Electronics for Embedded Systems

Course developed by: Mario Casu, (POLITO) Polytechnic University of Turin
Contact: mario.casunoSpam@polito.it

Course Description

The course aims to describe and test the major digital and analog blocks on a board and to identify key issues relating to their communication. In particular, it describes the main micro-architectural structures for the processing, control and storage of data and will make a practical description in the laboratory. Problems related to communication between blocks on the board (use of interfaces for complex communications systems, communication standards, etc…) are analysed and experimented in the laboratory. It outlines issues and will explore the use of different complex programmable and embedded systems on boards based on microprocessor or microcontrollers, FPGAs and current peripheral devices.

Learning Objectives

• Knowledge of existing memory types: type, access methods, physical model, interfaces, hierarchy; ability to choose based on cost / area / performance.
• Knowledge of the architecture of high performance PLDs and FPGAs: internal architecture, design flow, optimizations, size, speed.
• Capacity to design digital operational units, to describe them in VHDL/Verilog language, to simulate the behaviour and to implement them according to specifications (synthesis on programmable device, high-level programming on microprocessors, ...).
• Knowledge of the structure of the main peripherals used: digital I/O, buffering strategies, timing systems, synchronous and asynchronous communication systems; ability to choose appropriate methodologies for implementation and interfacing.
• Capacity to define the necessary blocks in an embedded system starting from a specification and to define the design constraints (microprocessor/microcontroller, memories, programmable devices, power systems, conversion systems, peripherals, bus) and their interfacing.
• Knowledge of issues relating to interconnections: technologies, synchronous and asynchronous protocols, performance evaluation.
• Knowledge of various types of A/D and D/A converters, their characteristics and associated circuits; ability to choose analog integrated components and design of the required circuits for their use and interfacing.
• Knowledge of the characteristics of different types of voltage regulators, switching and dissipative, and criteria for selection of active and passive components; ability to design low power regulators.