Embedded Microcomputer Systems: Real Time Interfacing [Hardcover]

Jonathan W. Valvano (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 13, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0534366422 | ISBN-13: 978-0534366421 | Edition: 1

This book provides an in-depth discussion of the design, implementation and testing of embedded microcomputer systems. The book covers the hardware aspects of interfacing, advanced software topics (including interrupts), and a systems approach to typical embedded applications. This book stands out from other microcomputer systems books because of its balanced, in-depth treatment of both hardware and software issues important in real time embedded systems design. The book features a wealth of detailed case studies that demonstrate basic concepts in the context of actual working examples of systems. It also features a unique simulation software package on the bound-in CD-ROM (called Test Execute and Simulate, or TexaS, for short) -- that provides a self-contained software environment for designing, writing, implementing, and testing both the hardware and software components of embedded systems.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The balance between theoretical material and examples is good. I particularly appreciated the practical tidbits like what values of capacitance to use for a bypass cap and the noise characteristics of different types of resistors. Practical details of this nature are rare in university textbooks. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Jonathan W. Valvano is a Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to teaching and writing, Dr. Valvano researches perfusion, the transmission of blood in the microcirculation, an important factor in surgery, tissue transplants, heart disease and cancer therapy. Despite its importance, no clinical method of measuring perfusion is currently available. Dr. Valvano's group develops thermal methods to measure this important parameter. Much debate considers which heat transfer model best describes tissue blood flow. Until recently, researchers widely adopted a model suggested by Pennes to demonstrate the heat transfer effects of perfusion. The model's validity has been disputed. Dr. Valvano's group develops new thermal models founded on basic principles. Their research integrates analytic bioheat transfer, finite element numerical modeling, transducer design, analog instrumentation, microcomputer interfacing, interactive computer software, animal experimentation and clinical studies.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 839 pages
• Publisher: CL-Engineering; 1 edition (January 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534366422
• ISBN-13: 978-0534366421
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,010,050 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good software with a not-so-good book, March 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Embedded Microcomputer Systems: Real Time Interfacing (Hardcover)

The 4 stars that I have used is a sort of average of 5 stars for the software accompanying the book, and 2 stars for the book itself. If you are new to the world of embedded systems and yet to work on a real project, then the simulator provided with this book is simply superb. It lets you simulate external I/O devices like LED, switches, CRT, Motors in a pretty realistic way. It also allows input captures. Also, it has an excellent online help. Indeed, if you find the main text of the book rather disconnected and cryptic, then better read the online help of the software. It is MUCH more than a mere online help. It provides lots of examples, detailed explanations and suggested modes of actions all in a hypertext environment, much more lucid than the main book. However, this is a software for LEARNING, and is by no means comprehensive a program development/debugging utility. There are quite a few such utilities out there on the web, but they usually require the user to know a lot. Also, the software is still undergoing upgrading, it seems, the upgrade patches being freely available on the author's webpage (URL in the book). I personally used Peter Spasov's book "Microcontroller Technology" as the main text to supplement the software.

Valvano's book is somewhat rambling in nature, and he skips certain details in a way that is confusing to a beginner. Also he is always trying to explain 4 microcontrollers simultaneously which puts strain on a novice reader.

If you can somehow grab a copy of the software, I would never recommend that you buy the book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Embedded Microcomputer Systems: Real Time Interfacing (Hardcover)

Anyone who have learnt embedded microcomputer systems by datasheets knows that it is not an easy task. There are many important details in many different sources. Dr. Valvano's book contains the most important concepts and lots of examples. The book is mainly suitable for anyone who wants to learn the 68xx family. The simulation software is good and very easy to use. The specific objectives of the book include: 1) advanced architeture; 2) interfacing external devices to computer; 3) advanced programming and 4) embedded applications.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars :A good start book in the microprocessor based system, March 29, 2000

By 

flj_2000 (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Embedded Microcomputer Systems: Real Time Interfacing (Hardcover)

I have looked through this book. It contains a lot of detailed and hand-on examples on the Motorloa MC68HC based system design. The beginner will get a good sense on how to design a small scale microprocessor based system or real time interface. But the book include too much detail on difference between MC68HC chips (6805, 08, 11, 12). The reader may easily got lost with those redundant information. The book may be good for some junior student or engineer to have a feeling on the real time system design but I will not recommend it to experienced people in this area.