Book Image

Architecting High-Performance Embedded Systems

By : Jim Ledin
4 (1)
Book Image

Architecting High-Performance Embedded Systems

4 (1)
By: Jim Ledin

Overview of this book

Modern digital devices used in homes, cars, and wearables contain highly sophisticated computing capabilities composed of embedded systems that generate, receive, and process digital data streams at rates up to multiple gigabits per second. This book will show you how to use Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and high-speed digital circuit design to create your own cutting-edge digital systems. Architecting High-Performance Embedded Systems takes you through the fundamental concepts of embedded systems, including real-time operation and the Internet of Things (IoT), and the architecture and capabilities of the latest generation of FPGAs. Using powerful free tools for FPGA design and electronic circuit design, you’ll learn how to design, build, test, and debug high-performance FPGA-based IoT devices. The book will also help you get up to speed with embedded system design, circuit design, hardware construction, firmware development, and debugging to produce a high-performance embedded device – a network-based digital oscilloscope. You’ll explore techniques such as designing four-layer printed circuit boards with high-speed differential signal pairs and assembling the board using surface-mount components. By the end of the book, you’ll have a solid understanding of the concepts underlying embedded systems and FPGAs and will be able to design and construct your own sophisticated digital devices.
Table of Contents (15 chapters)
1
Section 1: Fundamentals of High-Performance Embedded Systems
5
Section 2: Designing and Constructing High-Performance Embedded Systems
10
Section 3: Implementing and Testing Real-Time Firmware

Preparing for power-up

Chapter 7, Building High-Performance Digital Circuits, took us through the steps of constructing, cleaning, inspecting, and performing basic electrical checks on the digital oscilloscope circuit board. We are now ready to apply power to the board and perform testing to determine whether it is operating correctly.

Before applying power to the board, it is important to keep in mind that you need to exercise care when handling it and while it is operating. The integrated circuits on the board remain susceptible to damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD), and it is easy to cause damage when you're probing parts of the circuit with metallic multimeter or oscilloscope probes. It is best to perform this work in an ESD-controlled environment, such as on the mat you use for soldering, and with a wrist strap in place.

If you must work with the board in a non-ESD-controlled environment, you should carefully handle the board by the edges and avoid touching the...