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Pulse Width Modulation and independence — Parallax Forums

Pulse Width Modulation and independence

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2004-04-22 23:22 in General Discussion
Hi there, my problem is I need to run a continuous PWM command,
whose' DUTY variable is calculated based on logic/program I created.
But, the PWM must be ran uninterrupted, and so therefore while the
program is calculating the appropriate DUTY cycle, the PWM command is
not being run. I need some kind of soution that involves a PWM
command running independandtly.

Short of purchasing another stamp to handle a continuous PWM command,
does anybody have any ideas?

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2004-04-21 18:32
    Viper,

    You need an independent PWM controller. There are many of them out there. I
    am using a Parallax PWMPAL on a robot, and it works great. One of the nice
    features is that it fits underneath the Stamp, and so consumes no real
    estate and requires no external connections. The down side is that certain
    pins on the Stamp HAVE to be dedicated to the PWMPAL, which could be a
    problem in an existing design.

    Jonathan

    www.madlabs.info

    Original Message
    From: "viper3558" <viper3558@y...>
    To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 9:30 AM
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Pulse Width Modulation and independence


    > Hi there, my problem is I need to run a continuous PWM command,
    > whose' DUTY variable is calculated based on logic/program I created.
    > But, the PWM must be ran uninterrupted, and so therefore while the
    > program is calculating the appropriate DUTY cycle, the PWM command is
    > not being run. I need some kind of soution that involves a PWM
    > command running independandtly.
    >
    > Short of purchasing another stamp to handle a continuous PWM command,
    > does anybody have any ideas?
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    > Yahoo! Groups Links
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2004-04-22 01:58
    I think Al Williams has a PAK? that will run a continuous PWM

    ken
    =================================
    Hi there, my problem is I need to run a continuous PWM command,
    whose' DUTY variable is calculated based on logic/program I created.
    But, the PWM must be ran uninterrupted, and so therefore while the
    program is calculating the appropriate DUTY cycle, the PWM command is
    not being run. I need some kind of soution that involves a PWM
    command running independandtly.

    Short of purchasing another stamp to handle a continuous PWM command,
    does anybody have any ideas?


    [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2004-04-22 02:10
    What's a PAK and who is Al Williams?

    -Viper

    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, smartdim@a... wrote:
    > I think Al Williams has a PAK? that will run a continuous PWM
    >
    > ken
    > =================================
    > Hi there, my problem is I need to run a continuous PWM command,
    > whose' DUTY variable is calculated based on logic/program I
    created.
    > But, the PWM must be ran uninterrupted, and so therefore while the
    > program is calculating the appropriate DUTY cycle, the PWM command
    is
    > not being run. I need some kind of soution that involves a PWM
    > command running independandtly.
    >
    > Short of purchasing another stamp to handle a continuous PWM
    command,
    > does anybody have any ideas?
    >
    >
    > [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2004-04-22 02:11
    Hmm, this definately looks interesting. Thanks Johnathan.

    -Viper

    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Jonathan Peakall"
    <jpeakall@p...> wrote:
    > Viper,
    >
    > You need an independent PWM controller. There are many of them out
    there. I
    > am using a Parallax PWMPAL on a robot, and it works great. One of
    the nice
    > features is that it fits underneath the Stamp, and so consumes no
    real
    > estate and requires no external connections. The down side is that
    certain
    > pins on the Stamp HAVE to be dedicated to the PWMPAL, which could
    be a
    > problem in an existing design.
    >
    > Jonathan
    >
    > www.madlabs.info
    >
    >
    Original Message
    > From: "viper3558" <viper3558@y...>
    > To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    > Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 9:30 AM
    > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Pulse Width Modulation and independence
    >
    >
    > > Hi there, my problem is I need to run a continuous PWM command,
    > > whose' DUTY variable is calculated based on logic/program I
    created.
    > > But, the PWM must be ran uninterrupted, and so therefore while the
    > > program is calculating the appropriate DUTY cycle, the PWM
    command is
    > > not being run. I need some kind of soution that involves a PWM
    > > command running independandtly.
    > >
    > > Short of purchasing another stamp to handle a continuous PWM
    command,
    > > does anybody have any ideas?
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    Subject and
    > Body of the message will be ignored.
    > >
    > > Yahoo! Groups Links
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2004-04-22 02:33
    I keep missing the original posts, but yes, the PAK-Vc does 8 channels of
    full-time PWM. The PAK-VIII can also be coaxed into making very
    high-resolution PWM among other things (most people use them to drive RC
    servos, it seems).

