FPGA Central

Can I use an FPGA to control a programmable pwer supply..if so are
there any such implementations already available..or if it is a
feasible idea...any feedback greatly appreciated..
thnks

On a sunny day (21 Jan 2006 05:18:15 -0800) it happened [email protected]
wrote in <[email protected] .com>:

>Can I use an FPGA to control a programmable pwer supply..if so are
>there any such implementations already available..or if it is a
>feasible idea...any feedback greatly appreciated..
>thnks
>
Eh... maybe wrong... you can use a FPGA you can use even a trained monkey.
If the result is what you want depends in the case of the FPGA on the
programming, same for the monkey.

And on the interface too.... monkey should be able to twiddle knobs,
FPGA output should be compatible with power supply control input.

Jan Panteltje wrote:
> On a sunny day (21 Jan 2006 05:18:15 -0800) it happened [email protected]
> wrote in <[email protected] .com>:
>
> >Can I use an FPGA to control a programmable pwer supply..if so are
> >there any such implementations already available..or if it is a
> >feasible idea...any feedback greatly appreciated..
> >thnks
> >
> Eh... maybe wrong... you can use a FPGA you can use even a trained monkey.
> If the result is what you want depends in the case of the FPGA on the
> programming, same for the monkey.
>
> And on the interface too.... monkey should be able to twiddle knobs,
> FPGA output should be compatible with power supply control input.

You do not need an fpga for this but

With PWM , simple closed loop control and a LC filter can solve your
problem.
A FPGA adds 7 segment display, a few buttons to adjust voltage manually
or
even RS-232 control is very feasable.
ok you have a fpga then you can make it multiple output power supply.

Just for fun add sinusoidal outputs to make it universal.(Again PWM)

yusuf

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] oups.com...
>
> Jan Panteltje wrote:
>> On a sunny day (21 Jan 2006 05:18:15 -0800) it happened
>> [email protected]
>> wrote in <[email protected] .com>:
>>
>> >Can I use an FPGA to control a programmable pwer supply..if so are
>> >there any such implementations already available..or if it is a
>> >feasible idea...any feedback greatly appreciated..
>> >thnks
>> >
>> Eh... maybe wrong... you can use a FPGA you can use even a trained
>> monkey.
>> If the result is what you want depends in the case of the FPGA on the
>> programming, same for the monkey.
>>
>> And on the interface too.... monkey should be able to twiddle knobs,
>> FPGA output should be compatible with power supply control input.
>
> You do not need an fpga for this but
>
> With PWM , simple closed loop control and a LC filter can solve your
> problem.
> A FPGA adds 7 segment display, a few buttons to adjust voltage manually
> or
> even RS-232 control is very feasable.
> ok you have a fpga then you can make it multiple output power supply.
>
> Just for fun add sinusoidal outputs to make it universal.(Again PWM)
>
> yusuf

Could do the same with a pic or even a cpld

Alex Gibson wrote:

> > You do not need an fpga for this but
> >
> > With PWM , simple closed loop control and a LC filter can solve your
> > problem.
> > A FPGA adds 7 segment display, a few buttons to adjust voltage manually
> > or
> > even RS-232 control is very feasable.
> > ok you have a fpga then you can make it multiple output power supply.
> >
> > Just for fun add sinusoidal outputs to make it universal.(Again PWM)
> >
> > yusuf
>
> Could do the same with a pic or even a cpld
Well, Sunday, and was just thinking about this a bit,
In ANY case, when using FLASH based ROm or a FLASH based FPGA
(and you will likely want a AD converter and these new Actel FPGAs
have
one build in... then do the PWM.....
* B U T *
We all know FLASH does not hold for ever, I have some PSU that are 20
years
old and still work fine.
So that begs the question WHAT will happen when a bit goes wrong in the
EEPROM
or FLASH FPGA?
It *could* kick your programable FPGA output to max volts no curent
limit !
So I think that in case of a FLASH based micro controller, or FPGA (so
not an analog
solution, or ROM based ) one MUST provide a second circuit 'crowbar'
and in this case
'programmable crowbar'.

Then from that POV one should actually do the PWM and compare in
analog, and only
use the FPGA output to perhaps set some switches to select voltage
range.
You *can* specify 20 years max usage in your documentation, but if the
thing
blows up 1M$ lab equipment one day later I wonder if they could sue
you.

As for the OP .. his question implies zero knowledge of FPGA and likely
electronics.
So I referred to monkeys to explain it.

Sunday .... it is going to be very cold here too this week......

[email protected] wrote:
> Alex Gibson wrote:
>
> > > You do not need an fpga for this but
> > >
> > > With PWM , simple closed loop control and a LC filter can solve your
> > > problem.
> > > A FPGA adds 7 segment display, a few buttons to adjust voltage manually
> > > or
> > > even RS-232 control is very feasable.
> > > ok you have a fpga then you can make it multiple output power supply.
> > >
> > > Just for fun add sinusoidal outputs to make it universal.(Again PWM)
> > >
> > > yusuf
> >
> > Could do the same with a pic or even a cpld
> Well, Sunday, and was just thinking about this a bit,
> In ANY case, when using FLASH based ROm or a FLASH based FPGA
> (and you will likely want a AD converter and these new Actel FPGAs
> have
> one build in... then do the PWM.....
> * B U T *
> We all know FLASH does not hold for ever, I have some PSU that are 20
> years
> old and still work fine.
> So that begs the question WHAT will happen when a bit goes wrong in the
> EEPROM
> or FLASH FPGA?
> It *could* kick your programable FPGA output to max volts no curent
> limit !
> So I think that in case of a FLASH based micro controller, or FPGA (so
> not an analog
> solution, or ROM based ) one MUST provide a second circuit 'crowbar'
> and in this case
> 'programmable crowbar'.
>
> Then from that POV one should actually do the PWM and compare in
> analog, and only
> use the FPGA output to perhaps set some switches to select voltage
> range.
> You *can* specify 20 years max usage in your documentation, but if the
> thing
> blows up 1M$ lab equipment one day later I wonder if they could sue
> you.
>
> As for the OP .. his question implies zero knowledge of FPGA and likely
> electronics.
> So I referred to monkeys to explain it.
>
> Sunday .... it is going to be very cold here too this week......

Hi, you mean that flash memory isn't reliable, the same feeling to me.
:-)

But, when using flash-based fpga, you only need to read the
configuration data from flash memory and load them to configuration
sram once at the moment of power up. I think this would not a problem
even for such critical system. what do you think about it?

Best regards,

Wicky