Embedded Processors
Our work in the applications of embedded processors to electronic systems began in the late 1960's. At that time we developed a custom stored-program microprocessor chip from PMOS LSI standard cells and incorporated these devices into a highly successful government K-box program. By the late 1970's the microprocessor revolution began in earnest. Today the norm is to use firmware controlled microprocessors in place of random logic whenever possible.
Xecon Engineers have a wealth of experience in this area. We have incorporated embedded processors into avionic fire-control systems, industrial controllers, spacecraft payload management hardware, scientific devices, and sophisticated communication processors.
We are capable of designing electronic systems with virtually any of the popular microprocessor devices available today. Our principal processor of choice for small scale system applications would either be a member of the 8051 family, the Atmel AVR family, or one of the PIC Microprocessors available from Micro Chip International. The 8051/52 type devices are now available complete with on-board re-programmable flash program and EEPROM data memories. Additionally several semi-conductor vendors offer an 8051 type microprocessor as a core to their family of Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLD). The 8051 family has possibly been the one of the most widely used 8-bit devices in the world.
Larger and more complex signal processing and communications hardware will often require devices having wider word lengths and specialized instruction sets. We have used the Motorola 68000 family of devices in a series of communications and telemetry processors constructed for NASA while working with Advanced Telecommunications, Los Angeles, CA. We have also worked with advanced Digital Signal Processor (DSP) chips from both Texas Instruments and Analog Devices.
Xecon also has developed several proprietary real time operating systems (RTOS) for the use in systems that we design. The RTOS is generally the most critical part of any embedded processor application. A well designed RTOS is essential to a projects successful completion.
The XEP198 Controller is a recent embedded system that was especially designed to perform field de-rotation, filter selection, and focusing for an Alta-Azimuth type telescope. It has been successfully operating on the 61 cm Newtonian Telescope at the Hobbs Observatory (750) in Fall Creek, Wisconsin since 1998.
One of our newest embedded system design efforts is the XEP12K CCD Camera Control System. It has been configured to perform the imaging of low intensity Astronomical objects. The device employed is a thinned back illuminated CCD chip containing 1-million, 24-micronsquare pixels arranged in a 1024 x 1024 array. The camera controller accepts high level commands from the main computer and carries out the detailed electronic processes required to gather and return high quality images to the user. Processes such as Dark Frame Fielding, Bias Measurements, Focusing, Full or Partial Frame Imaging, and Drift Scan (Time Delay imaging) are provided. The device is intended to be used at the Hobbs Observatory in conjunction with the SkySearch Project.
We are capable of designing electronic systems with virtually any of the popular microprocessor devices available today. Our principal processor of choice for small scale system applications would either be a member of the 8051 family, the Atmel AVR family, or one of the PIC Microprocessors available from Micro Chip International. The 8051/52 type devices are now available complete with on-board re-programmable flash program and EEPROM data memories. Additionally several semi-conductor vendors offer an 8051 type microprocessor as a core to their family of Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLD). The 8051 family has possibly been the one of the most widely used 8-bit devices in the world.
Larger and more complex signal processing and communications hardware will often require devices having wider word lengths and specialized instruction sets. We have used the Motorola 68000 family of devices in a series of communications and telemetry processors constructed for NASA while working with Advanced Telecommunications, Los Angeles, CA. We have also worked with advanced Digital Signal Processor (DSP) chips from both Texas Instruments and Analog Devices.
Xecon also has developed several proprietary real time operating systems (RTOS) for the use in systems that we design. The RTOS is generally the most critical part of any embedded processor application. A well designed RTOS is essential to a projects successful completion.
The XEP198 Controller is a recent embedded system that was especially designed to perform field de-rotation, filter selection, and focusing for an Alta-Azimuth type telescope. It has been successfully operating on the 61 cm Newtonian Telescope at the Hobbs Observatory (750) in Fall Creek, Wisconsin since 1998.
One of our newest embedded system design efforts is the XEP12K CCD Camera Control System. It has been configured to perform the imaging of low intensity Astronomical objects. The device employed is a thinned back illuminated CCD chip containing 1-million, 24-micronsquare pixels arranged in a 1024 x 1024 array. The camera controller accepts high level commands from the main computer and carries out the detailed electronic processes required to gather and return high quality images to the user. Processes such as Dark Frame Fielding, Bias Measurements, Focusing, Full or Partial Frame Imaging, and Drift Scan (Time Delay imaging) are provided. The device is intended to be used at the Hobbs Observatory in conjunction with the SkySearch Project.
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