T.J. Coggins, M.N. Cirstea, and A. Cuff (UK)
Industrial, Signal Processing, Data Control, VHDL,FPGA
The paper presents a signal processing industrial application: A new approach to the design of Integrated Circuits used in the fastflex range of products by Transmitton Ltd., a competitive manufacturer of industrial control equipment in UK. The company has embarked in a process of re-designing its products, using Hardware Description Languages (HDLs) and targeting re programmable devices - Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA's) for implementation. A sample case study of a Data Controller re-design is discussed. This makes the objective of ongoing research collaboration between the company and De Montfort University, UK. The novel design was modelled, simulated and evaluated using Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL). The advantages of applying this methodology consist of: i) using the same environment for modelling, design and implementation, ii) a computer platform independent model (VHDL files are ASCII files), iii) reusability of the model in different signal processing applications (in combination with other models to form complex controller systems) and v) rapid prototyping via FPGA implementation. The new university led approach aims to give the company important advantages in terms of commercial competitiveness, flexibility in the range of in-house developed products and short time to market for new products.
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