ECE 340/341 Microcontrollers and Lab (Spring 2024)

Policies

All assignments should be uploaded as a single PDF file to Canvas prior to class on the stated due date. Attendance is mandatory. Students who miss five or more class periods will receive a final grade of F for the course. (Arriving late or leaving early is considered absent.)

Course Description

The primary goal of this course is to give you the fundamental skills needed to understand, use, and design microcontroller-based systems. This includes the following: (1) What is a microcontroller? (2) What can it do (and not do)? (3) How does one design (and program) a microcontroller-based system? Note: In addition to the listed prerequisites, ECE 340/341 require junior-level standing in EE or CompE. (e.g., You must have passed both Digital Logic and Circuits II with a C or better.)

Text

Programming 32-bit Microcontrollers in C, Lucio Di Jasio, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-7506-8709-6. Author's web site  Text Errata

Reading Assignments

Please complete the reading assignments in a timely manner so that you may contribute in the class discussions. The following abbreviations are used below, with # identifying the chapter or section: LD - Day # from the class text by Lucio Di Jasio; FRM - PIC32 Family Reference Manual (separate PDF file per section); DS - PIC32MX Datasheet (single PDF file); PLIB - PIC32 Peripheral Library Guide; MX - MPLAB X User Guide ; and XC - XC32 Compiler User Guide.

Homework and Quizzes (20%)

There will be homework and quizzes, possibly unannounced, throughout the semester. Homework should be uploaded to Canvas as a single PDF prior to class on the date provided.

  1. Jan 17  - HW1
  2. Jan 19 - HW2
  3. Jan 29 - Core Timer
  4. Feb 12 - Timer 1
  5. Feb 23 - Interrupts
  6. Mar 2 (10 pm) - LCD
  7. Mar 23 (10 pm) - Upload to Canvas two, quality screen captures (no phone pics!), labeled,  using I2C trigerring. Triggering information on OneDrive under 341\labs\lab8
  8. Mar 25 (10 pm) - I2C
  9. Mar 25. Why did the memory manufacturer decide to support the I2C transaction shown in  Fig. 8-1 of the datasheet?!!??! Why/when might you use it?!?!? (inquiring minds want to know!)
  10. Apr 3. PWM
  11. Apr 12. Bring to class ready to turn in an alternative to counting timer ticks in one or more periods of the SB signal.
  12. Apr 17. Input Capture
  13. Apr 29. Expo Exploration!

    Exams (80%)

    Each exam is worth 100 points and will be closed book, closed notes, no electronics permitted. Semester exams are 50 minutes long; the final exam will be two hours long and comprehensive. Please bring paper, pencils, and erasers to exams.

    1. Feb 5. Topic list
    2. Mar 4. Topic list
    3. Apr 8. Topic list
    4. May 6, Mon, 8-10 am

      Grading

      Course grades will be available through Canvas. Final grades will be calculated using the traditional scale (90%=A, 80%=B, etc.).

      Handouts

      Availabe on OneDrive.

      Reference Material