Embedded Technologies Expo & Conference 2020

Quite often, we get called in to write a device driver for a specific component. These components can range from a simple port pin to implement a “bit-banging” interface, to a more complex FPGA or high-speed networking controller /with switching fabric. And also, too often, hardware changes, “ultra-creative” hardware designers, shifting requirements etc. mean we need to “re-tool” these drivers to fit the “new” application. What if we can change this paradigm, and not have to keep re-inventing the wheel for hardware-specific interfaces? Most folks think that this may be neigh impossible…

Well … it is NOT impossible! There are ways to structure a driver using a “driverless” model. This type of driver can be fully featured and can implement a partial or full interface and everything in-between. This can be done without trying to anticipate or 2nd guess future needs.

This session discusses how to do this. This technology has been successfully realized for a few decades for a wide variety of devices. Drivers have been implemented for IC’S with I2C, SPI, serial, MDIO, USB, etc. These firmware drivers have been successfully ported, (with NO code changes), across a wide variety of architectures, (C8051, Z8 … ancient) … to the more modern (ARM Cortex M0, M3, A7, A8, A9 etc.) cores. Code for the future as it unfolds! The driverless model allows you to add features as the requirements and the future unfolds!