Control System Experiment:

Use of Microprocessors in Introductory

Control laboratory*
R. La1 Tummala
Department of Electrical Engineering
and Systems Science, Michigan State University,
East Lansing, MI 48824
ABSTRACT: Microprocessors have
been extensively used in the design of
real time control systems. To familiarize
the
students
with microprocessors,
several experiments are introduced in
our introductory control laboratory.
The purpose of this paper is ro give a
detailed description of rhese experiments.

Introduction
Theavailability
of lowcostmicroprocessors created a great dealof interest
inthedesignofmicroprocessor-based
controlsystems.Tofamiliarizethestudents with the microprocessor control, a
set of new experiments are added to the
introductory control laboratory at MichiganStateUniversity
[ I ] . In theseexperiments, the microprocessor is used to
acquireanalogdata
by interfacingan
analog to digitalconverter: to outputa
digital data which if used in conjunction
withadigitaltoanalogconverter,
providestheanalogoutput;tocontrolthe
position ofa D.C.Servomotor;andto
control the speed of a stepper motor. The
purpose of this paper is to give a detailed
description of these experiments and the
equipment used.

in theseexper-

1) MEK 6800D2 Evaluation Kit

available from the Motorola Corporation
shown in Fig. 1,
2) An experiment board shown in Fig.
2, and
3) A position servo system with data
acquisition board shown in Fig. 3.
MEK6800D2evaluationmodule
built
around a 6800 microprocessor is a twoboardsystem withahexkeyboardand
display. It also contains
simple
a
*Received April 14. 1982. Accepted
by
Associate Editor G . H . Hostetter.

20

Experiments

Fig. 2. Experimentboard used for microprocessor interfacing experiments.

Equipment
Theequipmentused
iments consists of

Fig. I . Assembled MEK 6800D2 kit

Phillips Controls, Cheshire, Conn., part

#K-82701);
and
driver
a SAA1027
(North American Phillips Control Corporation),ananalogtodigitalconverter
(part #AD571K, Analog Devices, Inc.),
andadigital
to analogconverter(part
#NE50 18. SigneticsCorporation).The
block diagram is shown in Fig. 4.
The positionservosystemshown
in
Fig. 3 is a locally built system with off
the shelf components and28V permanent
magnetD.C.Servomotormanufactured
by Electro-craftCorporation,Hopkins,
Minn. [2]. Thesystemwasdesigned
in
sucha waythatstudentscanperform
bothanaloganddigitalcontrolexperiments.Theblockdiagram
is shownin
Fig. 5.

monitoring system called JBUG, random

accessmemory (RAM) andparallelinput/output.TheJBUGmonitor
lets the
userentermachinelanguageprograms,
debugthemandexecutethem.The
kit
also contains a serial interface which can
beusedinconjunctionwithacassette
tape recorder for storing programs. The
parallel I/O chip,calledaPeripheral
InterfaceAdapter(PIA),actuallycontainstwo 8 bit I/O portsfortheusers
interface. When assembled, the kit providesafullyfunctionalmicrocomputer
system and performs an adequate job
in
the microprocessor control experiments.
Theexperimentboardconsistsofa
12Vsteppermontor(NorthAmerican

The students begin these experiments

MEK
by gainingfamiliaritywiththe
6800D2using
thedocumentationprovidedwiththesystem
by the manufacturer.
They
learn
the step-by-step
procedure
to
enter
machine
language
programs, debug and execute them using
the JBUG monitor [3].
Experimentsdealing withthemicroprocessor interfacing are performed next.
In thispart,thestudentsinterfacethe
microcomputertotheexternaldevices
usingtheperipheralinterfaceadapter
(PIA) chip. The PIA, which is housed in
a 40 pin package, has two separate eight
bidirectional data busses usually known
as Port A and Port B for interfacingto the
outside
world.
The
16 bidirectional
input/output lines may be programmed to
act either as imput or output lines. The
datadirectionregister
is used for this
purpose(seeFig. 6) [4]. Thefollowing
experiments are performed by interfacing
thevariouscomponentsontheexperiment board and the microprocessor (Fig.
7).
a) Initialization of PIA
This is animportantpartofallthe
experimentswherethe
16 bidirectional

control systems magazine

Fig. 3. PositionServosystem:

lines of PIA are defined as inputs and/or

outputs.
For
example,
the
program
shown in Fig. 8 defines all 8 data lines of
PORT A as inputs and the 8 data lines
of PORT B as outputs.
b) Display different bit patterm on LED
array
Usingtheinitializationprocedurein
part (a), the 8 data lines, PBO-PB7, that
are connected to the LEDs through the
buffer on the experiment board (Fig! 4)
are set up as output lines. The desired bit
patternsareoutputtedusingtheperipheral data register in the PIA. A sample
program is shownin Fig. 9. This program
outputs0,1,2,. . ., etc.intheconseca
utiveorderon
PBO-PB7 lineswith
delay of specified duration.

