Teaching philosophy
: I am here to teach you about embedded systems. I am also here
to share my experiences about what it is like to be an engineer. I have 50 years
of experience designing and building integrated circuits and embedded systems. I
strongly encourage students to attend all the lectures and take an active role
in this class. Questions are always welcome before, during and after class.
Please feel free to email, visit or call me if you have questions.
I am very accessible!!
Course Catalog Description: Design of
microcontroller-based embedded systems; interfacing from both a hardware and
software perspective; and applications, including audio, data acquisition, and
communication systems.
Course Specific Objectives of ECE445L: The
primary objective of ECE445L is for the students to develop the ability to
design microcomputer-based embedded systems. This class allows students to learn
microcomputer interfacing from both a hardware and software perspective.
Professor's Specific Objective for the Course:
My objectives for this course is for the software centric students to become
proficient with hardware and the hardware centric students become proficient
with software such that when you are in industry you make more money than those
students who elect to be isolated in their comfort zone be it SW or HW.
Outcomes: After the successful conclusion of
ECE445L, students should be able to design embedded systems including
hardware/software interfaces for devices like LCD displays, motors, keyboards,
analog sensors, and microphone/speakers.
Attendance:
Students are expected to attend all of the lectures in person. The book covers
way more information than the class can cover and we will use lectures to map
our way through the book. If you do not attend the lectures in person you may
find it difficult to catch up. DO NOT assume that you can watch previous
(ancient) recordings and do well in this class.
We have over five years of
experience with distance learning.Those students that did not attend the lectures or
office hours and only watched recordings did poorly on the 3 exams!!!
Please attend all of the
lectures, ask lots of questions and come to my office hours if you have any
additional questions.
Prerequisites: Electrical
and Computer Engineering 312 (or Electrical Engineering 312) or 312H (or
Electrical Engineering 312H) and 319K (or Electrical Engineering 319K) or 319H
(or Electrical Engineering 319H) with a grade of at least C- in each; Electrical
and Computer Engineering 411 (or Electrical Engineering 411) or 411H and 313 (or
Electrical Engineering 313) or 313H, or Biomedical Engineering 311 and 343, or
Mechanical Engineering 348E with a grade of at least C- in each; and credit with
a grade of at least C- or registration for Aerospace Engineering 333T,
Biomedical Engineering 333T, Chemical Engineering 333T, Civil Engineering 333T,
Electrical and Computer Engineering 333T (or Electrical Engineering 333T),
Engineering Studies 333T, Mechanical Engineering 333T, or Petroleum and
Geosystems Engineering 333T. Note to ME/Robot minor students: If their C
programming skills are excellent, and they did well in ME340 and ME343E, ME
students perform well in ECE445L. Conversely, if their C programming skills are
poor, then ME students do very poorly in ECE445L. We strongly recommend ECE319K
prior to ECE445L. However,
if robot minor students have not had ECE319K, please complete ECE319K Labs 3,
6, and 8 prior to starting ECE445L. Don't worry about the ECE319K
autograders, just build the hardware, write/debug code. For ECE319K Lab 8
don't worry about the LCD, just sample the ADC using interrupts and calculate
distance from the ADC sample. Labs 3, 6, and 8 will run in simulation if you do
not have the hardware.
Grading :
Assignment
%
Date
Notes
Quiz 1
15%
Thursday, 2/20, 12:30 - 13:45
Closed book, one page crib notes (In class, in person, no
Zoom)
Quiz 2
20%
Thursday, 4/3, 12:30 - 13:45
Closed book, two pages crib notes (In class, in person, no Zoom)
Final
20%
Saturday 5/3, 13:00 -
15:00
Closed book, three pages crib notes (room
officially scheduled, in person, no Zoom)
Laboratory
45%
See below
Laboratory assignments with a large weight applied to Labs 7, 8 and 11
When studying for quizzes, focus on the topics that
apply to the ARM Cortex M and the lab assignments. You will find old quizzes and
finals with solutions on the class web site. I have no expected grade cutoffs or
expected GPA for this class. You can view the previous GPAs for most of your
classes at UT. All professors want a 5 on their teaching evaluation, and all
students want an A. Just like Dr. McDermott, I feel both the instructor and the
student should only be awarded for excellence.