    Regards,

    Al Williams
    AWC
    http://www.awce.com/pak5.htm




    Original Message
    From: smartdim@a... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=8BhfaH6ctTtoG0A0S_RjyPz_Ax9ocs0pPmbvtOsLA32zQP8AWofa_0EyS_pHcc-_cu-v78fm]smartdim@a...[/url
    Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 7:58 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Pulse Width Modulation and independence


    I think Al Williams has a PAK? that will run a continuous PWM

    ken
    =================================
    Hi there, my problem is I need to run a continuous PWM command,
    whose' DUTY variable is calculated based on logic/program I created.
    But, the PWM must be ran uninterrupted, and so therefore while the
    program is calculating the appropriate DUTY cycle, the PWM command is
    not being run. I need some kind of soution that involves a PWM
    command running independandtly.

    Short of purchasing another stamp to handle a continuous PWM command,
    does anybody have any ideas?


    [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.

    Yahoo! Groups Links
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2004-04-22 03:07
    Al Williams has his own company, which makes
    PIC co-processors to help people with the
    BS2. He calls each different co-processor
    a "PAK". Thus you have the PAK-I, PAK-II,
    etc. Each one fulfills a different purpose.

    I believe the PAK-8 is the PWM PAK. The
    problem with PWM is some chip has to sit there,
    generating a Pulse-Width Modulated signal
    continuously to drive electric motors. The
    PWM signal lets you speed up and slow down
    the motor.

    Since the BS2 is a single-tasking beast, it
    can only PWM one channel at a time -- which is
    a pain when you want to control two or more
    motors. Thus, the PAK-8 is controlled by a
    BS2, and it then controls the motor speeds.

    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "viper3558" <viper3558@y...>
    wrote:
    > What's a PAK and who is Al Williams?
    >
    > -Viper
    >
    > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, smartdim@a... wrote:
    > > I think Al Williams has a PAK? that will run a continuous PWM
    > >
    > > ken
    > > =================================
    > > Hi there, my problem is I need to run a continuous PWM command,
    > > whose' DUTY variable is calculated based on logic/program I
    > created.
    > > But, the PWM must be ran uninterrupted, and so therefore while
    the
    > > program is calculating the appropriate DUTY cycle, the PWM
    command
    > is
    > > not being run. I need some kind of soution that involves a PWM
    > > command running independandtly.
    > >
    > > Short of purchasing another stamp to handle a continuous PWM
    > command,
    > > does anybody have any ideas?
    > >
    > >
    > > [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2004-04-22 13:54
    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "viper3558" <viper3558@y...>
    wrote:
    > What's a PAK and who is Al Williams?
    >
    > -Viper


    I'm sure Al will offer more details, but he has written a few books
    on micro controllers as well as his current book on how to make home-
    brew circuit boards.

    He has developed what could be called support chips for the Stamp (as
    well as some other microcontollers)

    The PAC-(x) is a support chip that is really a separate
    microcontroller that runs in the background.

    The Stamp can look at all sorts of things, then tell the PAC-(x) to
    run one of the output channels of PWM at 43% duty cycle and the PAC
    chip will just run a constant PWM while the Stamp is off doing other
    things.

    Makes for a constant PWM output.


    Check out his website

    AWC
    http://www.awce.com/pak5.htm


    He also offers other support chips, here is the listing

    http://www.al-williams.com/compare.htm


    oh yeah, he posts a "Stamp Project of the Month" on here one or near
    the first of the month. A Free project if you want to experiment.


    I have no affiliation with Al, except to say I'm a satisfied customer.


    Dave
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2004-04-22 23:22
    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "viper3558" <viper3558@y...>
    wrote:
    > Hi there, my problem is I need to run a continuous PWM command,
    > whose' DUTY variable is calculated based on logic/program I
    created.
    > But, the PWM must be ran uninterrupted, and so therefore while the
    > program is calculating the appropriate DUTY cycle, the PWM command
    is
    > not being run. I need some kind of soution that involves a PWM
    > command running independandtly.
    >
    > Short of purchasing another stamp to handle a continuous PWM
    command,
    > does anybody have any ideas?


    This will just be a variation on some of the other posts suggesting
    an external PWM controller. If cheap and dirty is important, try one
    or more TL507 a/d converter chips which have a mode of operation
    where they give a very satisfactory PWM output when given an analog
    voltage in.
    What you do is use a stamp PWM out with a slightly larger than
    normal filter capacitor to give a voltage input to the 507. The
    voltage will remain stable while your stamp goes to do other things.
    See "The Forrest Mims Engineer's Notebook" from Radio Shack. If its
    not available, e-mail me directly and I'll send you some notes.

    Tom Sisk
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