Little Packages

May 13, 2002
Small 8- and 16-bit microprocessors make up the bulk of processor shipments. Memory capacity and performance in this space is growing, increasing the need for compact RTOS solutions such as those examined this month. Chips like the 8-bit...

Small 8- and 16-bit microprocessors make up the bulk of processor shipments. Memory capacity and performance in this space is growing, increasing the need for compact RTOS solutions such as those examined this month.

Chips like the 8-bit parts in Motorola's HC12 series and Cygnal's 1000-MIPS C8051F120 can easily accommodate multiple tasks. While you can write your own RTOS for a job, it's not so easy. Design and implementation are only the first steps. Debugging and maintenance are more important in the long run. This time takes resources away from application development, so consider the long-range implications before rolling your own.

An RTOS, and even a C compiler, can be overkill for an 8-bit PIC with just a few kbytes of flash, in which case Microchip's new MPLAB ICD will be of interest. I found it to be quite handy and easy to use. It takes advantage of the new in-circuit debug capability in Microchip's latest PIC18Fxxx chips and is similar to the Parallax SX-Key for Ubicom's SX microcontrollers. These devices only need a serial port and provide limited breakpoint support. Check them out.

About the Author

William G. Wong | Senior Content Director - Electronic Design and Microwaves & RF

I am Editor of Electronic Design focusing on embedded, software, and systems. As Senior Content Director, I also manage Microwaves & RF and I work with a great team of editors to provide engineers, programmers, developers and technical managers with interesting and useful articles and videos on a regular basis. Check out our free newsletters to see the latest content.

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I earned a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Masters in Computer Science from Rutgers University. I still do a bit of programming using everything from C and C++ to Rust and Ada/SPARK. I do a bit of PHP programming for Drupal websites. I have posted a few Drupal modules.  

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