The subject “Digital Electronic Systems” deals with the implementation and validation of control algorithms and automatisms on microprocessor-based digital systems. Suppose that the ABS braking system of a vehicle has to be programmed on a digital support. It is necessary to generate the code to be executed ---manually or automatically--- and to validate it ---debugging--- by means of appropriate tools. The course has no prerequisite in the syllabus. However, its development is closely linked to the following previous subjects of the “Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering”, which it is recommended to take previously:



- “Fundamentals of Computer Science” ---first year of the degree---, since it lays the foundations of programming that are used in “Digital Electronic Systems”, and



- “Digital Electronics” ---first quarter of the third course---, which deals with basic concepts ---information unit, binary and hexadecimal systems, memories, buses, etc.--- on which the present course is based.



On the other hand, "Digital Electronic Systems" is also related to other compulsory subjects, all of them in the third year of the degree:



- “Industrial Informatics”, due to the fact that in it different hardware platforms and programming languages are studied with which to implement control algorithms in digital systems.



- “Automatic Regulation”, since the control algorithms designed in this subject are those that will later be implemented in various digital electronic systems to close a control loop.



- “Electronic Instrumentation”, since it provides the precise knowledge in the fields of sensorics, signal conditioning stages and data acquisition systems, essential to ensure the correct operation of an automatic control system based on digital electronic systems.



Emphasis is placed on the “Automatic Regulation” + “Digital Electronic Systems” binomial. Their continuity in time ---they are taught in the first and second semesters, respectively--- allows to propose and apply a methodology of design and implementation of controllers called Model-Based Design (MBD), used in areas of engineering as demanding as the automotive or aerospace industry. In the subject “Automatic Regulation”, students are trained in the design and validation of controllers following the steps suggested by the MBD and using the appropriate tools. Subsequently, in part of the subject “Digital Electronic Systems”, the remaining tasks of the MDB are developed, consisting of the automatic generation of code and its validation through the relevant tools. In this way, students will be trained in the design and implementation process of a controller from start to finish.



Regarding the elective subjects taught in the fourth year, "Digital Electronic Systems" is closely linked to "Digital Control", whose main objective is to analyze and design control systems that operate natively in digital systems.



Finally, as far as professional practice is concerned, the course is focused so that the graduates have the necessary skills to integrate, in the automatic industrial process that requires it, the necessary digital electronic systems. The areas of activity that could be considered in this field are as follows: implementation and programming of embedded systems, programming of digital signal processors (DSPs), implementation of control algorithms, etc.

The objective of this course is the study and design of digital electronic systems based on microcontrollers, as well as their application to industrial process control. In order to achieve this objective, the following competences to be acquired are established:



- To know the fundamentals of digital electronic systems based on microcontroller, as well as their application in the field of industrial process control.



- To know in a precise way a development environment, in order to enable programming in high level language (C), debugging and execution of digital designs based on microcontroller.



- To integrate the information, obtained from different sources, related to an industrial process to be controlled, in order to reasonably deduce the basic guidelines for the selection of a microcontroller, as well as for the implementation of the hardware associated to it.



- To apply the microcontroller as a functional block for measurement and digital control of variables, in closed loop, in industrial processes.

THEORETICAL SYLLABUS



Lesson 0: Presentation of the subject

Specific competences. Theoretical and practical lessons. Evaluation method. Recommended bibliography. Justification of the microcontrollers used in the course.



Lesson 1: Architecture of an 8 bits Microcontroller.

Main functional blocks and buses. RAM memory map: general purpose area and special function register (SFR) area. Register banks. Stack operation analysis: stack pointer.



Lesson 2: Basic Input/Output Devices.

General purpose digital input/output ports. Associated SFRs. Wiring considerations. Current drivers. Basic traffic light example. Analog inputs and outputs: A/D and D/A conversions. Associated SFRs. Example of A/D conversion.



Lesson 3: Timers

Timer and counter concepts. General architecture. CPU clock signal generation. Associated SFRs. Operating modes. Timing example.



Lesson 4: Interrupts

Interrupt concept. Internal and external interrupt channels. Reset circuit. Enabling, prioritization and vectorization. Associated SFRs. Example with internal interruption: domestic alarm. Example with internal and external interrupts: washing machine.





PRACTICAL SYLLABUS



Practice 1: Introduction to the development environment and C programming of the 80C552 microcontroller. Editing. Compilation and linking. Simulation and debugging. Data types. Reminder of the main operators and programming structures of the C language. Basic exercises and use of masks. Exercises.



Practice 2: Programming of several traffic light variants.

Digital inputs/outputs. Simulation and debugging. Hardware connection and execution on the selected target.



Practice 3: Programming of an illuminated sign.

