Inputs and Outputs:

The signals between the Microcontrollers and the Physical Plant will generally be analog and be processed by the A-D and D-A subsystems of the microcontrollers for the input and output signals, respectively. The software will determine the state of the Physical Plant by interpreting the input signals, and will, in turn, control the Physical Plant by sending appropriate output signals.

The software containing the control algorithms will be downloaded to the microcontroller platforms via serial (RS-232) interfaces. These serial interfaces will also be used to perform real-time monitoring of the software execution as well.

Within the PC, data will be exchanged between various software packages and programs. The control system modeling and simulation software will generate C, and possibly assembly code. This source code will then be processed by the C compilers for the AC-104 and Motorola Microcontrollers correspondingly. The machine language output from the compilers and assemblers will then be downloaded to the appropriate microcontroller in the monitor programs.

Use this excerpt from the Functional Description for a description of overall system operation:

This project involves the development of a tool to facilitate the development of real-time embedded control systems. The system will consist of three primary subsystems. The first subsystem is a PC with software tools for generating and compiling C and assembly code and software for modeling and simulating control system models in real-time. The second subsystem is an AC104 hardware platform which will be used primarily to verify the control algorithms within the code generated by the PC's software. The AC104 system will control a physical system such as an engine subsystem or electrohydraulic implement. The third subsystem is a Motorola microcontroller that will be used to test the production, hand-tailored code. The Motorola microcontroller will need to run a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS).

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