Old Old Lecture Videos:
www.youtube.com/445L_Fall_2015
Note:DO NOT assume you can watch these
(ancient) videos and do well on the exams. Dr. McDermott and I have added new
material to the course over last 10 years which will be on the exams.
Valvano's Office Hours:
Check Canvas or my door for the
latest office hours.
T, Th, F 2-3pm, EER5.820
NOTE: There is a direct correlation between attending office hours when
you have questions and getting higher grades on the exams.
I usually increase my office hours prior to all three exams and I am
available by appointment the rest of the time.
TA's Office Hours:
See Canvas for details.
Lab Sections
Unique
Day
Time
TA
17755
TTh
11:00 - 12:30
TBD
17760
MW
12:00 - 13:30
TBD
17765
MW
15:30 - 17:00
TBD
17770
TTh
17:00 - 18:30
TBD
17774
TTh
15:30 - 17:00
TBD
Specific ECE319K topics needed for ECE445L:
LED interface, switch interface, busy-wait
synchronization, serial communication concepts (start bit, data bits, stop
bit, baud rate, bandwidth), UART programming, analog to digital conversion
(range, resolution, precision, accuracy), ADC programming, digital to analog
conversion (range, resolution, precision, accuracy), interrupt concepts
(arm, enable, acknowledge, vector), Output compare interrupt programming
Specific ECE312 topics needed for ECE445L:
Modular programming, differences between
pointers and numbers, when to use permanent allocation and when to use
temporary allocation, definitions of char, short and long,
understanding and use of static, const and volatile,
understanding call by value versus call by reference, stack frames,
structures, linked lists, fifo queues, verification. The most important
component students must be able to accomplish is the translation of a
problem statement into software code. The second most important skill we
expect students to have is the ability to debug software.
Specific ECE302/ECE411/EE313/ECE438 topics needed for ECE445L:
RLC circuits, NPN and PNP transistors, input
impedance, output impedance, linear amplifiers using op amps, oscilloscopes,
sampling, frequency response, Bode Plots, Fourier Transform, spectrum
measurements.
Microcomputer Architecture (ECE319K review)
An introduction to the microcomputer,
architecture, The Cortex M4 Instruction Set, Cortex M4 Addressing Modes, I/O
and Memory Organization and the memory map of the TM4C123.
Data Structures in C (arrays, tables, linked
lists, stacks, and fifo queues), Writing Quality Programs in C, Passing
Parameters (Conceptual and Implementation Levels), Modular Programming,
Verification and Testing, Documentation
Microcomputer Bus Interfaces
Digital Hardware, Modules and Signals, Drivers,
Registers, Timing equations, Timing diagrams,
Parallel and Serial Input-Output
TM4C Parallel I/O Devices, Device Driver
Software, Buffered Input and Output, Table and Linked List
Interpreters, TM4C Synchronous and Asynchronous Serial Input-Output,
Synchronization in I/O devices, Blind-Cycle Synchronization, Busy-Wait
Synchronization, Interrupt Synchronization, Polled Interrupts, Vectored
Interrupts, Interrupt Priority
Parallel Port Interfaces
Keyboards, Key Debouncing, Keyboard Scanning
Techniques, LED Scanning Techniques and LCD Interfacing
Stepper motors, DC motors, pulse-width
modulation, proportional-integral (PI) control
Equipment to buy:
1) Board
Every student will be required to have a
Texas
Instruments TM4C123 LaunchPad by Friday January 17. Since we will
be using the TM4C123 kit in ECE445L and ECE445M for a few years, you will
have the option of selling it at the end of the semester. Buying options for
the board can be found by searching https://octopart.com/search?q=EK-TM4C123GXL
However, one option is to purchase it directly from
www.ti.com . We have been
using the TM4C123 board since Fall 2013, so you might be able to find one
used. If you do purchase a used microcontroller board, ask a TA or me to run
the board tester to make sure all the pins work. If it still works at the
end of the semester, you will be able to sell this board to students in the
next semester.
