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

Chapter 6: Designing Circuits with KiCad

This chapter introduces the excellent, open source KiCad electronics design and automation suite. Working in KiCad, you design a circuit using schematic diagrams and develop a corresponding printed circuit board layout. You'll learn how to turn a circuit board design into a prototype at a very reasonable cost. This chapter includes example schematics for the oscilloscope circuit project you will assemble in the next chapter.

After completing this chapter, you will have downloaded and installed KiCad, learned how to create circuit schematics in KiCad, learned how to develop circuit board layouts in KiCad, and worked through portions of the circuit board design for the digital oscilloscope project.

We will cover the following topics in this chapter: 

  • Introducing KiCad
  • Basic KiCad procedures
  • Developing the project schematic diagram
  • Laying out the Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
  • Prototyping the circuit board
  • ...