Title :
Application-Specific Instruction-Set Processor for Control of Multi-Rail DC-DC Converter Systems
Author :
Mooney, James ; Mahdi, Abdulhussain E. ; Halton, Mark
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electron. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
Abstract :
Conventional digital signal processor (DSP) based digital controllers are not specifically optimized for multi-rail DC-DC converter applications. A new application-specific instruction-set processor (ASIP) that overcomes the shortcomings of existing controllers has thus been designed, implemented, and evaluated. The proposed dual multiply-accumulate (MAC) architecture has been implemented using a field programmable gate array and verified in a closed-loop power converter system. The benefits of the proposed ASIP are illustrated through a comparison with a conventional single MAC processor architecture. Experimental results demonstrate improved output voltage transient response compared with existing DSP-based controllers when controlling multiple DC-DC converters. In the case of multiple converters that have a non-integer switching frequency ratio more significant improvements in transient response are obtained due to the processor´s interrupt controller.
Keywords :
DC-DC power convertors; application specific integrated circuits; closed loop systems; digital control; digital signal processing chips; field programmable gate arrays; instruction sets; microcontrollers; programmable controllers; transient response; ASIP; DSP-based controllers; MAC processor architecture; application specific instruction set processor; closed-loop power converter system; digital signal processor based digital controllers; dual multiply-accumulate architecture; field programmable gate array; multirail DC-DC converter systems; noninteger switching frequency ratio; output voltage transient response; Delay; Digital signal processing; Process control; Registers; Signal processing algorithms; Switches; Application-specific instruction-set processor (ASIP); DC-DC power conversion; digital control; programmable control;
Journal_Title :
Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TCSI.2012.2215783