Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Question about PWM — Parallax Forums

Question about PWM

For the triangle PWM, would it be better to grab the next value to output at the beginning of the ramp UP, or at both the UP and DOWN beginnings? I think BOTH would be preferrable, as it increases the potential feedback rate for closed-loop systems, but I wonder what you guys think about this. Thanks.

Comments

  • cgraceycgracey Posts: 14,133
    edited 2015-12-11 22:39
    Also, about the sawtooth PWM:

    Since down-counters are cheaper than up-counters, where a comparison must be made, is it okay if the PWM has a constant OFF edge and a variable ON edge?

    I would expect to see a constant leading edge and a variable trailing edge, but it takes less logic (using down-counters) to make the leading edge variable and the trailing edge fixed. What do you say?
  • cgraceycgracey Posts: 14,133
    I have a really good feeling about these smart pins. They are going to make the chip WAY more useful for real-time I/O. They really aren't that complex, either. I'm estimating about 200 flops per smart pin.

    The DIR signal is used to reset each smart pin, where 0=reset and 1=go. This way, you could configure a whole bunch of pins for, say, some common PWM frame size, and then start them all up synchronously by raising their DIR signals together. For example, we can get dual-output triangle PWM by configuring any two pins with the same frame size and then starting them together using DIR.
  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,126
    cgracey wrote: »
    I would expect to see a constant leading edge and a variable trailing edge, but it takes less logic (using down-counters) to make the leading edge variable and the trailing edge fixed. What do you say?

    No problem for the simple individual PWMs. Go for it.
  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,126
    I presume the sawtooth uses a chunk of the triangle flops (with just some different logic)?
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 13,797
    Maybe just me, but I have no idea what triangle PWM is good for...
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2015-12-12 00:01
    Constant leading vs. trailing edges are equivalent if the output polarity is programmable. IOW, invert the output of constant-trailing-edge, and you get constant-leading-edge.

    -Phil
  • cgraceycgracey Posts: 14,133
    edited 2015-12-12 00:14
    Rayman wrote: »
    Maybe just me, but I have no idea what triangle PWM is good for...

    It's good for differential drive with dead space.
  • For the triangle PWM (up-down counter), you must read the new value at both the top and the bottom in order to have constant dead-time between the primary and diode switches.

    For the sawtooth, it's fine (even preferable, I think) to use down-counting and have a constant off.

    For both of these, is it going to be possible to have constant phase differences between pins ?

    For example, with the sawtooth, with a 512-clock period, having 3 other pins that hit zero 128, 256, and 384 clocks relative to the first one. With the triangle, again with a 512-clock period, could you have 3 other pins that started up-counting 128, 256, and 384 clocks after the first one ?

    I can do this with the P1 (relative to the system counter), although it takes a dedicated cog for every 2 pins.
  • cgraceycgracey Posts: 14,133
    altosack wrote: »
    For the triangle PWM (up-down counter), you must read the new value at both the top and the bottom in order to have constant dead-time between the primary and diode switches.

    For the sawtooth, it's fine (even preferable, I think) to use down-counting and have a constant off.

    For both of these, is it going to be possible to have constant phase differences between pins ?

    For example, with the sawtooth, with a 512-clock period, having 3 other pins that hit zero 128, 256, and 384 clocks relative to the first one. With the triangle, again with a 512-clock period, could you have 3 other pins that started up-counting 128, 256, and 384 clocks after the first one ?

    I can do this with the P1 (relative to the system counter), although it takes a dedicated cog for every 2 pins.

    Just raise their DIRs at the desired initial offsets and they will stay that way.
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    cgracey wrote: »
    For the triangle PWM, would it be better to grab the next value to output at the beginning of the ramp UP, or at both the UP and DOWN beginnings? I think BOTH would be preferrable, as it increases the potential feedback rate for closed-loop systems, but I wonder what you guys think about this. Thanks.
    That increased feedback is an illusion, as both the rise and fall generate edges, and it needs a full cycle to see the effect in a SMPS.

    Update once per period would mean the relative slice points stay in phase, whilst update twice means the Rise and Fall edges can skew, briefly.
    I think users would prefer a system with just two values, the old and new, not a 3rd value in the mix as well.

    How many capture/compare channels are there per counter ?

    If there are two, there is a case for update of both compare set points on the same single period edge.
    (ie there may be an aditional delay on the first-loaded value, before they both update.

  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    cgracey wrote: »
    For example, we can get dual-output triangle PWM by configuring any two pins with the same frame size and then starting them together using DIR.

    What about the handling of timing of update of the compare set-points of multiple phases of counter ?

  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    cgracey wrote: »
    Also, about the sawtooth PWM:

    Since down-counters are cheaper than up-counters, where a comparison must be made, is it okay if the PWM has a constant OFF edge and a variable ON edge?

    I would expect to see a constant leading edge and a variable trailing edge, but it takes less logic (using down-counters) to make the leading edge variable and the trailing edge fixed. What do you say?

    The Pin can flip polarity, so this is tolerable.

  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    edited 2015-12-12 01:51
    cgracey wrote: »
    The DIR signal is used to reset each smart pin, where 0=reset and 1=go. This way, you could configure a whole bunch of pins for, say, some common PWM frame size, and then start them all up synchronously by raising their DIR signals together.

    Can this map to more than just Ctr Reset ? (related to Q above)

    ie be used as an ARM or GO signal, applied to capture or compare registers.

    In use, that would allow queued Compare writes to as many channels as the user wanted, and then the ARM_GO updates all those values on the next (common) period end.

    For Capture, the same signal would be ARM for (one shot) capture on the next-edge of multiple channels.
    Reciprocal counters need such paired captures, where the next Fin edge captures both Time and Cycles.



