants Meeting concluded that the VXI instrument bus (VXIbus) standard [1] does not appear to have any technical limitations that will inhibit the use of FSIP and should be considered the first choice for future safeguards equipment. The Agency's development plan for Digital Image Surveillance (DIS) is part of the PSIP and has defined the need for 'distributed systems', i.e. for multichannel surveillance systems, which should accommodate the integration aspect and meet requirements for both mail-in of recorded information to the Agency and remote surveillance. The paper describes the basic considerations that have led to the selection of the VXI bus to be used for such a system including the different modules emphasizing the integration issue.