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The latest release of the NI LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers adds new features so it is even easier to develop your ARM-based embedded systems. Now you can develop and prototype your system faster by using LabVIEW graphical programming instead of traditional text-based programming languages. The LabVIEW 2009 Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers combines the advantages of high-level programming with low-power, low-cost ARM microcontrollers. Explore some of the latest software additions below.
File I/O Support
High-capacity, low-cost flash storage is one of the most significant innovations in embedded systems design in the past decade. The LabVIEW 2009 Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers now supports the File I/O VI palette, which you can use to read and write to flash memory formatted to FAT, FAT16, or FAT32 file systems. Use the file system to log data, buffer incoming streams, or read preprogrammed information to create embedded data loggers or audio decoders. Use the flash card on your desktop PC to analyze data or prepopulate information for the ARM processor to act on. Each evaluation kit that ships with the LabVIEW 2009 Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers has the capability to include file system expansion. On the Cortex-M3 evaluation hardware, there are expansion slots for MicroSD flash, and the ARM7 evaluation hardware has CompactFlash file system support.
Figure 1. Take advantage of flash file systems with the LabVIEW 2009 Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers.
LabVIEW Object-Oriented Programming
LabVIEW object-oriented programming is now available to developers using ARM microcontrollers. Object-oriented programming encourages cleaner interfaces between sections of the code, is easier to debug, and scales better for large programming teams. LabVIEW object-oriented programming delivers powerful programming techniques to embedded developers.
Additional Fixed-Point Support
With fixed-point code, algorithms can be more compact and offer higher performance compared to floating-point operations on ARM microcontrollers. The following functions have been added in the latest version: divide, reciprocal, square root, and in range and coerce. When possible you should take advantage of fixed-point functionality to create compact, efficient software designs.
Interrupt Configuration Wizard
All classes of ARM processors provide hardware interrupt capabilities. The Interrupt Configuration Wizard makes it easier for you to add hardware interrupt support to hardware targets supported in LabVIEW. Using a series of dialogs, you can customize any available hardware interrupt in LabVIEW. Add custom hardware for timers, digital I/O, or analog-to-digital converters. Interrupt-driven programs can make your application more responsive and help it consume less power over other techniques to respond to real-world stimuli. Using the project build specifications, select an interrupt and a LabVIEW VI to act as the interrupt handler in your application.
Figure 2. Easily add interrupts to your target with the Interrupt Configuration Wizard.
Custom Hardware Enhancements
The LabVIEW 2009 Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers works with hundreds of ARM7, ARM9, and Cortex-M3 microcontrollers. NI has added improvements to make custom hardware enhancements easier than ever. For example, a new user interface has been added for moving to custom targets, providing a simplified directory structure, and a new Elemental I/O Wizard makes it easier to move to tier two ARM targets.
Timed-Loop Enhancements
The LabVIEW 2009 Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers now supports all input and output terminals for the nodes of timed loops except the processor terminal. The Configure Timed Loop dialog box now includes the following options:
• “Discard missed periods” specifies that the timed loop discards any data generated during missed iterations and executes on the next scheduled iteration established by the offset, phase and period value.
• “Maintain original phase” specifies that the timed loop returns to the original configured phase.
• “Deadline” specifies a time boundary for the completion of an iteration of the timed loop. If the iteration does not complete before the specified deadline, the “finished late” output on the left data node returns TRUE in the next iteration.
• “Loop name” uniquely identifies the timed loop.
• The offset/phase option of the Configure Timed Loop dialog box is now supported for all timing sources.
Application Status Window
The Application Status window is used to determine the download, connection, and execution progress of ARM applications. The Application Status window launches automatically when you build, run, or debug an application. With the new modal design of the Application Status window, you can make modifications to your software while compiling and downloading the application.
LabVIEW 2009 Improvements
Use the newest productivity and development enhancements in LabVIEW 2009 when developing your embedded applications. New usability enhancements such as VI snippets, the improved Block Diagram Cleanup tool, Quick Drop, and the enhanced Icon Editor now make developing your LabVIEW code faster and more intuitive. The new Probe Watch Window simplifies debugging applications by using a single global watch window. Hundreds of improvements go into each release of LabVIEW. Take advantage of them when developing your embedded system.
Each release of the LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers adds new features to make embedded system design easier, faster, and more intuitive. Combining the ubiquitous ARM microcontroller with the powerful LabVIEW programming language opens new possibilities for your embedded design.
Try the LabVIEW 2009 Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers evaluation kit.
Jamie Brettle is a product marketing engineer at National Instruments. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in computer engineering from the University of Waterloo.
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