ELE Times March 2017 ELE Times | Page 38

PLAY
throughput this reduces the time taken to get into the
The structure of the compensator algorithm plays an important
compensator algorithm by 114ns . This is yet another way to
role in the time it takes to update the control output variable .
reduce the total latency in the control loop software . See Figure 4
With the alternate working registers , the algorithm can be written
for details on ADC early interrupt .
in such a way that the only required computations before
Another ADC module feature is the inclusion of multiple digital
updating the control output is to multiply the current error with
comparators that can be configured to give an interrupt when the
coefficient B0 and to add that to the accumulated output from
converted analog result is outside ( or within ) a given set of limits .
the previous cycle . Of course the backward normalization and
This may not seem like a feature that directly impacts the
clamping is still there but this will significantly reduce the control
sampling frequency , but it most definitely can . Fewer MIPS are
output write back time without requiring a dedicated
consumed when software is offloaded from the CPU and only
accumulator . Figure 5 shows an example of how the compensator
executed in a fault condition . This means that we may be able to
algorithm can be arranged to achieve the quickest update time .
increase the sampling rate of the control loop . This is highly
The control output write back time can now occur in less than
software dependent and not all applications may be able to take
300ns upon entering the compensator algorithm . It will become
advantage of this new feature . However , it can reduce the CPU
clear how this is useful in the following sections .
work load when it comes to examples like input voltage and
Now let us consider the impact of all these different features on
temperature monitoring .
phase erosion . In voltage mode control and average current mode
To reduce the time from ADC trigger to control output write back
control systems , it is possible to sample the output capacitor
even further the PWM ISR could be used instead of the ADC
voltage or inductor current at 50 % of the off-time . Most common
interrupt service routine ( ISR ) and the ADC early interrupt
approach is to sample at 50 % on-time to allow enough time to
feature . In a general use case , the PWM triggers the ADC to start
process the control algorithm before the start of the next PWM
conversion but now it will also generate its own interrupt event at
cycle . With all the features mentioned above it is easily possible
the same time . With the compensator algorithm placed inside the
to sample the control feedback signals during the off-time and
PWM ISR , the software will start executing the compensator
write back to control output before the start of the next PWM
algorithm before the current feedback data is available from the
cycle . Figure 6 shows the estimated duty cycle limits for an
ADC . There is roughly 143ns between software execution and
example implementation across switching frequencies while
completion of the ADC conversion . This means there needs to be
Figure 7 illustrates a timing diagram of 50 % off-time . The increase
a minimum of 10 instructions placed before reading the ADC
in phase margin is dependent on duty cycle but if averaged at
result buffer when the microcontroller is operating at maximum
50 % duty cycle the phase erosion drops by half compared to the
device frequency . If the compensator algorithm is structured in
50 % on-time measurement .
such a way that this technique can be used , it will reduce the time
taken to get into the compensator routine by 45 %. See Figure 4
for an early interrupt timing example with PWM interrupt service
routine . It is important to note that this method should only be
applied with the predictable timing of the dedicated SAR cores .
Figure 6 : Min / Max on time relationship for different trigger schemes
Figure 5 : 3P3Z Hardware Accelerated Compensator Block Diagram
The dsPIC33EP ‘ GS ’ devices feature an immediate update mode that when enabled will update the PWM parameters within the current cycle when the special function register ( SFR ) is also written . This applies to phase , period , deadtime and duty cycle all with a resolution of 1ns . In the 50 % off-time scenario , it was mentioned that the control output write back had to occur before the start of the next PWM cycle and this limits what the maximum on time is for a given switching frequency . With immediate updates enabled , this is no longer the case . This feature now allows duty cycle limits and / or switching frequency limits to increase even further which will help in reducing phase margin erosion once again . Figure 7 illustrates the timing for both
ELE Times | 38 | March , 2017