MATLAB: Is it possible to use the Digital I/O lines for PWM generation in a board that is supported by xPC Target 4.2 (R2009b)

Question

I would like to have 48 channels of PWM output from my hardware board. However, I could not come across any supported board by xPC Target 4.2 (R2009b) that has 48 PWM channels in one card.

I need so many PWM channels because I want to use xPC Target as a controller prototype to connect to power hardware (inverter, etc.). Hence, I need PWM generation from this controller.

Since there is no supported board with 48 PWM channels, I would like to use the Digital I/O lines on the supported board for PWM generation.

Answer 1

The largest number of PWM output channels on any board that is supported by xPC Target 4.2 (R2009b)is on the PC104+ board, the PATI from MPL. This board has 32 timer channels that can be used for PWM. The board can be used in a PCI chassis if installed on a PC104+ to PCI adapter board.

Those timer channels can be configured for PWM out, PWM measure, or digital IO, one function at a time on each channel.

Using a digital output on some other board as a PWM output would be extremely imprecise and hence it is not recommended. The resolution of the output timing is limited by the sample time of the target model. That would only work if you are going to filter the outputs to some low frequency, essentially using the outputs as D/A converters.