Programming Embedded Systems, 2nd Edition

Chapter 2. Getting to Know the Hardware

hard·ware n. The part of a computer system that can be kicked.

As an embedded software engineer, you’ll have the opportunity (and challenge) to work with many different pieces of hardware in your career. In this chapter, we will begin by taking a look at the basics in understanding a schematic. We will also teach you a simple procedure that we use to familiarize ourselves with any new board. In the process, we’ll guide you through the creation of a C-language header file that describes the board’s most important features and a piece of software that initializes the hardware to a known state.

Understanding the Big Picture

Before writing software for an embedded system, you must first be familiar with the hardware on which it will run. At first, you just need to understand the general operation of the system, such as what the board’s main function is and what the inputs and outputs are. Initially, you do not need to understand every little detail of the hardware—how every component or peripheral operates and what registers need to be programmed for particular functions.

Whenever you receive a new board, you should take some time to read the main documents provided with it. If the board is an off-the-shelf product, it might arrive with a “User’s Guide” or “Programmer’s Manual” that has been written for software developers. (The Arcom development kit, for example, includes this information as well as datasheets for all major components on the board.) ...