Product category:
Embedded Software and Operating Systems
News Release from: Zilog | Subject: ZirDA
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 29 April 2004
Software embeds IrDA on 8bit
microcontrollers
A new embedded software package for the eZ80Acclaim! microcontroller provides the embedded industry's first 8bit Flash-based solution for wireless IrDA connectivity.
A new embedded software package for the eZ80Acclaim! microcontroller provides the embedded industry's first 8bit Flash-based solution for wireless IrDA connectivity Zilog is a major supplier of 8bit microcontrollers
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 9 Jun 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Transceiver allows permanent IrDA connectivity
Following the recent roll out of the ZirDA IrDA protocol stack for use with its eZ80 Acclaim! family of microcontrollers, Zilog has re-introduced its corresponding UltraSlim ZHX1403 IrDA transceiver.
8bit MCU takes 15 Internet protocols onboard
ZiLog has begun shipments of its eZ80 Webserver (eZ80190), enabling easy, cost-effective, direct connections to networks and the Internet.
Similarly, the company maintains its market leadership position in the universal remote control business.
The new solution is expected to build on this leadership since it offers a highly optimised IrDA compliant protocol stack software with a layered set of embedded protocols that enables a total transfer solution via infrared medium.
"Zilog's leadership in key IrDA standards organisation has helped ensure quality code compliance with IrDA specifications, offering complete IrDA functionality", said Michael Gershowitz, Director of MicroDevices product marketing at Zilog.
Further reading
Frugal IrDA transceivers can stay on all the time
ZiLog has released the first devices in its new UltraSlim IrDA transceiver family designed to bring always-on, always power-efficient infra-red connectivity to compact portable systems.
Workshops include free development kit
Zilog has organised a Spring workshop series dedicated to its new eZ80 Webserver.
Net-ready processor adds infra-red control
The second product in the high-performance eZ80 MPU family is the eZ80 Webserver-i which enables cost-effective, direct connections to networks and the Internet with embedded TCP/IP and IrDA software.
"Our new solution is unique because it is configurable, scalable and modular in design.
It provides a rich set of features implemented via easy-to-use and well-documented APIs.
Coupled with our eZ80Acclaim! Flash MCUs and IrDA transceivers, we can now provide the embedded industry's first complete solution for Flash-based wireless IrDA connectivity for consumer and business end users.
As a result, upgradability is maintained, and development cycle time and total cost of ownership are reduced".
ZirDA will be used with Zilog's eZ80Acclaim! family of Flash MCUs (including the eZ80F91/eZ80F92/eZ80F93 microcontrollers), the ROMless eZ80L92 microprocessor and Zilog's ZHX-series IrDA transceivers.
The new software supports applications in portable office equipment, wireless serial adapters, cellphones, PDAs, pagers, digital cameras and emerging markets such as fixed IrDA online access beacons.
Based on Zilog's RZK real-time kernel, the software is integrated with the main user application software required to complete the wireless IrDA communication system.
ZirDA implements all mandatory IrDA protocols, such as IAS, TinyTP, IrLMP, IrLAP and Framer.
Additional applications protocols, including IrCOMM (for emulating a serial port) and IrOBEX (for exchanging data objects between two IrDA devices) are included.
The protocol layers are independent of each other, offering the customer the flexibility to select only the layers that they require.
Communication between the layers is enabled by ZABS, Zilog's propriety abstraction interface technology, which makes the ZirDA stack easily portable to any other OS kernel.
ZABS provides services such as state machine, memory management, message management, and entity management.
The standard ZirDA SDK package comes with a sample IrDA monitor application.
This is a simple command line based interactive application designed to showcase ZirDA.
It provides a facility to discover the devices present in the vicinity and test the features of IrOBEX and IrCOMM.
It also sends and receives objects such as vCard to and from remote devices, sends a file to printer to print the contents using IrCOMM and it also chats with remote devices using IrCOMM (when both parties are eZ80Acclaim! devices).
ZirDA is supplied as a standard release package with C object library module that includes the necessary source files and application examples.
A package with full source code is also available.
Comprehensive documentation describing all of the features, functions and usage of ZirDA is available with the release.
• Zilog: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
