franchise-star-trek-tng-technical-manual1

4.1 COMPUTER SYSTEM4.1.3 Optical data network interconnects between computer cores, main bridge, and other key systemsEngineeringHullopticaldatanetworkPrimaryHullopticaldatanetworkInterconnectumbilicalsODN network linksProtected ODN backup linkssors can be installed as needed to support mission-specificoperations.Virtually every control panel and terminal within the shipis linked to a subprocessor or directly into the optical datanetwork. Each active panel is continually polled by LCARS at30 millisecond intervals so that the local subprocessor and/orthe main core is informed of all keyboard or verbal inputs.Each polling inquiry is followed by a 42 nanosecond compresseddata stream, which provides panel update information.This data stream includes any requested visual or audioinformation for panel output.The network is specifically designed to permit independentoperation of remaining system elements in the event of a widevariety of partial system failures.Short-range RF data links are available throughout theship to provide information transmission to portable andhandheld devices such as tricorders and personal accessdisplay devices (PADD).This integrated network of computers, subprocessors,and panels forms the "nervous system" of the ship and permitscontinuous realtime analysis of the ship's operating status.We realize quite well that the Enterprise computer system is definitely overpowered in terms of twentieth-century computingapplications. On the other hand, the history of computer technology has shown that each time a faster, more powerful computerbecomes available, useful applications quickly follow to take advantage of the new machines, which in turn spurs computerdesigners to build still more powerful machines. One might expect that such trends will yield enormously powerful computers,which one might reasonably hope may significantly enhance the quality of life, as they apparently do for the men and womenof the Enterprise.