Tag Archives: Microprocessor

Wi-Fi-Connected Home Energy Monitor

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The Kunzig brothers of Pennsylvania use the word “retired” loosely.

Donald and Robert are both retired—each from long careers in the telecommunications industry. And after retirement, each took on a new job (Donald developing software to track and manage clinical trials managed by BioClinica, Inc., and Robert at a large data center).

So while other semi-retirees might prefer relaxing in poolside chairs or on the couch, what do these two do? They eagerly take on some technologies they haven’t worked with before and build a Wi-Fi-connected device to monitor a home’s power usage. And after two years of trial, error, and, finally, success, they develop an e-commerce website to sell it.

“Robert’s son, Jay, a design engineer working in San Jose, CA, suggested the project,” the two brothers say in article they wrote for the May 2013 edition of Circuit Cellar. “The main purpose was to design a Wi-Fi-connected monitor that would be able to measure usage from both a utility and an alternate source of power such as solar or wind.”

Their article describes how they designed a usable device that offers programmability and function. They used a Microchip MRF24WB0MB 802.11 transceiver for Wi-Fi access and a Microchip Technology PIC24FJ256GB108 microprocessor in their design. They eventually wrote the article about the ups and downs of the process (which included five prototypes) because they felt elements of their work would help readers developing their own embedded electronics devices.

“All this effort has been rewarding, perhaps not financially (yet), but certainly intellectually,” the brothers say. “After almost two years of effort, we have produced a product with an excellent hardware design, coupled with software that is better than average. The platform can be used for just about any implementation.”

“We wanted to produce an energy monitor that was fully wireless, very accurate, extremely easy to use, and based on hardware and software that is very stable. We think we were successful on all counts.”

Check out the May issue of Circuit Cellar for their article. And for more information, visit their e-commerce website at www.wattsmyusage.com.

ADuC841 Microcontroller Design Manual

In the informative book, ADuC841 Microcontroller Design Manual: From Microcontroller Theory to Design Projects, Shlomo Engelberg presents a comprehensive guide to designing and programming with the Analog Devices, Inc. ADuC841 microcontroller and other microcontrollers in the 8051 family. Click here to purchase the book.

ADuC841 Microcontroller Design Manual begins with an introduction to microcontrollers from the 8051 family, proceeds to a set of introductory labs that detail how to use the most standard features of such microcontrollers, and includes a set of more advanced labs, many of which make use of features available only on the ADuC841 microcontroller. The more advanced labs include several projects that introduce you to analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters, and their uses. Other projects demonstrate some of the many ways you can use a microcontroller to solve practical problems. The Keil μVision4 integrated development environment (IDE) is introduced early on, and it is used throughout the book.

This book is perfect for a university classroom setting or for self study. After completing the labs, you will have experienced the joys of microcontroller programming, you will know how to use microcontrollers from the 8051 family, and you will have gained experience using an industry-standard development environment and the tools it provides.

To access supplemental material for this book, visit the Author’s Website.

Processor Design Using Verilog HDL

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If you have the right tools, designing a microprocessor shouldn’t be complicated. The Verilog hardware description language (HDL) is one such tool. It can enable you to depict, simulate, and synthesize an electronic design, and thus increase your productivity by reducing the overall workload associated with a given project.

Monte Dalrymple’s Microprocessor Design Using Verilog HDL is a practical guide to processor design in the real world.

It presents the Verilog HDL in an easily digestible fashion and serves as a thorough introduction about reducing a computer architecture and instruction set to practice. You’re led through the microprocessor design process from start to finish, and essential topics ranging from writing in Verilog to debugging and testing are laid bare. The book details the following, and more:

  • Verilog HDL Review: data types, bit widths/labeling, operations, statements, and design hierarchy
  • Verilog Coding Style: files vs. modules, indentation, and design organization
  • Design Work: instruction set architecture, external bus interface, and machine cycle
  • Microarchitecture: design spreadsheet and essential worksheets (e.g., Operation, Instruction Code, and Next State)
  • Writing in Verilog: choosing encoding, assigning states in a state machine, and files (e.g., defines.v, hierarchy.v, machine.v)
  • Debugging, Verification, and Testing: debugging requirements, verification requirements, testing requirements, and the test bench
  • Post Simulation: enhancements and reduction to practice
Click here to purchase the book.

Click here for the supplementary files associated with this book.