Digital signal processor: a control element

Practical control systems increasingly use DSPs. DSPs have specialized high speed architectures and tailored instruction sets which execute in a single machine cycle; in addition, the hardware multiplier handles single instruction cycle multiply/add (accumulate) operations. DSPs are therefore geared for high-speed digital signal processing which is a basic operation in modern control algorithms. This paper overviews DSPs, reviews key features, and outlines processes for using DSPs in control applications.