Real-Time Programming: A Guide to 32-bit Embedded Development

Real-time embedded systems (microprocessors that work in real-time) are all around us--in our cars, microwaves, and video games. Real-Time Programming: A Guide to 32-Bit Embedded Development uses the 32-bit Intel x86 platform to show that it's possible to learn the essence of writing embedded systems without a degree in engineering.

The authors first explain what embedded systems are and the strict constraints that developers face when creating embedded software. (Obviously, the failure of an embedded system for a medical or security device will have disastrous consequences.) Next, they introduce a little analysis and design, since questions on hardware and performance requirements are particularly important for embedded systems. The authors use the Phar Lap Realtime ETS ToolSuite Lite as their platform of choice (included on the CD-ROM), along with Microsoft Visual C++. A simple Point of Sale (POS) simulation is the first example, giving the authors a chance to explore keyboard, screen, and file input/output (I/O). Another example, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), is used to illustrate the thornier topics in real-time programming, such as interrupt handling, timers, threads, and multithreading.

Next, the book shows you how to get embedded systems to communicate, including material on RS-232 serial communications (and UARTs). As the UPS sample gets more enhanced, it becomes network enabled with support for sending and receiving data using IP and HTTP.

The book rounds off with an introduction to Java for embedded systems and other specialized topics (such as floating-point processing) and advice for deploying software in ROM. By avoiding a lot of theory and stressing practical examples, Real-Time Programming puts embedded development into the hands of everyday C++ programmers. --Richard Dragan