2) LCD
Each group of two students will need to a
LCD graphics display. We will be using Sitronix ST7735R 18-bit color
1.8" TFT LCD display for $20 plus shipping,
http://www.adafruit.com/products/358 If you want a lower
cost version you could order it from China (search ST7735R on Amazon or
EBay).
ECE445L has a
design competition where students build embedded system. Using the same
LCD for labs and for the project will save you time. Just like the
microcontroller board, you will have the option of selling the Sitronix
LCD to students next semester.
3) Breadboard.
You will need a solder-less breadboard. We
strongly recommend you do not buy used or borrow a breadboard, because
as the breadboards get old they fail in mysterious and extremely
annoying ways (shorts and opens). The Twin Industries TW-E40-1020
is a breadboard that is easy to find. You can find it for sale on the
internet by searching
https://octopart.com/search?q=TW-E40-1020 Any
breadboard, any size will be OK. Another approach is to search
"solderless breadboard" on amazon.com
or
ebay.com
4) Wire strippers and voltmeter.
You will need own your own pair of
wire-strippers and a digital multimeter. You will be stripping a lot of
22 or 24 gauge wire as you build the interface circuits. Your meter must
be able to measure voltage and resistance, so a meter costing around $20
will suffice. Since you will be making hundreds of solder joints
this semester, we suggest you use the high-quality irons available on
the first floor.
into your Keil_v5/ARM/bin folder so you can simulate
some of the TM4C123 LaunchPad devices used in ECE319K.
Other references: For programming in C and digital logic, see the ECE312 and ECE316
texts
LAB Safety warnings:
Due to the minute amounts of lead in most solder, please wash your
hands after soldering, before eating or drinking.
If you drop the soldering iron, let it fall to the ground. Do not try
and catch it.
If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant, have someone else
do the soldering!!
Lab Partners:
Most labs should be performed with a partner.
Some will be done with a group of 4 (see below).
You and your lab partner must be registered for
the same lab section (4 person teams can be registered in different
sections).
The lab partnership must be registered with your
TA (a simple hand written note signed by both students will suffice) during
the week of January 20th.
Once registered, the partnership will continue.
A partnership can be dissolved only after discussion with the TA.
NOTE: The only way members of the same team will receive the same
score for a lab assignment is if ALL of the team members participate
equally. For more information on teams, see the
team contract.
Both partners must be present during the
demonstration. It is expected that both partners will contribute to all
aspects of each lab, and both partners are expected to be present during the
check out.
The point values are the same for all labs. Lab
partners will be selected in your lab the week of January 20th.
If you want to switch sections, there will
be a
GoogleDoc link on canvas, on which you can
request a section swap.
Basically, you will need another student (not your lab partner) with
whom you will switch sections.
ECE445L Lab Sessions
(see your TA for the latest information).
This is a lab based class so LAB attendance
is ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY.
No drive bys, you must
attend your lab session for the entire period.
Each week there are two 90 minute lab
sessions, which are scheduled Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday. You
will show the preparation to your TA at the beginning of the second
session. During the first session demonstrations will be made. The TA
will sign your software listing when you demonstrate your system. The
report (hardware/software/data plots) is due Friday uploaded to Canvas
according to the directions posted on Canvas. Any ECE445L TA is
authorized to check out your lab. Please consult with your TA for
specific due dates for your lab section.
During the week of January 14th, please go
to your scheduled ECE445L lab sessions in
EER 1.806
to get a demonstration of the lab equipment. If you do not
already own a TM4C123 board, you must purchase one by Friday January
17th.. Each student should have their own board. The lab
preparations (hardware diagrams and syntax-free software source code
printouts) must be uploaded to Canvas prior to the beginning of your lab
period. PLEASE SEE YOUR TA ON EXACT REQUIREMENTS FOR TURNING IN LAB
ASSIGNMENTS. In other words, please type your software into the PC
before lab.
