Multi-vendor encoder position sensing interface using programmable IP based solution

The aim of this work is to look at a software programmable solution for multi-vendor encoders protocol in which TI utilizes "Three Channel Peripheral Interface (3CPI)" or general purpose inputs (GPIs)/general purpose outputs (GPOs) in programmable real-time unit subsystem and industrial communication subsystem (PRU-ICSS) on Texas Instruments AM24x/AM26x micro-controllers (MCUs) and AM64x processors [10] –[12]. Existing solutions are FPGA based which come with a few challenges like high power consumption, high cost, and latency in operating control loop. This approach cuts down huge amount of cost by not implementing with FPGA, but using programmable IP and offloading MCUs or processors CPU load via PRU-ICSS. It also has the capability to optimize control loop, by moving the position data after validation and post processing to the tightly coupled memory of CPU running control loop. This makes TI’s solution cost effective and low latency in terms of running control loop, highly flexible and scalable in terms of implementing multiple vendor encoder interfaces.