Embedded Hardware and Software

HARDWARE

There are 3 stages in bringing out a hardware. They are:

• Gathering idea about the circuit
• Designing a circuit
• Fabrication

Gathering idea about the circuit:

Making a hardware is very easy if we have some ideas about the components. For most of the electronic components like resistor, capacitor IC’s, etc., we have their working mode and data sheets on the internet itself. From that, we can gather ideas about the components. After it, integrating the components to one another will give the exact circuit which we desire.

Designing a circuit:

When we mix Yellow and Blue colour, we get green colour. This is a formula. Similarly, if we onnect a resistor and a transformer in series to a diode, we get a rectifier. By the same method, we can design the circuits by gathering a good integrating knowledge.

After designing the circuit, the circuit should be clearly drawn some where else. For drawing the circuit easily, we can use the software’s such as CIRCUIT MAKER, PROTEL, DESIGNWORKS etc, which may be downloaded from the internet. These software’s are user friendly, as they have pre-designed component library within them. From this library, we can take those components, and connect it easily through connectors. Then by Auto- Routing, we can deign the PCB layout also.

But, Auto-Routing method of framing the PCB layout is advisable only for large circuits and not for small circuits. For small circuits, it is better to design the PCB manually. For manual designing of PCB layout, we can use the software’s such as ORCAD, RIMUPCB, ExpressPCB., etc

Fabrication:

Now, the PCB layout is ready in our PC. We can take a print or draw this layout in the board. After copying the layout, the holes are drilled and the components are soldered. Now, the hardware is ready.

SOFTWARE

The software may be written either in BASIC, Assembly, C or C++. Beginners may practice with BASIC or Assembly. The software’s are written in packages like KEIL, RAID etc. These software’s gives a good cope-up for beginners.
[Note: Want to get sample embedded programs? Visit www.8051projects.info, www.8085projcts.info]

Why do we want to write them in Software packages? Is it not enough to write them in PC and load it in the microcontroller? Can you guess the reason?   The reason is - to load the program in the microcontroller, we need HEX data. Microcontroller can accept only hex inputs and not other inputs. Only for this purpose, we go for software packages or IDE (Integrated Development Environment). These packages are available with programmer, simulator and compiler togather. So, it is also called as IDE. These packages convert our program to hex code.

We can check our outputs immediately for each line in the program - using the simulator. The errors are easily noticed by the built-in compiler and are easily debugged. By this, we can get the exact program and the corresponding HEX codes. Now, how is it loaded in the microcontroller?

For loading the converted codes, we need a programming kit called programmer. The programmer kit can be bought from online shops or it can be designed with the help of some websites.

[Note: The circuit diagram for Programming kit is freely downloadable from www.avrprojects.info . This programming kit can be used to program all - AVR, and 8051 microcontrollers.]

These efforts may bring out good embedded products, and wish you all great success in your work. If you want more details regarding this, post it in the above said website.