Back Cover

 

Embedded Systems Firmware Demystified

by Ed Sutter  

CMP Books 2002 (364 pages)

ISBN:1578200997

Provides a roadmap for embedded system startups , demonstrates how to develop tools for 21 platforms, and more.

 

Back Cover

Build embedded microprocessor-based systems from the ground up. Develop an integrated understanding of hardware and software issues by exploring the interaction of the firmware and hardware during the first critical few seconds after the microprocessor is powered up. By focusing on these crucial junctures, where software meets hardware, you learn what makes embedded development different from application development.

Master each key step in the startup and development process by working through a complete field- tested solution. You get hands-on experience with the fundamental steps in starting an embedded system--from the basic boot in assembly language, exception handling, flash drivers and a flash file system, serial and ethernet connections, right on up to a network-bootable application. Working with a simple schematic, you will learn how instructions are fetched from memory, and appreciate the implications of FLASH vs. EPROM, SRAM vs. DRAM, microcontroller vs. microprocessor, and data bus vs. address bus.

Get up and running fast by combining the critical components into a sophisticated boot platform that can be used to implement a minimal run-time environment on a wide range of microprocessor-based systems. Complete source code is provided for an embedded systems boot platform that contains all of the scaffolding on which to build your applications.

About the Author

Ed Sutter started his career with AT&T Bell Labs in 1981. Now a distinguished member of the technical staff (DMTS) at Lucent, he has been working in embedded systems since 1983. Starting with the 8085, Ed has worked with a wide range of systems over the years including most of today's common CPU architecture. He has put his experience in developing hardware, firmware, and software to good use by building several different development environments. While he is most comfortable with C and assembly on embedded systems, he has developed code for Win32 and UNIX varieties as well. His firmware tools have recently been the subject of articles in Embedded Systems Programming and Circuit Cellar OnLine magazines.