Newsletter in December 2024

                          - From Concept to Completion: SEGGER Toolkit
                                      - Create: Laying the Foundations
                                      - Build: Turning Ideas into Reality
                                    - Debug: Perfecting the Application
                                 - Verify: Ensure Quality and Reliability
                                 - Program: Delivering the End Product
                                    - One Toolbox for all Requirements
                         - Thank you for another Year of good Cooperation                                        

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Our partner SEGGER Microcontroller is truly a phenomenon for me. When we started working together in 2007, Segger was a small up-and-coming company that was mainly known for its J-Link Debugger. Big plans and brilliant ideas were ahead of their time. Gradually, the product range grew in hardware and software and the company itself into a global player that everyone in the embedded world knows today. While in the early years Segger was able to address individual areas, the solutions offered have expanded into practically every area of embedded system and application development and today form a complete range of tools and services. Searching for alternative solutions from other providers is truly no longer necessary. Whether you are developing your first embedded application or dealing with complex industrial systems, SEGGER supports you with everything you need to realize your embedded projects as simply and cost-efficiently. Trying to provide a comprehensive overview of what Segger has to offer is not an easy task. I'm not going to reinvent the wheel. Bianca Schmidt, technical editor at Segger, recently succeeded in doing so with an example. So what could be more obvious than to share this article with you below.

From Concept to Completion: Segger Toolkit Imagine you are just entering the world of Embedded systems. The possibilities you have as a developer are endless - from developing smart home devices through to the operation of industrial automation. But with so many tools, technologies and processes, where do you even start? SEGGER understands how overwhelming it can feel to start an embedded development project. That's why Segger has divided its portfolio into five categories: Create, Build, Debug, Verify and Program. I'll leave it at the English terms - they are generally understandable and more accurate than attempts at translation. The categories are perfectly aligned with the natural flow of the development process that takes you from initial ideas to a fully realized product. To make this process tangible, let's take a look at the development of an intelligent irrigation controller - a device that saves water by adjusting irrigation schedules based on soil moisture and weather conditions. We will go through the individual development steps using SEGGER tools to bring this application to life.

Create: Laying the Foundation   The first step is to design the core functions of the application. For our smart irrigation controller, this includes functions such as the collection of sensor data, the integration of weather data and the design of the user interface. The powerful emPower OS software platform from SEGGER contains everything you need to build a reliable foundation. The all-in-one software platform offers components such as network stacks for cloud-based weather data, emFile file system for storing graphics for the user interface and logging of sensor and weather data, and the emWin graphics library for designing the user interface.

Build: Turning Ideas into Reality Once we have selected the components, we can use our Embedded Studio integrated development environment (IDE) and its powerful project support to connect the components and write the application code. Embedded Studio is a professional IDE designed specifically for embedded systems. For our intelligent irrigation controller, it helps us integrate code for the microcontroller, optimizing memory usage and ensuring smooth communication between components. The integrated SEGGER compiler and intelligent linkers facilitate the creation of efficient, optimized code, which is crucial for resource-constrained devices. For example, if our controller needs to run on a low-cost microcontroller with limited memory, Embedded Studio ensures that the compiled code consumes minimal resources, which helps us to overcome the hardware constraints without sacrificing performance.

Debug: Perfecting the Application No application works flawlessly straight away. Troubleshooting is an important step to ensure that our irrigation controller works as intended. With J-Link Debug Probes from Segger we can test and refine the application directly on the target hardware. During testing, the controller may not respond to soil moisture as expected. With J-Link we can set breakpoints, examine the code and analyze variables in real time to pinpoint the problem. In addition, we can use J-Trace to record detailed execution traces to uncover timing issues or performance bottlenecks that could affect responsiveness. These tools allow to identify and resolve errors quickly to ensure that our application runs smoothly and reliably.

Verify: Ensure Quality and Reliability   Once the core functions have been set up and initial errors have been rectified, the next step is to verify the system behavior. Segger's SystemView provides real-time insight into the behavior of the application during operation. In our irrigation control system, SystemView helps us to monitor critical aspects such as task execution timing, memory usage and CPU utilization. This is especially important when it comes to time-critical tasks, such as switching off the water valve based on sensor inputs. For example, if the controller has delays in responding to sensor data, the system view shows whether the problem lies in task scheduling or resource contention, so we can fine-tune the system for optimal performance. Verification ensures that our application is ready for the challenges of the real world.

Program: Delivering the End Product The final step is to program the application on the hardware. Segger's Flasher make this process fast, safe and scalable, regardless of whether we are preparing a prototype or produce the controller on a large scale. We use a Flasher to transfer the finished firmware to the flash memory of the microcontroller. For large-scale production, Flashers support automated programming setups that ensure that each device is programmed consistently and reliably. In our example, the Flasher ensures that each intelligent irrigation controller leaves the production line with the correct firmware and is ready to help users save water and maintain healthy gardens.

One Toolbox for all Requirements Through SEGGER's five-step process - Create, Build, Debug, Verify and Program - we have turned an idea for an intelligent irrigation controller into a sophisticated, production-ready product. From the initial concept to the finished end product, SEGGER's tools support every step of the embedded development process. Over three decades of impressive success has made Segger's offering a “One-Stop Shop” for your embedded project. Without wasted time and detours, you will find the right solution for your embedded project.

Thank you for another Year of good Cooperation   As I write these lines, I realize how quickly such a year goes by.  Carpe diem - two words we should carry with us every day. 2024 brought our small company a satisfactory result despite the generally not rosy economic climate but also new challenges in many respects. In over 21 years, more than 250 customers have placed their trust in us.  They have become loyal regular customers and form the solid basis of our company. We can be very proud of this. Our aim is to continue to be a reliable partner for your embedded projects in the future. Ultimately, we owe our earnings to you who appreciate our work. With our product and solution portfolio, we are well positioned to continue to provide you with experienced advice, sound support and valuable, useful tools for your demanding embedded projects. I would like to thank you for the pleasant and successful cooperation this year and wish you a peaceful and relaxing Christmas season with lots of positive feelings and a new year in peace. Stay curious - and above all: stay healthy. Sincerely Yours, Marian A. Wosnitza   PS. I will be happy to write to you again on February 1st, 2025.   „Choose a job you love,  and you won’t have to work a day in you life.“ (Konfuzius)