Divide and Conquer for Embedded Success

Embedded controllers of all sizes and capabilities are ubiquitous today, though rarely seen. Cell phones, for instance, contain as many as a dozen different embedded devices controlling everything from radio transmissions, the user interface display, and the keypad, down to the intensity of the backlight LED. The trend is obvious; apply the right tool to the right job. This same axiom can be applied to even the most mundane embedded system and the result is greater flexibility, shorter design cycles, and higher maintainability. The key is using a generally applicable communication strategy that makes remote and local functions appear seamless to the outside world. This article presents such a strategy and demonstrates it using standard I2C communications on a multi-chip embedded system. To view more on this topic, click the download link above.