Implementation of digital control algorithms

The application of conventional 8 and 16 bit microcomputers to control systems is now well established. Such processors have general purpose (usually Von Neumann) architectures which make them applicable to a wide range of tasks, though not remarkably efficient in any. In control applications such devices may pose problems such as inadequate speed, difficulties with numerical manipulation and relatively high cost for the completed system. This latter being due to both the programming effort and the cost of the peripheral hardware. These problems may be overcome by the design of specially tailored architectures, provided that there is a sufficient volume of production to carry the overheads inherent in this approach. Special purpose I/O processors and signal processors are examples of applications where dedicated design has been successfully applied.