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DESCRIPTION
Microprocessors based on the x86 ISA (Instruction Set Architecture) may have achieved fame in the PC role, but also excel in embedded applications ranging from handheld portable systems to set-top boxes to communications gear. Indeed the volume PC market affords embedded designers access to high-performance yet extremely-affordable processors and support chips at leading edge process nodes. Moreover, the x86 architecture enjoys broad software support that embedded system designers can leverage to accelerate design cycles. The breadth of offerings spans the range from power-miserly designs to the high-end Xeon architecture originally developed for servers. Moreover vendors committed to the embedded market guarantee extended availability of five or more years for select products.
Despite the ubiquity of the x86 ISA, the micro architecture that supports the ISA varies widely in different processor families. Moreover, some implementations offer instruction set extensions that serve specific applications especially well. In this course, you will learn about:
The history of the x86 ISA
Why the x86 is a good match for many embedded applications
The range of available processors for embedded applications
Details of several difference Intel cores or microarchitectures
Explanation of instruction set extensions and targeted applications
Memory- and power-management techniques for embedded applications
Software and hardware development platforms
An Internet-accessible hands-on evaluation and development tool
PREREQUISITES
Basic knowledge of microprocessor-based systems
INTENDED AUDIENCE
Design engineers interested in learning about the philosophy of embedded systems design and how to select and deploy microprocessors in an embedded application.
ESTIMATED TIME
60 min.
AUTHOR
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