Automatic generation of C-code or PLD circuits under SFC graphical environment

This paper proposes a framework for automatic development of control systems from a high level specification based in Grafcet formalism. Grafcet, or sequential function charts (SFC), is a special class of Petri nets and is becoming the standard representation for sequential control systems. The proposed framework accepts a graphical (through ISaGRAPH) or textual behavioural specification of the control system to be implemented. It follows the usual procedure in software specification: the first step is to formally validate the initial specification. Then the initial specification is translated through automated processes into an implementation. At the moment there are two possible output languages: C and Palasm. The target processor for the C code language are microcontrollers based systems that require extended time constraints and access to external peripherals. The goal of including PLDs is the possibility of automatically designed mixed hardware and software systems.