AMCC PowerPC 440 EPx Sequoia Evaluation Kit, Embedded Linux Development Kit (ELDK), and Xenomai

A. Description of the Project

The project's objective is to design a set of laboratory experiments as part of a laboratory project that possibly could be used to teach senior undergraduate students in an operating system design course, such as the CSE4221.03 Operating System Design course, the following:

(a) The most important features of the AMCC PowerPC 440 EPx Sequoia Evaluation Kit and the Embedded Linux Development Kit (ELDK).

(b) How to install and setup the AMCC PowerPC 440 EPx Sequoia Evaluation Kit and the Embedded Linux Development Kit (ELDK).

(c) How to use the most important features of the AMCC PowerPC 440 EPx Sequoia Evaluation Kit and the Embedded Linux Development Kit (ELDK), including how to design, compile, load, execute, and debug software, including software implemented as loadable kernel modules within this environment.

(d) How to install and setup Xenomai on the AMCC PowerPC 440EPx Sequoia

Evaluation Kit using the Embedded Linux Development Kit (ELDK).

(e) In addition to the above, choose one among the following:

(e-choice1) The most important features of the Xenomai real-time development  framework, including:

(choice1.1) How to use the most important features of the Xenomai real-time  development framework.

(choice1.2) How to design, compile, load, execute, and debug real-time application  software, including a real-time device driver which uses the Xenomai

Real-Time Driver Model (RTDM)

Development framework running on the AMCC PowerPC 440EPx Sequoia  Evaluation Kit.

(e-choice2) How to design, compile, load, execute, and debug drivers using interrupt-driven I/O on the AMCC PowerPC 440EPx Sequoia Evaluation Kit using the Embedded Linux Development Kit (ELDK).

A1. As part of the project requirements, you are required to first learn (a)-(e) above on your own, and study alternative ways of setting up laboratory experiments to teach (a)-(e) above.

A2. As part of the project requirements, you are required to write a laboratory project tutorial/manual, which describes in detail the set of laboratory experiments for teaching students (a)-(e) above step-by-step.

A3. As part of the project requirements, you are required to demonstrate all the laboratory experiments to teach (a)-(e) above.

B. What to Hand In

1. You are required to hand in both a hard copy and an electronic copy of the tutorial/manual described in A.

2. You are also required to hand in both a hard copy and an electronic copy of the Linux source code files that relate to the tutorial/manual described in A.

3. The electronic versions of the above should be in either OpenOffice (.odt) or Microsoft Word (.doc) format.

You are required to use the utility "submit" to submit the electronic version of the above to the directory: /cs/course/4221/submit/project

The hard copy should be handed in by Friday December 10, 2010 24:00 midnight.

(Note that this the last day to hand in term work for the Fall 2010 term)

- either give it to the secretary in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering Office to be put into my mailbox; or you may slip it under the door of my office CSEB 3018 (in the latter case, you are responsible for making sure that the thickness of your hard copy allows it to be slipped under my office door).

C. Other Requirements

(a) You should try to organize your tutorial/manual in a way such that it is easy to understand and use. The reader should be able to find information on a particular topic as quickly as possible, and be introduced to important concepts and issues at a "higher level" first, before getting into "lower level" details.

(b) Any drawings must be produced electronically with a drawing program. All the drawings must be accompanied by figure numbers and captions.

(c) The tutorial/manual must contain a table of contents, and must be clearly divided into sections and subsections, with section and subsection headings. Page numbers must be included.

(d) The tutorial/manual must clearly identify which sources of information you have used in which components of the tutorial/manual.

The report should describe in detail any problems or difficulties that you had encountered, and how you solved or were able to overcome those problems or difficulties.

D. Evaluation of the Project

Your project will be evaluated according to:

(a) The overall quality of the tutorial/manual.

(b) The relevance to understanding various aspects of the Linux kernel and the degree of sophistication of the laboratory experiments in the tutorial/manual.

(c) The clarity, readability and organization of the project tutorial/manual.