Embedded Systems and Common Desktop Systems

There are fundamental differences between embedded systems and common desktop systems. For desktop systems, you can develop AND operate the application on the same hardware platform. For embedded systems, however, you develop on one platform (the Development Platform) BUT operate on another platform (the Target Platform); the Target Platform is not suitable for development purposes. There are two or three basic, specialised tools you need to develop embedded software systems; and a number of other tools to test them. To develop code for your embedded system, you need a cross-compiler to be able to code and compile (and possibly debug the code) on your desktop processor (your Development Platform) and then generate executable code that can be downloaded to your target processor (your Target Platform). You then need an in-circuit emulator (ICE) to allow you to download the executable code from your Development Platform to your Target Platform. One end of the ICE plugs into the micro-processor socket on the embedded system board and the other end plugs into your Development Platform. The ICE effectively extends your Target Platform up into your Development Platform, allowing you to control and view execution of your code on the target processor while using the desktop Development Platform. The ICE may also allow you to program the executable code into the Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM) of the Target Platform. For Target Platforms that do not include PROM on the micro-processor itself, you may need another tool, a separate PROM Programmer. The PROM Programmer operates by having executable code downloaded to it from the Development Platform and then programs the PROM chip(s); these chip(s) are then removed from the Programmer and placed into their socket(s) on the Target Platform. To be able to test your embedded system (Target Platform), you will want to use the ICE and may want to use a specially-design test box/test jig to simulate the (electronics) environment in which the embedded system will eventually operate. The test jig provides the necessary power while under test, and it also provides the connections to all input and output ports, both analog and digital. At the start of the test cycle, to debug and to perform Grey Box testing, leave the ICE plugged into processor socket, so that you may step through code, and inject and view/monitor data from your Development Platform. Once you are confident that you have a stable embedded software program, download the executable into your Target Platform with the ICE (or PROM Programmer) and then remove the ICE, replacing it with the micro-processor. Use variable power supplies (variable voltage and/or variable current) to simulate analog inputs. Use binary switches wired into the test jig for simple discrete inputs; and serial ports to allow for connection of external computer(s) to feed in digital data (to simulate data coming from other embedded computers, for instance). Use multi-meters to monitor analog outputs. Use simple lights wired into the test jig to monitor simple discrete outputs; and serial ports to allow for connection of external computer(s) to receive and display digital data. ~ Sivashanmugam Palaniappan shridevi@live.com