Implementation of intelligent instrumentation and design conceptions using suitable single chip FLASH controllers

This article deals with the implementation of intelligent concepts for electronic instrumentation in technical systems. The focus is on the separation of real-time sensor-actuator nodes and the human interface device (HID) incapable of real-time operations. For the implementation of this concept, single chip FLASH controllers are particularly suitable, e.g. ADUC831. It offers the possibility to realize data acquisition and controlling at a minimum of space required. Furthermore, it holds a non-volatile program and data memory (FLASH) which optimally supports intelligent data distribution concepts (R. Rohrer, 1991). A crucial point in the evaluation of such a single chip FLASH controller is the continuity of the used design environment. This means that optimal support of the software-engineering process is desired, ranging from coding to testing (debugging). The article at hand presents in its introduction a short precise of an intelligent concept of instrumentation (R. Rohrer, 1991), shows a practical realization of a sensor-actuator node and finally discusses the continuity of the development environment which at the same time optimally supports the constitutive part of the testing and debugging procedure.