( I ) Microcomputer, (2) Controller, ( 3 ) Motorandgears,and

(4) Power supply.

is determined by the following

rpm (0)
relations:
Frequency =

#steps

rev

60

-* - Hz

(1)

Since the stepper motor we have chosen

has 48 steps per revolution [ 5 ] , we get:

The program is given in Fig. 10.

d) Data acquisition
This experiment teaches the students
to
interface A/D andD/Aconverters,
an
important
part
of the
microprocessor
controlsystem.Thestudentswritea

Fig. 4. Block diagram of the experiment

board shown in Fig. 2.

c) Speed control of stepper motor

In
this
part, the
speed
control
of
stepper motoron the experiment board is
controlled by outputtingavariablefrequency square wave. The microcomputer
is thus used as variable
a
frequency
square wave generator. Even though one
of the PIA data lines can be used for this
purpose, it is decided to use one of the
control lines such as CB2 (Fig.6 ) in bit 3
followingmode.Thedesiredfrequency
of the square wave for a given speed
in

Fig. 5 . Block diagram of the position Servo system shown

in Fig. 3 .

8 DATA
LINES FROM
PERIPHFR~L

program to read an analog voltage using

an A/D converter into microprocessor at
adesiredsamplingrateandoutputthis
value to a D/A converter.The COMeCtions
are
shown
in Fig. 11. In
this
program, "PORT A" is set up as an 8 bit
input port, and "PORT B" is used as an
8 bitoutputport.Use
ofinterrupts are
introduced.The flow chart ofthisprogram and the listings are shown in Fig.
12
and
Fig.
13. The
input
to
the
A/D
converter is asinewaveofagiven
frequency.Thesamplingfrequency,is
vaned to observe the aliasing effects.

DATA
LINES FllOM
PERlPHERIl

CONTROI
LINES

K":;;"":"T",/"'"

I IVES

rj
RSO = 0

fl
RS1 = 0
CRA2 = 0

REGISTER A

CONTROL

REGISFER E

"0'

"1

'

INPUT

OUTPUT

- GRD
- PWR
l+5!

REGISTER
A

INTERRUPT
RESET
READ
A TO hlPU

RSl = 0
I
)7

"
\/

OR
WRITE R E G 8
l SDTA
t HT A
SELECT
FROM
LINES
TO PAPU
MPU

REGISTER B
F;

ENABLE

/ - "%
-

hlPU FROM
ADDRESS
LINES

RS1 = 1
= 1

INTERRUPT L-"-f
E TO hlPU
CHIP
SELECT
FROM hlPU
ADDRESS
LINES

Fig. 6 . Internal architecture of Peripheral Interface Adapter (PIA). [4]

Experiment using Position Servo system

In this experiment, the microcomputer

is introduced in the control loop of the
position servo system as shownin Fig. 5.
The voltage of the output potentiometer
whichrepresentstheoutputposition
is
an
inputted to the microcomputer through
analogdigitalconverter(Fig.
14). The
desiredpositionisenteredviathekeyboardasadigitalvalue.Themicrocomputer computes the error between the
output position and the desired position.
Thiserror is thenused
to generatea
control signal which is converted into an
analog form withadigitaltoanalog
converter and applied to the inputs of the
15).
amplifiersdrivingthemotor(Fig.
Thecontrolsignalgeneratedcan
bea

Fig. 7. Experimental board andthe microprocessor.

22

control systems magazine

Memory Loc (HEX)Instruction (HEX)

Comments
Losd ACCA with zero

0000

86

0002

B7 8005

Enable Data Direction

Register A

0005

B7 8007

Enable
Direction
Data
Register B

00

B7 8004

0008

PAO-PA7 lines are

inputs

FF

OOOB

86

OOOD

B7 8006

PBO-PB7 lines are,

outputs

Memory Loc (HEX) Instruction (HEX)

0000

86

0002

B7 8007

0005

86

0007

B7 8006

Enable DDRB

OOOA
Fig. 8. PIA Initialization.

Memory Loc (HEX)Instruction (HEX)

0000

86

0002

B7 8007

0005

86

0007

B7 8007

OOOA

CE HHHH

OOOD

09

OOOE
00 10

30

26

Comments

30

FF

Define PBO-PB7 as
outputs

04
86

oooc

B7 8007

OOOF

86

0011

B7 8006

0014

CE

0017

09

0018

26

OOlA

4c

00 1B

20

Enable Peripheral
data register B

01

Output "1" on the

PBO-PB7

CB2 = 0

34

CB2 = 1

Delay = 2

FD

86

0011

B7 8007

CB2 = 0

0015

CE HHHH

T
Delay = 3

0018

09

0019

26

OOlB

7E 0005

Comments

00

HHHH*
Delay
FD
Increment ACCA
Branch t o 0011

F4

*H = Hex number
Delay = 1 3 Sec.
~ multiplied by the decimal value equivalent
of the hex number, HHHH
Fig. 9. LED program.

FD
Jump to 0005

Fig. 10. Stepper motor control program.

DAC

ANALOG
VOLTAGE
OUTPUT

JI
GND
Fig. 11. Interfacing ADC and DAC to the microprocessor.

