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Control Systems
Manages, commands, directs or regulates the behaviour of other devices or systems.
It can range from a home heating controller using a thermostat controlling a domestic boiler to large industrial systems which are used for controlling processes or machines.
Sensors
A device which reacts to different inputs from the external physical environment. It produces analogue signals which are sent to the ADC to be converted to digital signals which can be processed by the microprocessor.
Microprocessor
Flexible processor used for intensive computing such as in laptops, mobile phones etc.
Consists of just a CPU
Uses external bus to interface with RAM, ROM and peripherals
Microcontroller
It is used where the task is fixed and predefined, generally embedded systems.
Consists of a CPU, RAM and I/O interface all integrated into one chip
Uses an internal bus to interface with its own RAM and ROM
Actuators
A component of a machine that is responsible for moving or controlling a mechanism or system.
It turns digital data into physical movement.
Centralised System
A system that is located, stored, and maintained in a single location. If the location is compromised, the entire system is affected.
Decentralised System
A system in which components located on networked computers communicate and coordinate their actions by passing messages. The components interact with each other in order to achieve a common goal.
Transducer
A sensor that changes energy from one form to another. More technically converts a physical parameter into another form.
Can be used at the input (a microphone) or the output (a speaker) of a system. It receives a control signal from the microprocessor and extra power to produce a physical effect.
ADC
Analogue to digital converter (Sensor -> Processor)
DAC
Digital to analogue converter (Processor -> transducer)
Processor
The logic circuitry that respond to and process the basic instructions that drive a computer
Output transducer
A device that converts input energy of one form to output energy of another
Autonomous agents
They are self-governing computer programs which sense and read the environment and reach individually.
They sometimes cooperate to achieve their aims and usually run on their own agenda.
Input
Sensors capture analog data
Analog to digital converter
Coverts analog data into digital so it can be read by the CPU
Feedback
It occurs when a system changes the value that it senses. Value has to be kept within a range or threshold. Feedback regulates the variable to ensure that it remains within the specified range of values. Because the output changes the variable, inputs must repeatedly be taken.
If the variable exceeds the threshold, something will happen. If variable is below threshold, another thing will happen.
Distributed system
A system that is comprised of multiple autonomous computers which communicate and coordinate their actions using messages, as such they appear to be a single integrated computing system.
Distributed database
A database that does not reside on one computer but multiple computers which update each other asynchronously.
Embedded system
It is a dedicated, single-purpose computer system forming part of a larger mechanical device.
Input devices
This is a peripheral device used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer.
Centrally controlled system
It is a device or a set of devices to manage, command, direct, or regulate all elements of a system.
Device driver
It is a program that controls a particular type of device that is attached to your computer and are many times built into devices such as printers, displays, CD-ROM readers, and diskette drivers.
Process control
An engineering discipline that deals with architectures, mechanisms, and algorithms for maintaining the output of a specific process within a desired range.
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