W.A.R.P. 1.1 - High speed, fuzzy controller for cost-sensitive applications

SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics has introduced a reduced cost version of its W.A.R.P. (Weight Associative Rule Processor) fuzzy logic controller. Housed in a PLCC84 package, W.A.R.P. 1.1 (STFLWARP11/PL) includes input fuzzification and output defuzzification stages, a high speed inferencing unit, memory banks for storing rules, antecedents and consequents, and control logic to handle the downloading of rules and variables. The result is a flexible chip that delivers high inferencing performance while working either as a stand-alone unit or as a co-processor working with a general purpose microprocessor.

With A 40MHz clock and the ability to handle up to 16 inputs, 16 outputs and 256 rules, W.A.R.P. 1.1 has the processing power to manage complex fuzzy logic systems in areas such as expert systems, robotics, automotive, image processing and consumer applications. An important benefit of the W.A.R.P. 1.1 architecture is that Membership Functions can be defined with complete freedom using a vectorial characterization and do not have to be symmetric. In addition, a patented SGS-THOMSON technique of storing the Membership Functions in dedicated on-chip memories allows much of the inferencing algorithm to be performed using ultra-fast table look-up rather than by on-line calculation.

Another key feature of the W.A.R.P. 1.1 architecture is that different data structures are used at different stages, so that the data representation is always optimized for the current computation. This overcomes the fact that the data structures most suitable for fuzzification are not well-suited to defuzzification (and vice versa), which is one of the greatest limiting factors in traditional fuzzy architectures.

The new device is fully supported by the FUZZYSTUDIO W.A.R.P.1.1 Development System, which consists of the W.A.R.P.-SDT 1.0 Software Development Tool - a user friendly graphical software tool working in WINDOWS environment that allows fast project developing and debugging - and an Application Development Board (W.A.R.P.-ADB 1.0) that is connected to a standard PC (386 or higher) via an RS-232 port. Containing a W.A.R.P. 1.1 chip, EPROM memory to store the user's rules and membership functions and an EPROM programmer controlled by the host PC, the W.A.R.P.-ADB is not only a powerful tool for developing, debugging and testing the hardware implementation of a Fuzzy project, it can also be used as a stand-alone fuzzy controller in low volume applications.

W.A.R.P.-SDT is a suite of software tools that were specially developed to present a user-friendly interface. These include an Editor, a Compiler, a Debugger and Exporter.

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