Embedded Multitasking (Embedded Technology) (Paperback)

~ Keith E. Curtis (Author) "When I told my friends that I was writing a book, several of them told me that I had to have a very good opening..." (more)
Key Phrases: skip timer, state variable corruption, time increment function, Code Snippet, Recoverable Error Fault, Medium Priority Function (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Let the operating system be the boss with this well-organized design approach to multitasking software!

Product Description

In an embedded system, firmware is the software that directly interfaces with the microcontroller, controlling the system's function. The major forces driving the embedded firmware development process today are reduced development times, increased complexity, and the need to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. These forces translate into strenuous design requirements for embedded engineers and programmers. Many low-level embedded microcontroller designs have insufficient memory and/or architectural limitations that make the use of a real-time operating system impractical. The techniques presented in this book allow the design of robust multitasking firmware through the use of interleaved state machines. This book presents a complete overview of multitasking terminology and basic concepts. Practical criteria for task selection and state machine design are also discussed.
Designing multitasking firmware is arduous, complex and fraught with potential for errors, and there is no one, "standard" way to do it. This book will present a complete and well-organized design approach with examples and sample source code that designers can follow.

* Covers every aspect of design from the system level to the component level, including system timing, communicating with the hardware, integration and testing.
* Accompanying CD-ROM contains the source code for the text examples and other useful design tools.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Newnes (February 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750679182
• ISBN-13: 978-0750679183
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,298,727 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A full introduction to microcontroller design, March 10, 2006

By	Douglas L. Datwyler (UTAH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Embedded Multitasking is a very full book, rich in tables, rich in checklists, fairly well written text, poor in block diagrams. I have yet to open the CD. I do not recommend this book to beginners, people wanting a lesson in a programming language, or other less serious readers. It is a keeper on my shelf as a reference.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Crippled by Lack of Graphics, November 5, 2006

By	Chris F. Schroeder - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The author appears knowledgable about his subject matter, but the manner in which the material is presented leaves much to be desired. The book suffers from a lack of graphics. Without any graphics (flowcharts, timing diagrams, etc), the average reader will have a difficult time understanding the concepts that are presented.