Program Design and Analysis

In this chapter we study in detail the process of creating programs for embedded processors. The creation of embedded programs is at the heart of embedded system design. If you are reading this book, you almost certainly have an understanding of programming, but designing and implementing embedded programs is different and more challenging than writing typical workstation or PC programs. Embedded code must not only provide rich functionality, it must also often run at a required rate to meet system deadlines, fit into the allowed amount of memory, and meet power consumption requirements. Designing code that simultaneously meets multiple design constraints is a considerable challenge, but luckily there are techniques and tools that we can use to help us through the design process. Making sure that the program works is also a challenge, but once again methods and tools come to our aid.