Continuing Optimization

The optimization of the firmware continued with the focus being on the SD card reading stack. A look into the USART’s synchronous mode functionality was also taken to try and understand how that works. There was also a lot of time spent trying to set up scenarios to break the Read more…

And the optimization begins!

Following the completion of the Ping-Pong Upload mechanism, its time to step forward to system optimization for the PIC firmware. This includes many separate portions looked into during the week to try to enhance the system performance and deliverable. The tasks include: i)optimization of the read/write functions ii) clearing up Read more…

PIC18 Interrupt Service Routine

The next thing to do is to initialize the interrupt service routine and also to configure the change on Port B interrupt. By referring to the interrupt that is used by the original demo to calculate the ticks for the blinking LED for the TCP/IP stack, it seems that is Read more…

MASTER & SLAVE Modes

My next task was to do something to make the PIC able to switch between the MASTER mode and the SLAVE mode. Generally, the MASTER mode will be the mode where the PIC will be acting as a server and will be receiving the bitstream from the Internet and then Read more…

My 2nd week at AESTE

They say the first week is always the hardest. At the start of my second week, I was supposed to get the computer to read and write into an SD card by programming the PIC18F8722. After being on the receiving end of the massive scolding last week, I was being Read more…

First week at AESTE

My first week at AESTE, I was introduced to something that I have never used before which was the new operating system of Ubuntu. Being a complete tyro at it, I was a little puzzled at how this operating system works. I was required to learn about the GIT software Read more…

WEEK 3 : ETHERNET

I managed to set up physical layer for ethernet connection after solving the error which came from the .c  file that end with ‘#endif’. I just needed to add an empty line after ‘#endif’ and that solved the problem. When the board was powered up, the LED D8 was blinking, Read more…

Week 2 : UART & TCPIP Stack

In order to allow communication between PIC microcontroller and PC, UART communication needs to be set up.  I wrote a program to send data byte from PIC microcontroller to PC which the output was displayed through Minicom, a hyper terminal for linux. At first, the displayed output was gibberish. This Read more…

Week 1 : Introduction to the Project

My first week in the company, I was briefed on the project that I need to conduct throughout my internship.  My task is to work on the PICDEM.NET2 development board which uses PIC18F97J60 microcontroller. The objective is to write a program which is able to download file from internet via Read more…