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

Circuit board assembly tools and procedures

As a developer of a prototype digital device, you can construct a professional-looking, high-performance circuit board using surface-mount technology with a suitable set of tools and a bit of practice. This section will cover the needs of individual developers who are assembling a small number of circuit boards, typically one at a time. For manufacturers who need larger numbers of boards, ranging from dozens to hundreds or more, it is likely to be more appropriate, though more costly, to delegate this work to a company that specializes in PCB assembly.

Optical magnification

We will be assembling some very small components on the PCB. Many of the resistors and capacitors on our project circuit board use the 0402 package, with dimensions of 1.0 mm x 0.5 mm. To allow you to appreciate the size of these components, the following photo is of a resistor in the 0402 package size beside a grain of jasmine rice:

Figure...