A Course in Microcomputers for Control Applications

A new course, Microcomputers for Control Applications, was offered in the Spring 1980 Systems Engineering program of the U. S. Naval Academy. The course emphasized the role of the microcomputer as a component in feedback control systems. The hardware for the course centered around the S100 bus system and included front-panel control, CPU, serial and parallel I/O, 8K RAM, 8K (capacity) ROM, 7-channel A/D-D/A, isolated I/O, programmable real-time clock, and CRT terminal. Various peripherals were available in limited quantity. Approximate prices are given to convey a feeling for the investment required. The support software consisted of a keyboard monitor evolved locally from the original SDK-80 version by INTEL, a cross assembler on the Naval Academy Time-Sharing system (NATS) which was developed as a midshipman project, and edit and file processing software on NATS, all of which aided in program development. The objectives of the course were that the student should write assembly language programs for real-time applications in an interrupt-driven environment, be exposed to interfacing techniques, and attempt to immerse the microcomputer in an analog environment. The programs developed during the course were added to the library routines of the program to enhance the laboratory and project facilities available for future midshipmen.