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Embedded Systems Articles

• Intro to low-power design (Dec. 11, 2008)
  In this article, we will consider different areas that impact power dissipation and show you how to save power. We will focus on the processor and its surrounding hardware ecosystem because these components usually consume a significant share of power. In addition to helping you save power, this knowledge will also aid in processor selection.
  
  
• A scalable MIMO near-maximum likelyhood (ML) detector (Dec. 01, 2008)
  Here is a novel MIMO near-maximum likelihood (ML) detection technique that is scalable in performance and power. The detector is implemented on a SDR platform and on a TI DSP.
  
  
• Squeeze power efficiency out of processor-based designs -- Part one (Nov. 20, 2008)
  Architect embedded systems following power-saving tips and tricks
  
  
• Follow guidelines to develop an efficient portable power solution (Nov. 13, 2008)
  This article presents a generic power supply design for an embedded system and examines the function of each module in the design. It also provides guidelines for selection of topologies and components, thermal and packaging aspects, battery management, and hooks that interface the circuit to intelligent power management software.
  
  
• Video-image processing with customizable DSP-FPGA platform (Nov. 10, 2008)
  An alternative to ASIC, custom processing system, and PC-based video-image processing.
  
  
• Changing hardware requires more aggressive testing (Nov. 06, 2008)
  Embedded software managers and developers need to rely on more aggressive testing as hardware continues to change.
  
  
• Taking a closer look at Intel's Atom multicore processor architecture (Oct. 30, 2008)
  Multi-core processors are everywhere. In desktop computing, it is almost impossible to buy a computer today that doesn't have a multi-core CPU inside. Multi-core technology is also having an impact in the embedded space, where increased performance per Watt presents a compelling case for migration.
  
  
• Need a watchdog for improved system fault tolerance? (Oct. 27, 2008)
  Need a watchdog? This article outlines the requirements for a robust Watchdog and guidelines to be considered while designing this fault tolerant system monitor. Methods for refreshing a watchdog, write protection mechanism, early detection of code runaway, and a self-test of the watchdog are described.
  
  
• What will next generation embedded design look like? (Oct. 23, 2008)
  In future years, the ever-changing embedded systems design environment will continue to evolve. How must the development environment change to accommodate it? Ata Khan of Cypress has a few ideas.
  
  
• Use Pre-Configured Device Drivers (PCD) to reduce embedded system memory footprint (Oct. 23, 2008)
  In embedded systems, the predominant bottle-neck is the size of the binaries and the RAM used. The large memory size results in an increase in the cost of the final system due to the large FLASH and RAM.
  
  
• Multicore SoCs change interconnect requirements (Oct. 20, 2008)
  The recent appearance of multicore system-on-chip (SoC) devices has rearranged the boundaries among silicon devices, boards and subsystems.
  
  
• What's your sine? Finding the right algorithm for digital frequency synthesis on a DSP (Oct. 13, 2008)
  A new approach to direct digital frequency synthesis uses a combination of lookup tables and trigonometric identities that lends itself to more efficient implementation on digital signal processors.
  
  
• Choosing the right low power processor for your embedded design (Sep. 24, 2008)
  Key selection criteria show where various low power processors best fit
  
  
• Implementing the right audio/video transcoding scheme in consumer SoC devices (Sep. 23, 2008)
  In this "how we did it," Tim Simerly describes the factors TI engineers took into account to accommodate the many encoding formats in a home entertainment network when designing the DaVinci family of SoC processors.
  
  
• Using static analysis to diagnose & prevent failures in safety-critical device designs (Sep. 18, 2008)
  David Kleidermacher reviews static analysis tools and their usefulness in safety-critical embedded apps such as medical devices and systems, and provides insight into using them effectively and assesses what remains to be done to address future challenges.
  
  
• Speeding up the CORDIC algorithm with a DSP (Sep. 15, 2008)
  When a CORDIC algorithm is implemented on a digital signal processor, can the multipliers improve CORDIC performance?
  
  
• Dynamic reconfiguration is transforming the embedded world (Sep. 11, 2008)
  The market has recently experienced an explosion in the number of embedded devices pervading everyday life, from iPods and PDAs that people carry to wireless presentation tools and digital organizers that help one organize oneself better to wireless sensor networks deployed for environment monitoring.
  
  
• Architecture-oriented C optimization, part 2: Memory and more (Sep. 04, 2008)
  Here's how to optimize C to account for memory alignment, cache features, endianness, and application specific instructions.
  
  
• Architecture-oriented C optimization, part 1: DSP features (Sep. 04, 2008)
  Here's how C optimizations can take advantage of zero overhead loop mechanisms, hardware saturation, modulo registers, and more.
  
  
• Bridging options enable FPGA-based configurable computing (Sep. 02, 2008)
  As PCI Express continues to invade embedded systems, the history of legacy PCI is repeating itself. The twist is that FPGAs have taken on processing tasks within many embedded systems, augmenting or displacing dedicated processors and DSPs.
  
  
• Extreme Design: Ultra-compact embedded computer overcomes multiple design challenges (Sep. 02, 2008)
  New generations of defense imaging systems, using sophisticated sensor technologies, generate invaluable information for modern warfare.
  
  
• Multi-channel surveillance DVR design (Sep. 02, 2008)
  How a video encoder can be designed to leverage the extra cycles provided by hardware accelerators.
  
  
• Building a multi-voltage, high performance, ultra low standby power 32-bit MCU (Aug. 28, 2008)
  In this "how we did it," Jean-Michel Gril-Maffre describes what STMicroelectronics engineers did to enhance the performance of the ARM Cortex-M3 core in its STM 32 MCUs and simultaneously lower power consumption.
  
  
• Achieving cache coherence in a MIPS32 multicore design (Aug. 18, 2008)
  Here's an example of how the Open Core Protocol was used to reconfigure the basic MIPS32 architecture to support cache-coherent traffic within an embedded multicore cluster.
  
  
• In-system programming of FLASH via control unit application (Aug. 18, 2008)
  A high level of data integrity and data security is essential when using FLASH memory in automotive control units. In order to successfully implement FLASH solutions in this kind of environments it takes to consider a set of basic rules.
  
  
• Microcontroller architectures, then and now (Aug. 11, 2008)
  For a system designer looking to choose a microcontroller, the vast array of available MCUs can make the search quite complex.
  
  
• Smart camera basics: Matching image sensor, analytics and processor performance (Aug. 11, 2008)
  Intelligent Network Cameras are an exciting new technology. This article will help you understand the basics of intelligent network cameras (or smart cameras), enabling technologies, and available design tools.
  
  
• How to manage dynamic power in a microcontroller using its non-maskable interrupt (Aug. 07, 2008)
  This scheme allows MCUs to be made power-efficient and hence the durability of standby coin battery cells can be increased to match the product's life cycle.
  
  
• How to interface FPGAs to microcontrollers (Jul. 31, 2008)
  Neither standard product microcontrollers nor FPGAs were developed to communicate with each other efficiently, so interfacing the two can be a challenge.
  
  
• Debugging with Cortex-M3 Microcontrollers (Jul. 22, 2008)
  Reinhard Keil describes the Arm CoreSight technology and it can be accessed by the software developer using the Vision Debugger and explains the operating modes of the JTAG debug interface implemented on Cortex-M3-based MCUs.