Embedded Computing Design - OpenSystems Media

ARM System Developer’s
Guide
By Andrew N. Sloss, Dominic Symes, and Chris Wright
Reviewed by Chad Lumsden, Technical Editor
Table of Contents:
■ Chapter 1: ARM Embedded Systems
■ Chapter 2: ARM Processor Fundamentals
■ Chapter 3: Introduction to the ARM Instruction Set
■ Chapter 4: Introduction to the Thumb Instruction Set
■ Chapter 5: Efficient C Programming
■ Chapter 6: Writing and Optimizing ARM Assembly Code
■ Chapter 7: Optimized Primitives
■ Chapter 8: Digital Signal Processing
■ Chapter 9: Exception and Interrupt Handling
■ Chapter 10: Firmware
■ Chapter 11: Embedded Operating Systems
■ Chapter 12: Caches
■ Chapter 13: Memory Protection Units
■ Chapter 14: Memory Management Units
■ Chapter 15: The Future of the Architecture
For embedded system developers, some of the main requirements
for a successful project are a short project life,
timely time-to-market turnaround, and quick and effective
development of microprocessor-based products. For these reasons,
the ARM architecture has become one of the most widely used
32-bit architectures in the world. They are embedded in a vast
number of products, and this has led to the organization of a
worldwide support community. What has lacked in this development
community is the need to support ARM-based embedded designs.
The ARM System Developer’s Guide fills this need by describing
the operation of the ARM core from a product developer’s
perspective. The text assumes that the reader is experienced with
embedded systems development, but is inexperienced with ARM
architecture. Software design is emphasized in the text, and each
chapter includes an ARM software design example that can be
adapted for integration into a commercial product.
The first chapter describes the philosophy behind ARM processor
design and how it differs from traditional design methods. The
chapter then describes the characteristics of an ARM-based
embedded system. Chapter two emphasizes the core of an ARMbased
system and provides an overview of popular ARM cores.
Chapters three and four examine the ARM and Thumb instruction
sets and point out the differences between the two assembly
code variations. The chapters include the first examples of the
comprehensive flow-charts, tables, drawings, and design examples
that are included throughout the entire book.
Chapter five provides guidelines on how to develop effective C
code for the ARM architecture, while chapter six provides
guidelines on the development of effective assembly code. For
chapter seven, one of the most in-depth chapters in the book,
the discussion turns to the optimization of primitives for specific
ARM processors. Chapter eight discusses the proliferation of the
ARM processor in the DSP realm which has been driven by the
ever growing requirements of today’s hi-end audio and video
embedded systems. Chapter nine describes how to effectively
process addressing exceptions and interrupts to improve system
performance.
In chapter 10, the authors review several different types of user
firmware available for the ARM processor, while chapter 11
focuses on the broader subject of embedded operating systems.
Chapters 12-14 discuss the many different solutions for memory
management problems. To conclude, chapter 15 forecasts what the
future may hold for ARM processor technology, and is followed by
several appendices providing detailed reference on the instruction
sets, cycle timing, and an array of ARM products.
This nearly 700-page guide is ideal as a definitive reference source
for any serious ARM-based embedded system developer.
For information on how to obtain a copy of the ARM System
Developer’s Guide (ISBN 1-55860-874-5), contact:
Morgan Kaufmann Publishers
An Imprint of Elsevier Science
500 Sansome St., Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94111
12 / Summer 2004 Embedded Computing Design