ECE 6961 - Special Topics - Embedded Systems

This course presents both theoretical and practical aspects of embedded systems design. Lectures cover analog interfaces, digital interfaces, microcontroller-based architectures, and embedded software. Specific topics include, but are not limited to: transducers, op-amps, active filters, A/D and D/A conversion, voltage/frequency conversion, relays, switches, key pads, LCD touch-screens, DC and stepper motor control, 8 and 32-bit processors, memory trade-offs (SRAM/DRAM,ROM/EEPROM/flash), glue logic, power management, serial interfaces: SPI I2C, 1-wire, UARTs, IrDA, code development for embedded systems (cross-compilers, assembly language, loaders, debuggers, logic analyzers, in-circuit emulators), basics of executives and real-time operating systems, sensor conversion algorithms, simple control algorithms. This course shares lectures and labs with 3720. Graduate students have additional reading assignments and exam questions, as well as a project that includes a presentation. Project topics are negotiated with the instructor, and include both a software and hardware component. Graduate students may expect to spend on the order of $50 for project-specific materials, more or less depending on the nature of the project. Note: Because of the overlapping material, students who have already taken 3720 (or the equivalent) should not request this class.