Circuit Cellar Ink 190
May 2006

Table of Contents

4


Jennifer Huber

HTML Task Manager

Design Inspiration

8


John Gorsky

New Product News

  • eZ430-F2013 MSP430 microcontroller development tool from Texas Instruments, Inc.
  • XBee Professional ZigBee Developer Kit from MaxStream, Inc.
  • Cheetah USB-to-SPI Host Adapter from Total Phase, Inc.
  • 555 user-repairable Solderless Breadboard from Cal Test Electronics
  • ChiBots Alpha (CBA) robot kit from Chicago Area Robotics Group
  • ES-W-3001-M wireless serial server from EasySync Ltd.
  • C8051F41x mixed-signal microcontrollers from Silicon Laboratories, Inc.

12


Carlos Cossio

Mobile Phone Book

M16C/62P-Based Data Backup System

Carlos's M16C/62P-based system enables you to back up your cellular phone book records on the microcontroller's flash memory, a PC, or a SIM smart card.

Download: Cossio-190.zip

20


Jay Carter

Bluetooth-Based Display for GPS Data

Jay interfaced a Wintec Bluetooth module to an LCD and a PIC16F88, which connects to a miniature Bluetooth GPS receiver. The display shows the date, time, speed, direction, location, and number of the satellites used by the GPS receiver.

Download: Carter-190.zip

28


Jens Altenburg

Image Processing for Robots

Image processing has never been simpler. Jens's small system combines basic robot sensors with a CMOS camera. You can use the system to locate and track small objects.

Download: Altenburg-190.zip

34


Russ Ethington

MIDI Controller

Russ explains how to customize AT90S8515-based circuitry and programming for an inex-pensive, battery-powered MIDI computer. The system generates basic MIDI messages and uses them to play music generated by switched inputs and a control program.

Download: Ethington-190.zip

40


Bernard Debbasch

ARM-Based Modern Answering Machine

The next-generation answering machine has arrived. No more shoddy voice quality or limits on storage space. Bernard's Internet-connected system is perfect for the home and office.

Download: Debbasch-190.zip

From the Bench

51


Jeff Bachiochi

Radio-Free FM

Add FM Radio to Portable Devices

Jeff shows you how to get the best of both worlds. With the Si4700/01 FM radio tuner, you can add FM radio reception to almost any portable device, including an MP3 player.

Download: Bachiochi-190.zip

58


Benjamin Kacenas

Versatile Small RTOS

You can implement Benjamin's processor-independent small RTOS while providing a small footprint and multiple levels of determinism. He has used the RTOS in consumer electronics applications of various sizes. Now it's your turn to try it in an application of your own.

Download: Kcancenas-190.zip

Applied PCs

70


Fred Eady

ARM Yourself

Assemble an ARM7 Tool Kit

If you're an ARM adventurer like Fred, you'll want to assemble a working set of ARM development tools to program and debug ARM7-based devices for your future applications. This month, Fred shows you how to assemble a tool kit around a Segger J-Link ARM emulator.

Download: Eady-190.zIP

76


Stuart Ball

Universal In-Circuit Programmer

Devices such as Microchip PICs and Atmel AVRs have serial interfaces for programming. Normally, you have to use a different programmer for each one, but not anymore. Stuart's universal in-circuit programmer can handle most clocked protocols.

Download: Ball-190.zip

Silicon Update

81


Tom Cantrell

Flash FPGA

The Sequel

Tom takes a look at the flash memory-based LatticeXP and MachXO FPGAs from Lattice Semiconductor. Or are they actually PLDs? Either way, the more the merrier, Tom says.

93

Crossword Puzzle

94

Advertiser's Index / June Preview

96


Steve Ciarcia

HTML Priority Interrupt

Without an Annoying Buzz

FTP Directory for INK 190
Follow this link to order a copy of INK 190

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