Measurement and data acquisition system including a real-time monitoring circuit for implementing control loop applications

A data acquisition system for implementing control loop operations, the data acquisition system comprising:

• a plurality of subsystems, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of subsystems are operable to provide a plurality of timing signals for the data acquisition system;
• and
• a data acquisition device coupled to the plurality of subsystems, the data acquisition device comprising:
• a real-time monitoring unit operable to receive the plurality of timing signals and to select a control loop timing signal out of the plurality of timing signals, wherein the real-time monitoring unit comprises:
• a first edge detector unit operable to receive the control loop timing signal and detect a significant event in the control loop timing signal indicating a start of a time period allotted for completion of the control loop operation, wherein the real-time monitoring unit is operable to determine whether the control loop operation is performed within the time period.

A method for implementing control loop operations in a system, wherein the system comprises a plurality of subsystems and a real-time monitoring unit, the method comprising:

• the plurality of subsystems providing a plurality of timing signals to the system;
• a real-time monitoring unit receiving the plurality of timing signals from the plurality of subsystems and selecting a control loop timing signal out of the plurality of timing signals;
• detecting a significant event in the control loop timing signal indicating a start of a time period allotted for completion of the control loop operation;
• and
• the real-time monitoring unit determining whether the control loop operation is performed within the time period.