Design of closed-loop controller ASICs

The implementation of modern electronic systems involves many interleaved design issues, not at least the degree to which the functionality is to be partitioned between the hardware and software domains. By considering the design process and where the design partition is achieved, then alternative methods that may produce performance improvements are possible. This paper will discuss a number of the hardware and software design issues involved in the implementation of closed-loop single-input single-output (SISO) control systems and to show how integrated circuit (IC) design methods can be used to help define the functions performed in both hardware and software. It is shown how suitable application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) technology can be applied to the area of control engineering. This results in a useful alternative to traditional software based techniques in the design of hardware based customized processors performing the functions of a digital controller on a single device and without the need for any embedded software.