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From: danr@ais.org (Daniel Romanchik)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Dallas Semi Intelligent Sockets?
Message-ID: <==4+3H_@irie.ais.org>
Date: 28 Jan 91 17:23:00 GMT
References: <3222@naucse.cse.nau.edu>
Sender: danr@ais.org
Organization: UMCC, Ann Arbor, MI
Lines: 26

In article <3222@naucse.cse.nau.edu> rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu (Robert Wier) writes:
>
> A research group I'm involved with needs to put together a
> data logging system in a relatively short time.  We have a 
> number of single board computer systems which might fill the
> bill (one has 256K memory - sufficient for 80 days of readings
> or so), but it only has SRAM.  The research site is remote
> (out on the reservation, near Window Rock on the NM and AZ
> border), so we'd like to go out there and leave it to record
> data for at least a month unsupervised.  But we are concerned
> that dead batteries or other diasasters might cause us to lose
> ALL the data we've accumulated.  One possible solution is what
> Dallas Semiconductor calls Intelligent Sockets.  These are
> IC sockets which come with a lithium battery built in, which keep
> the memory chip powered up if the main vcc fails.  The stated
> life is between 5 - 10 years, depending on the chip selected.
> Alternately, they make actual memory chips with the battery
> built in (they call 'em non-voltile RAM).  

Another possible solution is to dump the data to an external device
if your single-board computer has a serial port.  ADPI (phone 
513-339-2241) makes a line of floppy and tape drives with  RS232
interfaces.  Don't know if they have battery-powered units, but I
wouldn't be surprised if they do.

Good luck,  Dan (danr@ais.org)