Closing the loop with inexpensive microcontrollers

The feasibility of using a commercially available microcontrollers for time-critical applications that require response times on the order of tens-of-milliseconds is addressed. A common type of positioning system with a desired response time of 60 milliseconds is analyzed with respect to the requirements imposed upon the microcontroller. Various means of digital compensation are compared, and it is shown that a simple control law can be very effective. The resulting difference equation is implemented on the Motorola MC68HC16 microcontroller in order to obtain system timing. The results of the study indicate that the newer generation of microcontrollers can be effectively used for all but the most demanding of control tasks.<
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