Posts tagged with 'Nucleus Kernel'
On a previous occasion, I talked about using an MMU [memory management unit] for a specific, slight esoteric purpose. I thought it might be interesting to consider its more conventional use. Also, it is worth remembering that some devices have no MMU support and many systems are built without one anyway. Having met some engineers recently, who could not conceive of the idea of no MMU, clarification … Read More
I recently wrote about a “multi-core” development project that I worked on many years ago, including some details of how we managed communication between the CPUs. Things have moved on a lot since those days and multi-core is now rapidly becoming the norm in embedded designs. It is, therefore, unsurprising that a degree of standardization is being established.
Specifically, the Multicore Association … Read More
Last week, I wrote about a “multi-core” project that I was working on 30 years ago. To be fair, it was actually “multi-CPU” rather than “multi-core”, but many of the challenges were similar, as was the initial design decision to take the approach of distributing the processing capacity. It is interesting to draw a comparison between the system we were developing all those years ago and modern ideas … Read More
Nucleus, MCAPI, Linux, IPC, Multicore, Nucleus Kernel, Interprocessor Communication, Android
Last week we ran a Web seminar about USB. It was very popular. We offered two shows and had well over 2000 registrations and hundreds of people attended each event - in one case the web seminar “room” was full. I hope that not too many people were disappointed. If you were there, thanks for coming along. If you were not and would like to hear about USB, the archived recording is online here.
In these … Read More
The term “real time” is widely used nowadays. Although it is a technical term, it finds its way into quite normal conversation. I might be heard to say “I do not watch much real-time TV”, meaning that I record programs to watch at my convenience. So, colloquially, real time means “immediate” or “occurring now”. How does this align with its precise meaning when we refer to a real time operating system, … Read More
I recently received an email from a regular reader of this blog. I am always very happy to receive feedback, comments and suggestions. In this case, it was a suggestion for a topic to address, which was particularly welcome. The writer wanted me to talk about blocking and non-blocking APIs …
At the heart of a real time operating system [RTOS] is the kernel, which is comprised of the task scheduler … Read More
It is increasingly common for embedded designs to be implemented using multiple cores. At Mentor Graphics we are keen to support our customers by providing software and services to help them with such endeavors. We also espouse the idea of using multiple operating systems in such designs. I recently presented a Web seminar on this topic [a recording is available as an archive] and I have written a few … Read More
Multi-OS, Linux, Multicore, Nucleus Kernel, Nucleus, Android
There is a good, albeit rather general, rule that applies to the management of a successful business: focus on what you do well, then do it better than everyone else. There are numerous examples of how companies have been very successful by following this approach.
But the world of embedded software is commonly an exception …
To start with, I can cite some examples of good practice:
Have you heard … Read More
Networking, Nucleus Kernel, Nucleus, RTOS, Nucleus Networking
Today, for a change, instead of discussing some embedded software technology, I would like to put forward a concept for a product. It is an embedded system, which I believe could sell in high volumes. Maybe someone reading this blog would like to develop it. I am happy to waive any rights to royalties on the idea so long as we have an understanding that you will use Mentor Graphics products in your … Read More
Nucleus, Wi-Fi, RTOS, Development Tools, Nucleus USB, Nucleus Kernel, USB
We are bombarded with numbers all the time. They are used to inform us and to try to sell us things. But how successful can you be if you endeavor to communicate using lots of zeros?
I have a lot of trouble visualizing or conceptualizing big numbers. For example, I can easily imagine a crowd of 100 or 1000 people. But when I read that the UK population has reached 61 million, I just cannot picture … Read More
I am a difficult customer. When I am buying something, I want see exactly what I am getting for my money. The words of the salesperson and the blurb on packages just does not convince me - I have been caught out too many times.
Recently my daughter was after a charger for her iPod, as she was traveling without a computer and “needed” her iPod. What she wanted was a mains plug which has a USB socket … Read More
Working for Mentor Graphics is interesting, but can have some challenges. One of the facets of the company that makes us unique is embedded software. There are a couple of other companies that Mentor would regard as key competitors, but they are both totally focussed on electronic hardware design - “electronic design automation” [EDA]. A very large part of Mentor has that orientation, but we are unique … Read More
I love USB.
I have worked with PCs since The Beginning, and I remember how it used to be. I would buy new peripheral device, spend lots of time and effort ripping apart my PC to install the card and then start worrying about software, drivers etc. It took for ever. By the time I had finished, any excitement I had about this new cool device had long since evaporated.
USB changed all that. Nowadays, … Read More
I wonder how many times I have been at a party or a social function and had this conversation:
What kind of work do you do? I work for a software company.
Which one? Mentor Graphics.
What do they do? …
It is at this point that I know that I am going to have to explain what embedded software is all about. Sometimes I wonder if I should say that I have a job that everyone understands and, preferably, … Read More
It is an interesting question: when do you need the source code in order to reuse some software and when would binary [i.e. a black box] be quite satisfactory? With an embedded operating system the answer is far from obvious. There is even a question as to what source code really is.
If you ask an engineer whether he would like to have the source code for an OS or any other reusable software, the … Read More
DO-178B, Nucleus, Medical, Avionics, Certification, Source Code, Nucleus Kernel, RTOS