Embedded systems

Table of contents

• MCU peripherals
  • pin configuration
  • gpio
  • ADC
  • PWM
  • Communication buses
• Hardware devices
• Prototyping
  • Support for prototyping
  • Experiments and prototypes (mainly in the context of the energy harvester project)

MCU peripherals

Pin configuration

MCU pin configuration, GPIOs and a word on software architecture: how to select the mode of a pin?

GPIO

MCU pin configuration, GPIOs and a word on software architecture: GPIO interface.

Driving LEDs by GPIO: finally resolved!: LED abstraction that uses GPIO.

ADC

ADC: introduction to the Analog-to-Digital Converter.

ADC driver for the energy harvester: ADC software interface.

STM32F100: why and how to use the internal reference voltage for ADC?: example of how to use the internal voltage reference of an ADC peripheral.

Filtering sensor data: FIR? IIR? How to process ADC samples?

PWM

PWM: introduction to Pulse-Width-Modulation

Investigating the Wind-turbine to dump load switching – part 2, going the PWM route: using PWM to save power in a relay application.

STM32F100: configuring two PWM channels, polarity and alignment

Communication buses

I2C and SPI: advantages and disadvantages of both buses.

Hardware devices

Some basic hands-on experience with a dump load: how to dump green energy?

The relay: introduction and experiment with inductive loads. See also Bi-stable or latching relays.

Driving LEDs by GPIO: finally resolved!: a LED interface.

PMD1 sensor board: our first hardware component: how to sense high power?

Reverse engineering the bug of my Opel Zafira’s volume knob (with movie!): about rotary encoders.

MOSFETS: high-side, low-side, N-channel and P-channel?

Device-internal current and voltage sensing part1 and part2: testing Attopilot sensor boards…

Prototyping

Support for prototyping

Simple Platform Abstraction: how to protect development against platform changes?

Development facilitators: about speed of development, prototype safety and robustness.

Experiments and prototypes

Some basic hands-on experience with a dump load: how to dump green energy?

The relay: some issues with inductive loads? Read also the wind turbine to dump load switching series (part1, part2 and part3).

Early Prototyping: ‘blink those leds’: how to setup the embedded ‘hello world’?

AC generation experiments: what to do in case of an electricity blackout, or how to improve your domain knowledge?

PWM: example of how a PWM-driven mosfet regulates the 12V towards an halogen lamp.

PMD1 sensor board: our first hardware component: how to sense high power?

Electrical direct current switching boards: energy harvester building blocks.

Recycling a VAWT as a HAWT