Expert .NET Micro Framework (eBook)

Jens Kuhner works for Vallon GmbH in Germany as a principal software developer developing metal detectors and ferrous locators. He creates software for data acquisition and evaluation using the .NET Framework and Compact Framework. Since this software must be incorporated closely with the detectors hardware, an interest in embedded systems was only natural. Jens has been involved with the .NET Micro Framework from the very start, when he saw it presented at MEDC Europe. Since then, he's been an active beta tester of the technology and a regular contributor to Micro Framework forums.

Contents at a Glance 5
Contents 6
About the Author 20
About the Technical Reviewer 21
Acknowledgments 22
Introduction 23
Introducing the .NET Micro Framework 24
What Is the .NET Micro Framework? 24
.NET Micro Framework History 24
Motivation 27
Technical Overview 32
Links for Additional Information 36
Summary 37
Devices 38
Device Solutions Meridian and Tahoe 38
GHI Electronics Embedded Development Products 41
AUG Electronics GmbH AMI Devkit 48
Academus Software Engineering’s XSBase270-MF 50
Adeneo Ports 52
Digi International’s Embedded Development Products 54
SJJ Embedded Micro Solutions Embedded Development Kit 58
Crossbow Imote2.NET Edition 60
emtrion HiCO.ARM9 62
Freescale i.MXS Development Kit 63
Summary 65
Getting Started 66
Getting Your System Ready 66
Using Visual Studio and the .NET Micro Framework 66
The .NET Micro Framework SDK 72
Summary 78
Introducing the .NET Micro Framework Base Class Library 79
Text Output for Diagnostics 79
Pausing Program Execution 82
Setting and Getting the System Time and Time Zone 83
Using Timers 84
Using Strings 87
Using Arrays 91
Using Collections 94
Working with Numbers 96
Mathematical Functions 99
Exception Handling 101
Using the New C# 3.0 Language Features 105
Summary 109
Accessing Hardware 110
What Are GPIO Ports? 110
The RS232 Serial Port 120
Pin Usage and Reservation 126
The I²C Bus 129
The SPI Bus 142
Mass Storage Devices with a File System 149
USB 153
Other Hardware 154
Obtaining Power Supply and Charging State Information 154
Obtaining Processor Speed Information 158
System Information and Identification 159
Summary 161
Networking 162
Sockets 162
Web Services for Devices 178
Summary 221
Wireless Communication 223
Wireless LAN 223
Bluetooth 224
ZigBee 225
Z-Wave 226
Comparing Wireless Technologies 226
Links to Bluetooth, ZigBee, and Z- Wave OEM Modules 227
Summary 228
Cryptography 229
XTEA: A Symmetric Algorithm 229
RSA: An Asymmetric Algorithm 231
Summary 237
Advanced .NET Micro Framework Programming 238
Multithreading and Synchronization 238
Weak Delegates 244
Execution Constraints 246
Binary Serialization 247
Storing Data Permanently in Flash Memory 256
Reading XML data 260
Summary 263
Resources, Globalization, and Localization 264
Leveraging Resources 264
Introducing Cultures 272
Creating Multilingual Applications 281
Summary 286
Graphics and Graphical User Interfaces 287
Drawing on the Display Using the Bitmap class 287
Creating Complex User Interfaces with Interaction 315
Summary 382
Hardware Emulation 384
Why Use Hardware Emulation? 384
Getting Started with the Emulator 385
Emulator Components 389
XML Configuration 393
More About the Emulator 417
Summary 429
Emulator Components 430
GPIO Ports 430
The Serial Port 437
The I2C Bus 453
The SPI Bus 458
Emulator Timing 463
Memory Management 468
Storage Devices with a File System 472
Simulating a Battery Cell 474
LCD Displays 475
Touch Panel 477
Summary 479
Index 480