White Papers
FPGA Design and Verification in Mechatronic Applications
The biggest challenge in using FPGA devices may be one of methodology. FPGA designers are familiar with HDL-based requirements-driven design methodologies for digital electronics. But how can requirements be expressed for a system that, while it contains digital elements, is fundamentally non-digital? Fortunately an executable HDL exists that extends the capabilities of the digital VHDL language. VHDL-AMS language is an undiscovered asset for FPGA designers - a powerful tool to define and verify requirements in a non-digital context.
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Simulating Vector Controlled Induction Motors Using Space Vector Modulation
Motion control system development poses many challenges for conventional simulation tools. Not only are these systems extremely complex, but they traverse both technology (domain) boundaries, as well as analog/digital boundaries. Conventional simulation tools cannot adequately deal with these diverse modeling requirements. The SystemVision simulation tool supports full featured model development and simulation at both high and low levels of model abstraction, as well as embedded software and FPGA capabilities. This paper illustrates the development of a comprehensive vector-controlled induction motor drive system, using SystemVision for the development/simulation of all designs.
Mechatronic System Integration and Design
While today’s multi-discipline mechatronic systems significantly outperform legacy systems, they are also much more complex by nature—requiring close cooperation between multiple design disciplines in order to have a chance of meeting schedule requirements, and first-pass success. Mechatronic system designs must fluently integrate analog and digital hardware—along with the software that controls it—presenting daunting challenges for design teams, and requiring design processes to evolve to accommodate.
Simulation Provides Key to Explosive Automotive Design Challenges
Not only has the typical system design grown in overall size to accommodate ever-increasing demands for functionality and performance, but these designs must fluently integrate analog and digital hardware, as well as the software that controls it. Successfully integrating and verifying that system components work in concert with each other often proves to be costly in terms of time, money and engineering resources. And, at the same time, there is increased pressure to reduce development cycle time. In order to keep pace with these new realities, new processes and development tools are required. In particular, the development and intelligent use of computer models of these complex systems—once considered a luxury—are becoming critical to the success of the overall development process.
Modeling a Digitally Controlled Power Supply
Power supply designs are going digital. It is now common to see what would have once been a completely analog design incorporate some combination of DSP, microcontroller, and/or FPGA technologies. This paper illustrates how the SystemVision simulation environment can be used to design and analyze this class of power supply on a 150 X, 100KHz half-bridge converter and simulate all contributions from individual specialists together as one system.
How to Model Power Systems Using SystemVision
The vast majority of models required to simulate a typical system is relatively unsophisticated. Models can be developed by any engineer and do not require him/her to have extensive modeling training. This booklet introduces practical guidelines and specific techniques for developing and analyzing complex power systems with the aid of computer simulation.
CAN Bus Signal Integrity Design
VHDL-AMS (IEEE Standard 1076.1) provides hardware modeling capabilities that are well suited for CAN signal integrity analysis. This includes modeling the analog, digital and mixed-signal aspects of the transceivers, as well as the behavior of twisted-pair transmission lines, connectors and other components of the CAN Physical Layer. SystemVision supports both VHDL-AMS as well as traditional Spice modeling methods. This paper presents various modeling approaches applicable to the key hardware components of a CAN bus. It also provides examples of simulation-based techniques for CAN signal integrity design.
DO-254 Compliant Design and Verification with VHDL-AMS
The functionality and performance of modern military and aerospace systems has become heavily influenced by their electronic content. Consequently, selecting the right electronic components and choosing the optimal design methodology is vital in developing a successful product. The flexibility and capabilities of new digital components is still growing exponentially. The potential of these devices, however, cannot be fully (and safely) utilized without incorporating the latest design and verification methodologies. Design methodologies for mil-aero applications must consider the complexities of mechatronic systems. The VHDL-AMS language is an undiscovered asset for mil-aero digital designers - a powerful tool to define and verify safety-critical requirements in a non-digital context. This paper discusses the use of VHDL-AMS for safety-critical digital systems.
Lit Number: TECH7810-w
Combining ModelSim and Simulink in an Integrated Simulation Environment
SystemVision has the ability to effectively integrate compiled ModelSim libraries, Simulink block diagrams, and additional multi-technology design elements into a single simulatable system.
Improving Automotive EE Design with SystemVision
Gaps exist at critical junctures in the design process that work against creation of intelligent automotive electronic systems and networks capable of providing advanced functionality while remaining cost effective, reliable, and durable. Ultimately, encumbrances in the design process lead to systems characterized by quality problems in both hardware and software that are placing a heavy warranty cost burden on manufacturers. This paper illustrates gaps in the design process, discusses their effects on efforts to solve engineering problems, and examines how product quality and cost are affected. Finally, an approach is suggested that enhances control of design processes and improves decision making in view of an understanding of the diverse systems that make up the whole vehicle, while saving time, improving quality, and helping to control costs.