To enable the Argus hardware platform to offer the flexible options described, it is constructed on a modular principle. This means that fast analog inputs, fast analog outputs, digital inputs/outputs and slow analog inputs can all be plugged into the system in the form of modules. All data is brought together on a digital high-performance signal processor (DSP) on which the actual technical work associated with signal processing is performed, e.g. a specialist control or monitoring algorithm is run here.

Further processing, e.g. storage or display of data, is performed on the standardized Argus software platform. This software is divided into three application programs, Argus Host, Argus Online and Argus Trend. Argus Host chiefly comprises an interface program which receives data from the DSP, aggregates it and then backs it up on a storage medium or distributes it via network to workstations. Argus Online is used to display the data and can be run on any PC workstation, receiving data from Argus Host via the network and displaying it in real time. Argus Trend software handles post-processing and analysis of stored data.