How-to Articles

Understanding software and hardware bugs in other embedded systems can help you identify, diagnose, and fix bugs in your own.

The placement of knobs, buttons, and switches is as essential as the firmware to making a usable embedded system.

Designing firmware-accessible debugging resources into embedded systems provides a valuable supplement to hardware test and analysis tools.

These built-in troubleshooting resources for direct memory access (DMA) controllers can pave the way for smoother embedded software integration.

State machines are perhaps the most effective method for developing robust event-driven code for embedded systems.

The formalism of Hierarchical State Machines (aka statecharts) makes the state machine approach truly applicable to real-life embedded systems.

What is the Design by Contract programming philosophy, what can it do for you, and why should all embedded software developers care?

Metaphors and analogies can be valuable tools for learning new software concepts and tapping subject matter expertise during embedded software development.

A state machine is any object that behaves different based on its history and current inputs.  Many embedded systems consist of a collection of state machines at various levels of the electronics or software.

SAE J1939 is the standard communications network for sharing control and diagnostic information between electronic control units (ECUs) which reside on heavy duty and commercial vehicles. Examples of such vehicles are school busses, cement mixers, military vehicles, and semi-tractors.