Balance

November 30, 2006

Balancing How Firmware Waits on Hardware

A common question engineers often wrestle with is how long hardware will take to do a requested task so firmware can take the next step. Engineers implement different designs (both in hardware and firmware) depending on the length of time, and these designs have varying impacts on hardware and firmware […]
June 30, 2007

Analyzing Buffer Zones

One of the more challenging aspects of an embedded systems design is to maximize the time hardware and firmware can work independently while minimizing the time they have to wait for each other. The proper use and sizing of buffers can help balance the load between hardware and firmware. An […]
June 30, 2010

Principle 3: Balance the Load

This is the third in a series of newsletters that present seven principles to help guide your own processes and best practices in hardware/firmware interface design. This month’s principle focuses on balancing the tasks and work load between hardware and firmware. Hardware and firmware each have their strengths and weaknesses […]