Memory locations 0000-000F contain the program t o set up PAO-PA7 lines as

inputs and PBO-PB7 as outputs (see Figures).

21PFJ0-PB7 as WIPUIS
31CA2 line as Output
41Clea1 ntermpls

B?
86

neby a

sarnpk lime

Fig. 12. Flow chart for data acquisition

using ADC and DAC.

2E

Memory Loc (HEX)

Instruction (HEX)

0010

86 04

0012

B7 8005

Enable peripheral
- data Register A

0015

87 8007

Enable peripheral
data Register B

0018

B6 8004

Clear Interrupts

OOlB

86 34

OOlD

8005

0020

3C

0022

B'7 8005

0025 34

86

0027

B7 8005

002A

B6 8005

002D

Comments

Output a convert
pulse on the CA2
line

Conversion complete?

FB

002F

B6 8004

Read the output of

AID and clear i n t e r
rupts

0032

B7 8006

Output the value on

PBO-PB7

0035

CE .HHHH

0038

09

0039

26 FD

003B

7E OOlB

Delay

Jump to 00 1B

_____

Fig. 13. Data acquisition program.

simple multiple of the error or the result

of complex
a
controlalgorithmprogrammed
microprocessor.
into
the
Studentswriteprogramstocontrolthe
position and study the effects
of sampling
period on the
system
response.
An
example is shown in Fig. 15 and Fig. 16.
Advanced
students
program
complex
such as PID and
control
algorithms
digital equivalents of a n a l o g compensating networks and determine
the effects
of these on the system response.

Concluding Remarks

I
Fig. 14. Data acquisition board associated withthe position Servo.

24

The
experiments
described
in
this
papercomplement
verywellwiththe
other experiments in the lab dealing with
the analog control systems [I], and form
a basis to understand and design real time
control systems using a microcomputer.
We found that this can be done
witha

control systems magazine

ZIPBb-PB7 as outputs
3)Clearinterrupts

(HEX)
Instruction
Memory
Loc
(HEX)
Comments

-V
Outputaconvertpulseona

Memory locations 0000-0031 contain the same program as g i v e n i n F i g u r e 14

Desired position is stored in location 0080. Actual position is stored in
l o c a t i o n 0081.

CA2 line

97

0032

Store
a c t ut ahle

81

position
96

0036

C90o m p4u1t e

0038

B7

003A

C EH H H H

003DDelay

09

003E

26

on P B W B 7 lines

0040

7 E OOlB

&+
Determine the error between the
desired position and the actual
position

Output the error

80

0034

Loop

8006

the e r r o r
Otuhtep u t

error

FD
Repeat

Delay (sample time)

Fig. 16. Program

Fig. 15. Flow chart for position control

minimal
comouter
background.
Many of
the students are motivatedbythis
experience and pursue further work in the
form of independent study. This usually
and construction of
involves
the
design
microprocessor
based
systems.
Typical
Phillips
Controls,
Cheshire,
student projects in the past included the
microprocessor controlled growth chamb e r a n d 3 DOF mechanical manipulator.
~~~

[3] MEK
6800D2
Evaluation
Manual.

Motorola Corporation.
[4] R. Bishop,Basicmicroprocessorsand
the 6800, Hayden
Book
Company,
1979.
[SI Data
sheets
from
North American
CT.

References
R . L. Tummala,1980.Control
Systems
Lab
Manual.
Departnent
of
Electrical
Engineering
and
Systems
Service,
Michigan
State
University,
East Lansing, MI.
[2] D . C . Motors, Speed Controls, ServoSystems, AnEngineeringHandbook by
Electro-craft
Corporation,
Hopkins,
1978. MN.
Technology.
of Institute
Madras
ing from
[I]

February 1983

R. La1 Tummala
(S66-M70) was
born in Pamarru. India, on May 22.
1944. He received
the B.Sc. degree in
mathematics,
a pn hd y s i c s ,
chemistryfromAnd h rUa n i v e r s i t y .
Naltair.
India.
the
D.M.I.T.degree
in
electronicscngineer-

for position control.

Madras,India,theM.Tech.degree
in industrial electronics from the Indian Institute
of Technology,Kharagpur,India,andthe
Ph.D.degree in electricalengineering
and
systems science from Michigan State Unircrsity,EastLansing,
in 1961,1964, 1966, and
1970. respectively.Since I966 hehasbeen
with Michigan State University, where he has
beenResearchAssistant,Human
ILearning
Research
Institute
(1966-1967). Kesearch
Assistant, Department of Electrical Engineering (1967-1970), and Rcsearch Associate. EnvironmentalSystemsProgram,
Division of
Engineering
Kesearch
(1970-1972). He i5
prcsently an Associate
Professor
in the
and
Department of ElectricalEngineering
Systems Science and the Department of tintomology.Hiscurrentresearchinterestsarc
in
digital
control.
robotics
and
\ystems
modeling. He is the author of soera1 papers
in theseareas.Dr.Tummala
is aSenior
Member of the Kobotics intcrnational o l the
Society 01 1.Ianufacturiny tingincsrr.

25