Embedded Systems Hardware for Software Engineers

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO HARDWARE FUNDAMENTALS

Embedded Systems Hardware for Software Engineers describes the electrical and electronic circuits that are used in embedded systems, their functions, and how they can be interfaced to other devices.

Basic computer architecture topics, memory, address decoding techniques, ROM, RAM, DRAM, DDR, cache memory, and memory hierarchy are discussed. The book covers key architectural features of widely used microcontrollers and microprocessors, including Microchip's PIC32, ATMEL's AVR32, and Freescale's MC68000. Interfacing to an embedded system is then described. Data acquisition system level design considerations and a design example are presented with real-world parameters and characteristics. Serial interfaces such as RS-232, RS-485, PC, and USB are addressed and printed circuit boards and high-speed signal propagation over transmission lines are covered with a minimum of math. A brief survey of logic families of integrated circuits and programmable logic devices is also contained in this in-depth resource.

COVERAGE INCLUDES:

Architecture examples

Memory

Memory address decoding

Read-only memory and other related devices

Input and output ports

Analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters

Interfacing to external devices

Transmission lines

Logic families of integrated circuits and their signaling characteristics

The printed circuit board

Programmable logic devices

Test equipment: oscilloscopes and logic analyzers