Table of Contain 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 RAPID CONTROL PROTOTYPING ............................................................................. 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 Component of RCP System..............................................................................................

2 Advantages of RCP .......................................................................................................... 4

List of Figures Figure 1.1 RCP Strucutre ................................................................................................................ 1 Figure 1.2 Three Idiots .................................................................................................................... 2 Figure 1.3 RCP System Component ............................................................................................... 3 Figure 1.4 RCP flow ....................................................................................................................... 4 Figure 1.5 Auto Code Generation ................................................................................................... 5 Figure 1.6 HIL ................................................................................................................................ 6 Figure 1.7 Model Validation ........................................................................................................... 7

1 RAPID CONTROL PROTOTYPING

1.1 Introduction
Rapid control prototyping (RCP) is a control design method where testing of a new controller is done first in simulation environment and, then converted with aid of automatic code generation to a prototype controller that can be used in field testing.[1] Rapid control prototyping exploded onto the US automotive market in the mid-1990s. It was a welcome solution for managing the increasing complexity of the control engineer's task. Rapid control prototyping is now the typical method used by engineers to develop and test their control strategies. Rapid control prototyping was first used for developing power-train control strategies. It has since been adopted industry wide in applications such as anti-lock braking, antiroll, vehicle stability, active cruise control, and torque distribution.[1] Rapid control prototyping is growing in other industries as well. The aerospace industry is second in size and is growing in the application of this technology. Applications such as Full Authority Digital Electronic Controller (FADEC) strategy development for jet engines, active braking systems, flight control systems, navigation systems, Un-manned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and tracking systems. Rapid control prototyping is also used in medical device development and in industrial automation applications such as servo-control.[2]

Figure 1.1 RCP Strucutre

1.2 Component of RCP System

Basically its made of 2 words Rapid Prototyping and Control Meaning of rapid prototyping as per WIKI is Rapid prototyping is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model of a physical part or assembly using three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) data. While control stands for control strategy selected for control the system or plant. As said in definition of rapid prototyping its combination of techniques a typical rapid control prototyping system is comprised of the following components.[2] A math modeling program such as Simulink,Scicos,Xcos. A real-time target computer. These are typically embedded computers with I/O such as analog, digital, and serial. A host PC with communications link to target computer. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) application control and monitor the real-time process.

Figure 1.2 Three Idiots 2

Figure 1.3 RCP System Component The rapid control prototyping (RCP) process consists of the following phases: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Modeling of the plant in simulation environment. Model validation, if model based control strategy is used. Designing/Developing a control strategy in simulation environment. Testing the prototype version of the control system against the simulation model. Testing the prototype version of the control system in the real plant using I/O block set.

6. The build process is invoked. This process does the following: a. The control strategy is read and an automatic code generator renders compile-able C-code. b. The C-code is cross compiled and linked with target specific code such as a scheduler, I/O routines, and communication routines specific to the real-time target. c. The end result is an executable program for the target computer. 7. Using a Graphical User Interface (GUI) program the executable is downloaded to the target. The program can now be controlled and instrumented by the GUI program.

Figure 1.4 RCP flow The GUI application is the user's window into the real-time operation of the control strategy. Variables can be monitored, graphed, or logged. The strategy can be altered only by tuning gains but the structure of the strategy cannot be changed. For example, if you had a PI controller and you wanted a PID controller you would have to change the model and repeat the build process.

1.3 Advantages of RCP

1. Auto Code Generation Automatic code generators are personal computer (PC) applications that read math model files and generate compile-able code that replicates the behavior of the control strategy. Auto-code is probably not what people think it is. A common misconception is that auto-code tools generate executables for downloading to an ECU. This is not the case. Autocode tools are C-code (or FORTRAN, or ADA) file generators. They will, for instance, generate code corresponding to a model of an idle speed strategy, but the integration of the resulting Ccode into the ECU is a task left to the user. [2]. Automatic code generation speeds up significantly the iterations in control system design because the time-consuming manual coding phase of the algorithms is left out.[1]

Figure 1.5 Auto Code Generation A limitation of this advantage is that code generator is not artificially intelligent (yet!). It needs guidance from the user to determine how to generate code. It is possible to set default data types and generate code, but this will not result in optimal code. At a minimum the user must specify the data types of the input variables. The data typing is typically variable width (# of bits), sign, and precision. The width can be 8, 16, or 32 bit. The sign is signed or unsigned. The precision is number of bits past the decimal for fixed point data types. Note that C-code language typing (i.e. double, Char, Int, Uint, etc.) is ambiguous and depends on the compiler. The auto-code generator needs the types explicitly defined.[2]

2. Hardware- in Loop Hardware-In-the-Loop is a form of real-time simulation. Hardware-In-the-Loop differs from pure real-time simulation by the addition of a real component in the loop. This component may be an electronic control unit (ECU for automotive).The current industry definition of a Hardware-In-the-Loop system is shown in Figure. It shows that the plant is simulated and the ECU is real. The purpose of a Hardware-In-the-Loop system is to provide all of the electrical stimuli needed to fully exercise the ECU. In effect, fooling the ECU into thinking that it is indeed connected to a real plant.[1]

Figure 1.6 HIL The benefits of a Hardware-In-the-Loop system are that open loop or stimulus boxes were no longer suited to testing ECUs. Why? First off, the ECUs were closing dynamic controls loops to manage, say, fuel mixture. Open loop stimulus-boxes cannot test dynamic closed loops. Second, automated methods were needed to test and verify all the features of the ECU. Hardware-In-the-Loop systems typically have the ability to automatically run through tests automatically. Another benefit of Hardware-In-the-Loop is that testing can be done without damaging equipment or endangering lives. For instance would be an anti-lock braking (ABS) simulation at performance extremes. If simulated, the performance of the ABS system can be evaluated without risk to the vehicle or operator. [2]

3. Validation of the Model

The plant model was validated by giving the same step input sequence to the plant and to the model. No feedback was used, only open-loop control. The differences in the outputs were observed in order to evaluate the quality of the model. Simulink and Real-Time Workshop were used to create the measuring and controlling software. The Simulink block diagram that is shown in Figure was made for model validation purposes. The block labeled Reference builds a sequence of step inputs that is used as the test input. The plant model was implemented as a transfer function. The plant is represented by analog input and output blocks that correspond to the outputs and inputs of the I/O board in the target PC. Real-Time Workshop was 6

used to create program code in C from Simulink models and Microsoft Visual Studio C/C++ compiler to produce executable code which is uploaded to the target PC that runs it in the real-time operating system.

Figure 1.7 Model Validation