All software for lab,
and tests must include comments. All hardware must include R&C values
specifying tolerance and type (e.g., 5% carbon), and chip numbers (be
very specific e.g., INA122P). Pin numbers are required only for lab, not
for the exams.
The uploading of preparations will close
once Lab has begun. For the first 15 minutes of lab, the TA will lead a
lab discussion session. The remaining lab time is available for
debugging and lab checkout. At the end of the semester please verify
with the checkout counter that your record is clear. All reports must be
given to the TA by Friday April 25th
@ 2pm.
- Rough draft due to the TA for review by
Friday 3/28 @ 9am on Canvas
- ATTENTION:
PCB files are due Tuesday 4/1 @ 10am on Canvas (if you miss this deadline
you will have to pay for your own board) - TA downloads
files from Canvas and creates an XLS sheet - PCB ordered on
Tuesday 4/1 by 12 noon - Boards received between
4/9 to 4/11 - For Lab 10 prep: All
parts soldered and microcontroller ready to be programmed.
We will be using KiCad for the PCB design.Install
latest version of KiCad (do not spend any money) Download and installhttps://www.kicad.org/.
Bookmark this site, which has tutorials and videos:
https://www.kicad.org/help/learning-resources/See
TAs for how to install the 445L KiCad libraries.
Software applications
To complete ECE445L
labs it will take time outside of the 3 scheduled lab hours. It will be
necessary for you to configure a development system on your laptop (Keil version
5.41, PuTTy, and KiCad). As an alternative to Keil, Code Composer Studio (CCS
12.8) is an option (avoid CCS 20.0 until they develop TM4C123 drivers). This way
you will be mobile and flexible about where and when you work on the labs.
Request samples (DIP or PDIP package) Each team
will need obtain HW components for your final project. See the BOM included with
the Lab 7 starter codes to see what is generally available. Parts labeled as
"Cabinet" should be in the parts bin in my office. If not you will need to
request samples from the suppliers listed below.You will need to
register with each vendor using an official University email address (e.g.,
YourName@mail.utexas.edu) rather than a junk email address (e.g., yahoo.com or
gmail.com). For general information on getting free samples, see
http://www.ladyada.net/library/procure/samples.html.
Maxim IC (Now part of Analog Devies) https://www.maximintegrated.com/en.html
MAX5353ACPA+ or MAX5353BCPA+ single 3.3V-powered, 12-bit SPI interface DAC
(ACPA or BCPA) MAX552BCPA 12-bit multiplying DAC MAX1246ACPE+
3.3V-powered, 12-bit ADC, such as the (A or B, with or without +)
MAX5155ACPE dual 12-bit SPI interface DAC (ACPE or BCPE)
Texas Instrumentshttp://www.ti.com(These are available in my office)
INA122P rail-to-rail instrumentation amp
OPA2350PA rail-to-rail dual op amp
LM4041CILPR adjustable shunt reference for Lab 5.
TLV5618CP Dual 12-bit DAC for Lab 5.
TPA731D audio amplifier for Lab 5.
SamTecconnectorshttp://www.samtec.com/
10-pin LCD connector, BCS-110-L-S-TE (need 1 for the ST7735 LCD to connect to
PCB)
ABET Relationship of the
Course to Student Outcomes: Bold applies
to EE445L a. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics,
science, and engineering. b. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as
well as to analyze and interpret data. c. An ability to design a system, component, or
process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic,
environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability,
and sustainability.
d. An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams. e. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve
engineering problems. f. An understanding of professional and ethical
responsibility. g. An ability to communicate effectively.
h. The broad education necessary to understand the
impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and
societal context. i. Recognition of the need for and an ability
to engage in life-long learning.
j. Knowledge of contemporary issues. k. An ability to use the techniques, skills,
and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
Legal Stuff: The 12th class day is January
29th.
The drop policy is extremely complicated. See your academic advisor or the Dean
of Students for more information. Course evaluation is conducted on the last
class day in accordance with the Measurement and Evaluation Center form. The
final exam is at the time and place stated in the course schedule. The
University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic
adjustments for qualified students with disabilities. For more information,
contact the Office of the Dean of Students with Disabilities at 471-6259,
471-4241 TDD.
