Sunday, January 14, 2007

Cross compiler

A cross compiler is a compiler capable of creating executable code for a platform other than the one on which the cross compiler is run. Such a tool is handy when you want to compile code for a platform that you don't have access to, or because it is inconvenient or impossible to compile on that platform (as is the case with embedded systems, on which various kinds of microcontrollers run with a minimal amount of memory for their own purpose).

Know more about cross compilers from this wiki article

Friday, January 05, 2007

DS1302 - Trickle-Charge Timekeeping Chip

DS1302 - Trickle-Charge Timekeeping Chip

The DS1302 trickle-charge timekeeping chip contains a real-time clock/calendar and 31 bytes of static RAM. It communicates with a microprocessor via a simple serial interface. The real-time clock/calendar provides seconds, minutes, hours, day, date, month, and year information. The end of the month date is automatically adjusted for months with fewer than 31 days, including corrections for leap year. The clock operates in either the 24-hour or 12-hour format with an AM/PM indicator.

DS1302 Datasheet

Supervisory Circuits Keep Your Microprocessor Under Control

Maxim Semiconductor - APPLICATION NOTE 279

Supervisory Circuits Keep Your Microprocessor Under Control
Understand the value of a µP supervisor to ensure proper system operation during power-up, power-down, and brownout situations (undervoltage monitoring). In addition, provides information about overvoltage and windowed monitoring. Describes additional features such as manual reset, watchdog timer, battery backup, and chip enable gating. Discusses the need for multi-voltage monitoring.

Maxim Semiconductor - APPLICATION NOTE 279


Advantages of Using a MicroMonitor and a Simple Application Demonstrating the Use of a DS1232

Maxim Semiconductor - APPLICATION NOTE 581

Advantages of Using a MicroMonitor and a Simple Application Demonstrating the Use of a DS1232
Discusses how the DS1232 can be used to MicroMonitor an 8051-based system. This supervisor circuit provides power-on-reset (POR), manual reset (push-button) input, a watchdog timer (strobe timer), and an early power-fail comparator. The reset threshold tolerance can set selected to monitor both 5% and 10% supply tolerance systems. In addition, a pin-selectable reset time-out delay is available.

To simplify the use of the device, a software execution program is included to show how the 8051 processor can be used in conjunction with the DS1232.
Maxim Semiconductor - APPLICATION NOTE 581