MICROPROCESSORS IN PROCESS CONTROL

Abstract

Improvelllents in LSI technology have resulted in the development of the Microprocessor. The evolution of micro processor architecture during the past decade has progressed at an incredible pace. From the primitive 4004 in 1971 to the present spectrum of sophisticated microprocessors, the growth has been swift, dramatic and revolutionary. Today's products possess astonishing computational capabilities. In this article, the architectural features of a few commercially available 16-bit microprocessors are discussed. Trends in VLSJ technology are also indicated. The idea of computer control of processes is not new; but, the availability of the microprocessor made the embed ded systems flexible, reliable and econolllically viable. The use of the microprocessor in programmable logic controllers, data acquisition and alarm annunciators, direct digital control, supervisory control and on-line estimation are discussed. The trends in control algorithm development to suit the microprocessor, distributed control, and the issues in soft ware for real-time applications are also presented.