Sharing of Course Materials
is Prohibited:
No materials used in this class,
including, but not limited to, lecture hand-outs, videos, assessments (quizzes,
exams, papers, projects, homework assignments), in-class materials, review
sheets, and additional problem sets, may be shared online or with anyone outside
of the class unless you have my explicit, written permission. Unauthorized
sharing of materials promotes cheating. It is a violation of the University's
Student Honor Code and an act of academic dishonesty. I am well aware of the
sites used for sharing materials, and any materials found online that are
associated with you, or any suspected unauthorized sharing of materials, will be
reported to Student Conduct and Academic Integrity in the Office of the Dean of
Students. These reports can result in sanctions, including failure in the
course.
Religious Holy Days By UT Austin policy, you must notify
me of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of
observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a
work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will
give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time
after the absence.
Policies for using artificial intelligence:
You cannot use any AI on written parts of lab reports
If you use AI on code or debugging, then you must acknowledge its use
We know how engineers write. Therefore, a lab report written with polished
technical writing will be a red flag to the TA. We will run lab code through a
plagiarism checker. So if two students ask the same question to AI, get the same
answer and both turn it in, it may be triggered as plagiarism. To be clear, we
expect students to copy/paste code from the book or ECE445L web site (just
reference the source).
Scholastic dishonesty: "Faculty in the ECE
Department are committed to detecting and responding to all instances of
scholastic dishonesty and will pursue cases of scholastic dishonesty in
accordance with university policy. Scholastic dishonesty, in all its forms, is
a blight
on our entire academic community. All parties in our community -- faculty,
staff, and students -- are responsible for creating an environment that educates
outstanding engineers, and this goal entails excellence in technical skills,
self-giving citizenry, an
ethical integrity. Industry wants engineers who are competent and fully
trustworthy, and both qualities must be developed day by day throughout an
entire lifetime. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to,
cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, or any act
designed to give an unfair academic advantage to the student. The fact that you
are in this class as an engineering student is testament to your abilities.
Penalties for scholastic dishonesty are severe and can include, but are not
limited to, a written reprimand, a zero on the assignment/exam, re-taking the
exam in question, an F in the course, or expulsion from the University. Don't
jeopardize your career by an act of scholastic dishonesty. Details about
academic integrity and what constitutes scholastic dishonesty can be found at
the website for the UT Dean of Students Office and the General Information
Catalog, Section 11-802."
You are encouraged to study together and to discuss
information and concepts with other students. You can give "consulting" help to
or receive "consulting" help from such students in oral form. However, this
permissible cooperation should never involve one student having possession of a
copy of all or part of work done by someone else, in the form of an email, an
email attachment file, a portable storage device, or a hard copy. Copying of any
part of a program is cheating without explicit reference to its source. We do
enter lab assignments turned in by ECE445L students through a plagiarism
checker, comparing them to assignments of this and previous semesters. If we
find two programs that are copied, there will be a substantial penalty to both
students, e.g., failure in the course. Students who cheat on tests or in lab
will fail. Prosecution of cases is very traumatic to both the student and
instructor. It is appropriate to use software out of the book, class website as
long as all copy-pasted software is explicitly referenced. Copy-pasting
software from current or past students is scholastic dishonesty.
Policies concerning the use of other people's
software in this class: -
I strongly encourage you to study existing software. -
All applications and libraries must be legally obtained. E.g., You
may use libraries that came when you bought a compiler.
You may use software obtained from the web. You may copy and paste from the existing source code. - You may use any existing source code that is clearly
referenced and categorized: original: completely
written by you, derived: fundamental approach is copied but it is your
implementation, modified: source code significantly
edited to serve your purpose, copied: source code
includes minor modifications.