Table management. Simulation and debugging. Hardware connection and execution on the selected target.



Practice 4: DC servomotor shaft angular position control project.

Division of the proposed problem into different tasks. Resolution of each of them separately: A/D conversion, characterization of the adopted sensors, D/A conversion and implementation of the control law by means of an interrupt associated with the timing of the sampling period. Simulation and debugging. Hardware connection and execution on the selected target. Final integration. Programming of variable setpoints.



Practical 5: Implementation and validation of a DC servomotor shaft angular speed control algorithm using the MBD method. General concepts of MBD. Implementation and validation using MBD --- Sofware-in-the-Loop (SIL), Processor-in-the-Loop (PIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL)---.

Active teaching methodologies will be used; specifically, problem-based and project-based learning. On the one hand, real problems are posed, and solutions are given to them, in order to internalize the concepts worked on in the lectures. On the other hand, more complex problems (projects) are proposed in the laboratory, so that the students internalize the process for their management: division into simpler tasks, treatment and resolution of each one of them as an independent problem and integration of all of them to obtain the final resolution.

• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 30
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 20
  • Practical test in the laboratory (%): 50

The evaluation method of the course is “continuous evaluation” and will be based on three tests that will be developed to analyze if the students have reached the competences of the course, as follows:



- Written test in which the basic theoretical concepts worked on mainly in the theoretical lectures will be evaluated: 30% (3 points).



- Practical laboratory test in which more practical aspects of the subject, also worked on in the lectures, but above all in the laboratory practices, will be evaluated: 50% (5 points).



- Assessment of the practical project: during part of the practical laboratory sessions the students will work on a practical project that will be presented to them. The evaluation of this project will have a weight of 20% (2 points).



In order to pass the course, the grade obtained after adding the score of the three evaluation tests must be equal or higher than 5 points. Likewise, it is necessary to obtain at least half of the score given to the written test and the practical laboratory test. Namely:



- written test: 30% (1.5 points), and

- practical laboratory test: 50% (2.5 points).



In the case of passing only one test, the final grade will be a maximum of 4.



If any of the three evaluation tests are passed, but not all of them, the grade obtained in the parts passed will be retained until the extraordinary exam.





WAIVER OF THE ORDINARY CALL



Not attending any of the tests (written test and practical test) will mean the waiver of the evaluation call and will be recorded as "Absent".

The test that will be developed to analyze if the student has reached the competences of the subject in the extraordinary call will be divided in three different parts:



- Written part: 30% (3 points), and

- Practical laboratory part: 50% (5 points).

- Questions related to the practical project worked on: 20% (2 points).



In order to pass the course, the grade obtained after adding the score of the three evaluation tests must be equal or higher than 5 points. Likewise, it is necessary to obtain at least half of the score given to the written test and the practical laboratory test. Namely:



- Written part: 30% (1.5 points).

- Practical laboratory part: 50% (3.5 points).



In the case of passing only one part, the final grade will be a maximum of 4.



WAIVER OF THE EXTRAORDINARY EXAM



Not attending the exam will mean the waiver of the evaluation call and will be recorded as "Absent".

Support material in the eGela platform, consisting of:

- Slides used as support for the development of the theoretical and practical sessions.
- Scripts of the practices.
- Solutions to the programming exercises carried out during the theoretical sessions.
- Solutions to the programming problems posed in the practical lessons. They will be provided, deliberately, two weeks after their approach.

Basic bibliography

- Odant B. (1995). "Microcontroladores 8051 y 8052", Thomson Paraninfo.

- Schultz T. (2008). "C and the 8051", Wood Island Prints.

- Yiu J. (2013). "The Definitive Guide to the ARM Cortex-M3 and M4 Processors", Newnes.

In-depth bibliography

- INTEL (1994). "MCS 51 Microcontroller Family User's Manual".
- Barrón M. y Martínez J. (1999). "Aplicaciones Prácticas con el µc-8051. Programación en Lenguaje C", Disen-Educativos.

Journals

- International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education (IJEEE)
- ELEKTOR
- Automática e Instrumentación
- IEEE Transactions on Education

Web addresses

- Keil development tools for the 8051 microcontroller:
http://www.keil.com/c51

- NXP 80C552 microcontroller's development tools, evaluation boards, example codes, etc.:
http://www.keil.com/dd/chip/3104.htm

- Web site dedicated to the 8052 microcontroller:
http://www.8052.com

- ARM Cortex-M series web page:
http://www.arm.com/products/processors/cortex-m

- Software and Tools for Kinetis MCUs:
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/overview.jsp?code=KINETIS_SWTOOLS

- TWR-KV31F120M: Kinetis KV3x Family Tower System Module:
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=TWR-KV31F120M&lang_cd=en