ENGR 4250/6250
Advanced Microcontrollers

Using the MC68HC11 to solve practical engineering monitoring and control problems; a project-oriented course.

Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Fall 2006

Tuesdays/Thursdays 2:00-4:45, Room 314, Driftmier Engineering Center

Taught by: Dr. Michael A. Covington
Artificial Intelligence Center

Office: 111 Boyd GSRC
E-mail: mc@uga.edu
Web: www.ai.uga.edu/mc
Office hours: To be determined.

Course prerequisites: ENGR 4240.

Course pre- or corequisites: ENGR 3270.

Pre- or corequisite knowledge: Knowledge of microcontroller hardware and software (specifically 68HC11); electronics.

Courses that require this course as a prerequisite: None.

Text: Course will be taught from handouts. We will continue to use Driscoll et al., Data Acquisition and Process Control with the M68HC11 Microcontroller, as a reference.

Other references: There are numerous 68HC11 sites on the World Wide Web. CPU documentation is at www.freescale.com.

Written and oral communication is a specialty of mine. For more about how I approach it, see:

"How to Write a Term Paper or Thesis"
www.ai.uga.edu/mc/howtowrite/howtowrite.pdf

"How to Write More Clearly, Think More Clearly, and Learn Complex Material More Easily"
www.ai.uga.edu/mc/WriteThinkLearn.htm

Neither of these was written specifically for engineers.

Course plan

The course consists of a series of lab projects. The ones presently foreseen are:
  • Re-familiarize with the 68HC11 and EVBU by making LEDs blink.
  • Try out a new assembler and simulator (called EASIM), and if it works well, adopt it. (This is a Windows-based software package, not DOS-based like the tools traditionally used in this course.)
  • Interface the 68HC11 to a standard LCD display.
  • Interface to a motor speed sensor and display the motor speed on the LCD. (This project will be done in four stages.)
  • Last, if time permits, move to the PIC12F508 microcontroller (very different from the 68HC11) and build a music box that plays the Georgia fight song.

In order to maintain flexibility, I don't want to announce a strict calendar at the beginning of the course. Instead, let's dive in, see what we can do, and be alert to opportunities to be creative.

Grading

Test 1 12.5%
Test 2 12.5%
Test 3 20%
Final 20%
Lab reports 25%
Other homework/quizzes     10%
Participation + 0 to 3 points

This may be adjusted as the course progresses.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is required. In cases of serious unforeseen emergency, arrangements can be made for students to make up the work they missed, or to drop the course, whichever is more appropriate. Unexcused absences are one of several factors that can prevent you from receiving participation points. If your outside nonacademic commitments or personal circumstances do not permit you to attend this course, you cannot take it.

Academic Honesty

The rules of the University apply to this course. See http://www.uga.edu/ovpi/academic_honesty/culture_honesty.htm. Please bear in mind that any form of cheating in a course would be tantamount to graduating with a partly fake diploma, and then presenting it to employers as if you had earned it. Anyone who would do that cannot be trusted to do engineering, because society relies on engineers to do their work correctly even when no one is in a position to check it.

Departmental Grading Policy Regarding Communication Skills

Thirty percent of the grade on all written assignments (lab reports and papers) and oral presentations will be based on quality of communication. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and clarity of writing are evidence of written communication quality. Enunciation, voice projection, clarity, and logical order of the presentation and effective use of visual aids are evidence of oral communication quality.

Engineering Professionalism Policy

The engineering profession is governed by a code of ethics. Engineering faculty at UGa expect students to act in a professional manner at all times and develop the work ethics required for a successful engineering career. Engineering students at UGa are responsible for maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and professional practice.