Prototyping of the trigger-matching software for the NA62 data acquisition upgrade

The NA62 experiment aims to precisely measure the rare kaon decay K+ → π+ ν &barnu;. The data acquisition system must thus withstand a huge rate of signals produced in the particle detectors and reduce the flux of data through a multi-level trigger system. The actual detector readout is designed to buffer the data produced and send it out only when a trigger is received. This system has some drawbacks: buffering the data requires relatively complex electronics near the detector that is subject to single event upsets induced by radiation. Furthermore, the buffer memory is limited and the trigger response must arrive in a fixed amount of time. The new readout system will address those issues introducing a new readout board coupled with an external server to buffer the data. This paper describes the readout upgrade and reports a study on the trigger-matching software performances.