Programming

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Write programs to execute on an AVR microcontroller
• Communicate with an AVR microcontroller using simple serial protocols
• Use a number of compilation tools
• Use a scripting language for numerical and graphical tasks
• Interact with the physical world using an AVR microcontroller

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Analyse existing programs
• Debug and test programs
• Design new structured programs

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Manage your time in a laboratory
• Record and report laboratory work
• Program

Basic concepts:

• Storage and CPU
• Data movement
• Flow control
• Input/output

Program design:

• Structured programming
• Function decomposition
• Data representation
• Hardware/software decomposition
• Testability

Software development:

• C Programming under Windows and Linux
• IDEs and command line tools
• Debugging
• Static analysis
• Testing

Embedded software development on the AVR microcontroller:

• C programming
• Assembly language
• AVR instruction set
• Digital interfacing (De-bouncing, parallel and serial IO)
• Analogue interfacing (ADC, PWM)
• Timers and counters
• Interrupts

Simple communications:

• UART (for communications and debugging)
• I2C
• SPI
• JTAG (for programming and OCD)

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

S. Kochan (2004). Programming in C. Pearson.

R.H. Barnett et. al. (2006). Embedded C Programming and the Atmel AVR. Delmar Cengage Learning.

M. McGrath (2012). C Programming in Easy Steps. Easy Steps Limited.

Assessment strategy

These technical labs consider C programming and embedded C programming, addressing the above-listed learning outcomes. They are conducted under the umbrella of ELEC1029 but the marks contribute towards this module.

The design exercise considers circuits and programming, addressing the above-listed learning outcomes, as well as those of ELEC1200. It is conducted under the umbrella of ELEC1029 but the marks contribute towards this module and ELEC1200.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External