An autonomous microcontroller system for controlling a multi-channel time counter

The paper presents the design of a microprocessor system intended for control, data processing and communication in a multi-channel time counter. The time counter is a relatively complex autonomous instrument designed for measurements of time with picosecond precision and frequency within a range of 3.5 GHz. The device employs a high-speed, single-chip microcontroller with event-driven programming without the mediation of an operating system. The autonomous operation of the measurement system with real-time controlling and data processing was achieved. The paper focuses on the hardware design and the software development model which enables collision-free and concurrent work of many components. The device uses advanced mechanisms available in STM32 series microcontrollers, allowing the efficient support for USB and Ethernet interfaces. The microprocessor system works at a relatively low frequency, which minimizes emission of interference and allows measuring time intervals with a high precision.