Ac 2011-2307: Design Projects for Programmable Embed- Ded System-on-chip Course

The integration of microcontrollers with programmable electronic devices and design automation software tools has greatly improved today’s embedded system design. Most recently, there has been a trend to integrate microcontrollers with programmable digital and analog peripherals on a single chip. This technology is known as programmable embedded system-on-chip. At the author’s institution, programmable system-on-chip (PSoC) devices such as the Cypress PSoC boards have been adopted in embedded system design courses. This paper presents design projects for embedded system learning purposes. Programmable system-on-chip, with its design software, offers a hands-on approach that aids students in understanding the concepts behind each of the building blocks, providing them with the sufficient tools and experience to develop real-world applications. This paper summarizes three projects that have been developed and taught as the assignments in embedded systems course. Each of the projects involves real-time software concepts, e.g. interrupts, interfacing with external sensors and actuators, and digital and analog hardware theories. The project materials will be disseminated on the authors’ institution website for future use by other institutions.