Objective Until now, a lot of work has been done on microprocessors and their associated macrocells. But only few of them were done for the systems which include all the analog, digital and power cells on a single chip. Thanks to the new BCD technology from SGS-THOMSON which integrates microcontroller and power, it is possible to study a component applicable to the large market of mechatronic systems.Based on Thomson-CSF patent and with the co-operation of Citroën for its low cost hydraulic technology, a new type of proportional servo-valve has been developed. It contains a hydraulic spool, a housing, a torque motor and its electronic control. To decrease the price of the electronic part for large quantities, the partners of the project intend to develop an on-chip microcontroller based system. This one runs the inner command/control loop of the servo-valve.The component contains a microcontroller, an oscillator, a timer, memories, an analog to digital converter to process the sensor input, digital I/O and a serial peripheral interface, a pulse width modulator and a power full bridge to drive the torque motor of the servo-valve, and a voltage regulator to supply the chip and the sensor.The end user, STILL, one of the main European manufacturers for handling, provides requirements concerning the type of control, the performances, ... Thomson-CSF specifies the needed characteristics of the on-chip system: i.e. timing, computational power, memory sizes, ...The design phase of the component is managed by SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics. The most difficult work is to find the best trade-off for the combination of the digital and analog parts of the on-chip system, specially in the use of emerging smart power technology which combines both microcontroller and power components. The CAN macrocell is studied by Silicon Systems Design.At the same time, and to assess the design choices, the simulation of the VHDL model, delivered by SGS-THOMSON, of the chip in its physical environment is conducted by Thomson-CSF.During the manufacturing phase, a mock-up of the designed system is realised to validate the application software.After a stand alone validation of the servo-valve controlled by the chip, the whole device is put up on a lift-truck to control the hydraulic actuating cylinders. Then, STILL conducts the experiments and provides an assessment report. The availability of the studied component allows:- the reduction of the servo-valve target price for large quantities, to access the wide automotive market area.- the benefit for all the other market areas: handling, industrial, public works, avionics, to use a lower cost servo-valve. Fields of science engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcomputer hardwarecomputer processorsengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicsmicroelectronicsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloidsnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applications Programme(s) FP4-ESPRIT 4 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of information technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 5.1 - OMI Technology Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Thomson Csf EU contribution No data Address Boulevard Haussmann 173 75 008 Paris France See on map Total cost No data Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Sgs-Thomson Microelectronics Italy EU contribution No data Address Via C. Olivetti 2 20041 Agrate Brianza See on map Total cost No data Silicon Systems Design Ltd Ireland EU contribution No data Address Sth Leinster St. 10-11 Dublin 2 See on map Total cost No data Still Gmbh Gabelstapier Germany EU contribution No data Address Berweliustrasse 10 22113 Hamburg See on map Total cost No data
