Embedded Systems Architecture

Hardware tools

If there is a tool that is absolutely indispensable to assist embedded software developers, it is the logic analyzer. By scoping the input and output signals involving the microcontroller, it is possible to detect the electrical behavior of the signals, their timing, and even the digital encoding of the single bits in the interface protocols. Most logic analyzers are able to identify and decode sequences of symbols by sensing the voltage of the wires, which is often the most effective way to verify that protocols are correctly implemented and compliant with the contracts to communicate with peripherals and network endpoints. While historically available only as standalone dedicated computers, a logic analyzer is often available ...