Embedded System Development Platform
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsStephen E. Hodges, David Alexander Butler, Shahram Izadi, Chih-Chieh Han
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Abstract
A modular development platform is described which enables creation of reliable, compact, physically robust and power efficient embedded device prototypes. The platform consists of a base module which holds the processor and one or more peripheral modules each having a peripheral device and an interface element. The modules can be electrically and physically connected together. The base module communicates with peripheral modules using packets of data with an addressing portion which identifies the peripheral module that is the intended recipient of the data packet.
Claims20
A modular prototype development platform comprising:
- a base module, said base module comprising a processor and a connector;
- at least one peripheral module, said peripheral module comprising a peripheral device,an interface element and a connector;
- and
- connecting means for electrically and physically connecting said base module and said peripheral module,
- wherein said base module is arranged to send data packets over a bus to said peripheral module, each said data packet comprising an addressing portion and a data portion, and wherein said interface element is arranged to read said addressing portion to determine if said data portion is for said peripheral module.
A prototype embedded device comprising:
- a base module physically and electrically connected to at least one peripheral module,
- wherein said base module comprises a processor and said at least one peripheral module comprises a peripheral device and an interface element, and
- wherein said base module is arranged to send data packets over a bus to said peripheral module, each said data packet comprising an address and a data portion, and wherein said interface element is arranged to read said address and to determine if said address corresponds to an address associated with said peripheral module.
A method of debugging an embedded device prototype, said embedded device prototype comprising:
- a base module physically and electrically connected to at least one peripheral module, said base module comprising a processor and a connector and said peripheral module comprising a peripheral device, an interface element and a connector, said method comprising:
- running proxy code on said processor;
- receiving signals at said base module from a computer;
- converting said signals received from said computer for transmission to said peripheral module;
- receiving signals at said base module from said peripheral module;
- and
- converting said signals received from said peripheral module for transmission to said computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.