Omer Farook

Hardware software system design of a generic embedded controller for industrial applications

The paper deals with system design of an industrial controller with an embedded microcontroller. The controllers application could be customized for any specific needs. The paper dwells on the systems architecture, system hardware design and the customized software design relevant to the controllers functionality. The paper illustrates the customization of the generic controller for a specific task. The system monitors ambient temperature and then registers it on the LCD display. The system annunciates the ambient temperature in a synthesized voice. The paper demonstrates how the customized functionality is achieved in software and then ported into the controller. The systems software is designed through a program written in C language with embedded assembly language as and when needed. This software development methodology provides a structured programming environment which leads to modularity and lends portability to the code.

Software switch for motion controllers

A software switch is realized to achieve motion control using DC motors. The controller, utilizing an interrupt driven software switch scheme, is capable of implementing several real-time control strategies such as the continuously variable or discrete switching frequency control, continuously variable or discrete pulse-width control and phase control of PWM converters. The control methodology is adaptable to diverse industrial application settings. The switching scheme is implemented using the C++ language environment, on the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus based platform. Implementation in software, provides the capability of executing complex control schemes and supervisory functions which are easy to implement, update and adapt to different applications without much overhead.<<ETX>>