Development of complex systems for high-energy physics

The paper describes a new methodology that allows to design scalable complex control and data acquisition systems taking into consideration the additional, non-functional requirements of High-Energy Physics (HEP). Electronic systems applied in HEP often operate in difficult conditions. Access to such devices is difficult or even impossible. The HEP systems require high availability, serviceability and upgradeability. The operating conditions of these systems are even more difficult than for telecommunication devices. Therefore, a different methodology should be applied than for classical telecommunication systems, when designing electronics used in high-energy physics applications. The electronic systems also need a suitable hardware platform that assures high availability and allow to use mixed analogue-digital signals. The author made an attempt to develop a new methodology suitable for designing of complex data acquisition and control systems of HEP. The Low Level RF (LLRF) system of European Free Electron Laser (EXFEL) and Image Acquisition System (IAS) prototype developed for ITER tokamak are presented as examples of complex electronic systems that were designed according to the proposed methodology.