No real new documentation on the Pic-Flyer,  but my PIC projects section has a new "advanced servo control techniques and algorithms" page.

 

While brainstorming I came up with a way to control more servos with less processor time (processor time being measured in percentages of one full second.  I may have found a way to control lots of servos, more than 12, and only use 24% of the processor!  I did this by coming up with this great idea:

 

Instead of "looping" to generate timed delays, why not just use some advanced interrupt handler to make better use of that wonderful tmr0.  The interrupt would work like this:

 

Begin interrupt (triggered by timer0 every 18mS)

   

    reload timer0 to overflow in 1mS

    Set the pulse output pin high and an interrupt_flag high

    Return from interrupt

 

    Main-line code

 

    Begin interrupt again (1mS later)

    Check to see if flag is high

        If so, generate the rest of the delay "manually" (If you are using a *really* fast processor, 20MHz, try         generating the entire pulse with an interrupt.

    Once the delay is over, set the output pulse low.

    Set up timer0 to return control in another 18mS

Return from interrupt

 

In a nutshell, the entire idea is to provide more execution time to the main-line code, in the PICFlyer, my servo controller must also handle 2-wire serial communications, ( a later project. )

 

I posted the document to illustrate a technique I though would be a good contribution to the list.  Speaking of the list, could someone please append my name and site to David Tait's, now defunct, list of hobbyists?

 

Login: at www.intcon.net/~jrclay

Goto: PIC Projects

Goto: Servo Controllers and algorithms

 

I have not yet posted the code for the Serial-Parallel controller, just a single servo controller,  I am still working the the method described above

 

Myke P. : Your comments please.