  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,126
    It seems to me the streamer could do wonders in resolving many of these synchronised updating concerns.
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    evanh wrote: »
    It seems to me the streamer could do wonders in resolving many of these synchronised updating concerns.
    I'm not following - the streamer streams, one data block after the other, so it is good for high speed data transport, but not so good for same-edge sync-updates.

    Sync-updates need to apply on the same clock edge, across multiple pin-cells.

    What Chip mentioned above around Reset-Start is great, as that can same-clock signal to many pin cells (up to 32?) but it needs to be able to mux-out to more than just RST.
    Typically for PWM you would hold counters in reset, load compares, and then release reset once, but need to update all the compares on the same edge. A simple MUX scheme would support that.
    For counters, you could start counters from 0, and then arm many captures for the net trigger event, then read the results, and arm again.
    Capture of Duty and Period needs 2 registers - I'm unclear if one counter has 2 captures, or if two counters running in sync are needed.
    Guess that depends on if the Pin cell is per-pin, or per pair-of-pins.




  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,126
    The streamer could handle all that. The main feature in this context being how it handles multiple channels, up to four per Cog, in parallel.
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    evanh wrote: »
    The streamer could handle all that.

    I can see one context where the streamer could couple nicely with Smart pins, and that is as a high speed Event capture.

    Consider a time-stamp logic anaylzer - instead of some fixed sample rate, this captures a Bit-pattern and a time-stamp, which gives them natural compression and very wide dynamic range.

    As in the above Frequency Counter use case, this needs two captures from the same event edge, one from Pins, and one from a timebase counter.

    The streamer would transfer 2 (16b or 32b?) capture values, and wait for the next event.
    (ie Streamer here clocks twice per external event, not at a fixed rate)

    Highest allowable edge rate is set by possible pin filtering, and the streamer ability, but down to 2 SysCLKS spacing on events looks doable. Any edge has a 1 SysCLK resolution.

    Most other smart pin uses like PWM or Capture or Frequency Counting, or UARTS etc have far more modest update rates, but they could use the sync-many feature discussed above.


  • There are many different ways to define a PWM signal and how it can relate to a complementary or phased PWM signal, but all methods that I have seen so far rely on the processor clock to accomplish the PWM. Is there any thought in a dynamic pin driven approach that is separate from the processor clock?

    Here is an example ... you have two inputs that could be quadrature, but for the sake of the example lets say that they are not quadrature, but at the same time you want to detect the precise lead or lag between the two pins, ... ok, so a simple complementary nor gate configuration can determine what leads or lags, and here is where the PWM comes in ... by XORing the two inputs you can detect the amount of error or difference in lead or lag by way of a PWM from the output of the XOR. If you "gate" this operation with a processor clock you get unwanted propagation delays from the clock cycle that degrade the dynamic quality and sensitivity of the circuit.

    The Video I have here uses a very similar circuit to the one below with a classic Wheatstone derivative. Although the video suggests a metal detector approach, the principle can be applied towards MANY other sensor arrangements as well as signal comparisons. ... just to give an idea, the sensor used in the video is a chip inductor that measures 1mm x 1mm x 2mm in it's physical size. The amount of inductive deflection by an external metal or magnet source is less than 10% of the inductors value.



    WEATSTONE.jpg






  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    Here is an example ... you have two inputs that could be quadrature, but for the sake of the example lets say that they are not quadrature, but at the same time you want to detect the precise lead or lag between the two pins, ... ok, so a simple complementary nor gate configuration can determine what leads or lags, and here is where the PWM comes in ... by XORing the two inputs you can detect the amount of error or difference in lead or lag by way of a PWM from the output of the XOR. If you "gate" this operation with a processor clock you get unwanted propagation delays from the clock cycle that degrade the dynamic quality and sensitivity of the circuit.

    Are you asking here for another pin-mode ? - Along the lines of an ASYNC XOR, or a Configurable Logic (simple gates/FF) as found in Microchip and SiLabs MCUs ?

    I think Async Invert (for Pin oscillators) is there already, but a Async XOR could certainly be useful.

    I have seen clever things done with P1 Counter PLLs (missing on P2) and they allowed Async signal generation, and even phase sweep by deliberately wobbling the reference so lock was never settled.
    This allowed external XOR approach, and by measuring over a large number of samples. and assuming the clocks were never locked, you can calculate the fractional times, down to sub ns.



  • "Are you asking here for another pin-mode ? - Along the lines of an ASYNC XOR, or a Configurable Logic (simple gates/FF) as found in Microchip and SiLabs MCUs ?" - you have the right idea
  • cgraceycgracey Posts: 14,133
    Async XOR could be done in the pad, outside of the synthesized logic.
  • Async XOR would be fantastic, Chip
  • rabaggettrabaggett Posts: 96
    edited 2015-12-12 14:32
    +1 for any asynchronous CLC-like functionality that will fit without complicating other things.
    Down count triangle PWM is very, very, good. Triangle with the individual deadtimes is better tho.
    Most power pwm is higher voltage anyway. there are many I and H bridge drivers with built in deadtime.
  • For me the biggest advantage of "triangle" pwm is that the center of the PWM pulse happens at a fixed point in time. If you sample current or voltage with an ADC synchronous with the PWM, disturbances at the PWM frequency alias to DC. If you sample in the center of a PWM pulse, you can make these aliased DC components negligibly small. This lets you measure current or voltage pulse to pulse with far less need for an anti-alias filter.
  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,126
    Good point Lawson. I guess that means there is a certain amount of amplitude proportional phasing going on with the simple sawtooth timers.
Sign In or Register to comment.