The University Honor Code is "The core values of the University of
Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual
opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the University is expected to
uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect
toward peers and community."
http://registrar.utexas.edu/catalogs/gi09-10/ch01/
Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Plan Instructions Please review http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~valvano/emergency_terms.pdf
Every member of the university community must take appropriate and deliberate
action when an emergency strikes a building, a portion of the campus, or entire
campus community. Emergency preparedness means we are all ready to act for our
own safety and the safety of others during a crisis. It takes an effort by all
of us to create and sustain an effective emergency preparedness system. Your
support is important to achieving the best possible outcomes during a crisis
event.
As a University faculty member, you are responsible for pointing out your
classrooms building emergency evacuation routes and for reviewing emergency
procedures with students at the beginning of each semester. This review should
include a mention of the monthly emergency communications test (every first
Wednesday at 11:50 a.m.) and the list of communications channels the university
uses during emergencies. It should also include a review of the attached
document outlining emergency terms (e.g., the difference between
?shelter-inplace? and ?lockdown?) and instructions for faculty and students to
follow during emergencies. As a matter of convenience, we recommend including
this information in your syllabus along with the phone number for the Behavior
Concerns Advice Line (BCAL: 512-232-5050).
This is the number to call if you have concerns regarding the attitude or
actions of students, staff, or other faculty. Finally, at the end of your
emergency preparedness review, request that students requiring assistance in
evacuation inform you in writing of their needs during the first week of class.
This information must then be provided to the Fire Prevention Services office by
fax (512-232-2759), with "Attn. Mr.
Roosevelt Easley" written in the subject line. Thank you in advance for taking
the time to ensure the safety of your classroom. I assure you this small effort
can yield much greater rewards should the unthinkable happen. If you would like
more information regarding emergency preparedness, visit
http://www.utexas.edu/safety/preparedness/.
Emergency Communications Emergencies may range from inclement weather, to building evacuations, to
campus closures, and the university has a variety of tools to communicate with
the public in the event of these and other possible emergencies. Depending on
the type of emergency, we may use some or all of the following tools to
communicate with faculty, staff and students:
Siren System This system is tested around noon on the first Wednesday of every month, and
delivers a siren warning and public address in the event of certain outdoor
emergencies. Read more about the siren system.
Emergency Web Site You may want to bookmark the emergency Web site because it is updated
with information during actual emergencies or campus closures.
Local Press and Social Media University Communications staff send emergency information to the
press and update social media with public safety messages. Because of the
transient nature of our population, the university depends a great deal on the
press and social media to keep students, faculty, and staff informed during
campus emergencies.
Pager System Our campus first responders, resident advisors, and some building managers
are part of the AWACS paging system. The pagers send text messages about
emergencies on campus and alert city responders (APD, AFD, EMS, Office of
Emergency Management, etc.) to campus crisis situations.
Fire Panel Systems Residence halls are equipped with fire panel systems that have a public
address capability. Resident advisors are trained to use these systems in
emergencies in order to make announcements to the entire building regarding
evacuation, shelter in place, etc.
Text Alerts The university collects cell phone numbers from members of the campus
community for emergency text messages. Sign up for campus text alerts online.
University Group E-mail During emergencies, UT Safety Alert sends an ?urgent? group e-mail to
every student, faculty and staff member. The e-mail directs individuals to the
emergency Web site for additional information and instruction.
Voicemail to Office Telephones This tool leaves a voice message on every faculty and staff member?s office
phone on campus.
Cable TV Residence halls and several of our public gathering places have cable
televisions where emergency announcements get posted.
Public Safety Patrol Car Announcements UTPD patrol cars are equipped with PA systems, which officers can use to
provide instructions to pedestrians during emergencies.
University Emergency Information Line:
512-232-9999 Students, faculty, and staff can call this main number for information about
campus closures. The implementation of each tool described above is assigned to
an individual who has at least two backups who can also carry out the
communications task. Individuals with electronic communication tools assigned to
them have remote access (from their homes, etc.) to those tools. The police
department and the associate vice president for Campus Safety and Security are
typically the ones who deliver emergency information to university
administration. Upon considering this information, administration develops the
messages and activates campus-wide communications. The only exceptions to this
are the sirens and pager system, which are activated directly by UTPD in
extremely urgent situations where immediate action is required.