1.

Introduction to Embedded Systems (Beginner Level)

• What are Embedded Systems?

o Definition and characteristics of embedded systems

o Examples: Microcontrollers in appliances, automobiles, IoT devices

o Difference between embedded systems and general-purpose computing

systems

• Embedded C Basics

o Overview of the C programming language

o Why Embedded C? (C vs C++, Assembly in Embedded Systems)

o Role of C in microcontroller programming

• Embedded Hardware Overview

o Microcontroller architecture (e.g., AVR, ARM, PIC, MSP430)

o Understanding of CPU, RAM, ROM, I/O ports, and timers

o Basic peripherals: GPIO, UART, SPI, I2C, ADC, DAC

• Development Tools & Setup

o Setting up development environments (e.g., Keil, MPLAB, STM32CubeIDE)

o Basic tools: Compiler, Debugger, IDEs

o Understanding of flashing and programming microcontrollers

2. C Programming Concepts for Embedded Systems (Beginner Level)

• C Basics for Embedded Systems

o Functions, data types (char, int, float), operators

o Arrays, strings, and pointers

o Control structures: if-else, switch, loops (for, while, do-while)

• Memory Management

o Stack vs. Heap memory

o Static vs. dynamic variables in embedded systems

o Understanding memory limitations of embedded systems (Flash, RAM)

• Embedded-specific C Features

o volatile keyword

o inline functions
 o const keyword usage in embedded systems

• GPIO Programming

o Setting GPIO pins as input/output

o Simple programs to blink LEDs, read switches

• Delays and Timing

o Timer-based delays vs. software delays

o Using hardware timers in microcontrollers

3. Intermediate Concepts (Embedded Systems Programming)

• Peripheral Interfacing

o Digital I/O: Controlling LEDs, switches

o Analog I/O: ADC (Analog-to-Digital Conversion), DAC, Potentiometers

o UART: Serial communication basics (TX/RX)

o SPI: Master-slave communication between devices

o I2C: Interfacing with sensors and EEPROMs

• Interrupts & Interrupt Service Routines (ISR)

o Understanding interrupts: External interrupts, Timer interrupts

o Writing ISRs for different events (button press, timer overflow, UART)

o Nested interrupts and interrupt priority

• Communication Protocols

o SPI, I2C, UART: Basics of data transfer, configuration, and usage

o CAN Bus (Controller Area Network) for automotive and industrial applications

o Wireless communication (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee) for IoT devices

• Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) Basics

o What is RTOS? (FreeRTOS, CMSIS-RTOS)

o Tasks, scheduling, and multitasking

o Task states, context switching, and task synchronization

4. Advanced Embedded C Programming Concepts

• Advanced Memory Management

o Memory sections: ROM, SRAM, EEPROM, Flash

 o Managing memory in resource-constrained systems

o Pointers and pointer arithmetic for efficient memory management

• Advanced Interrupt Handling

o Nested interrupts and interrupt vector tables

o Interrupt priority management (Critical vs non-critical interrupts)

o Context switching in ISRs

• Advanced Peripherals Interfacing

o DMA (Direct Memory Access) for efficient data transfer

o I2S (Inter-IC Sound) interface for audio applications

o Implementing and debugging communication protocols

• Advanced C Features in Embedded Systems

o Using bitwise operations for efficient manipulation of hardware registers

o Macros and preprocessor directives

o Memory-mapped I/O for accessing peripherals

o Circular buffers and queues for data handling

• Power Management in Embedded Systems

o Low power modes in microcontrollers

o Techniques for power optimization (Sleep modes, clock management)

• Optimizing Embedded C Code

o Optimizing for size and speed

o Using compiler optimizations

o Writing efficient assembly code when needed

5. Embedded Software Design & Debugging (Intermediate to Advanced)

• Embedded System Design

o Firmware architecture: Bootloader, main application, libraries

o Structured programming: Modular design, abstraction, and encapsulation

o Hardware abstraction layer (HAL)

• Debugging Techniques

o Debugging using hardware debuggers (JTAG, SWD)

o Debugging with logic analyzers and oscilloscopes

 o Use of printf(), breakpoints, and watchpoints

o Handling memory issues and pointer bugs

• Version Control and Development Practices

o Version control with Git for embedded systems

o Unit testing and integration testing in embedded systems

o Test-driven development (TDD) in embedded systems

6. Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) and Advanced Concepts

• FreeRTOS and Task Management

o Task creation, task switching, and scheduling

o Semaphores, mutexes, and message queues for inter-task communication

o Event groups and timers in FreeRTOS

• Advanced RTOS Topics

o Real-time constraints and priority management

o Handling resource contention and deadlock prevention

o Implementing ISR-based tasks and handling timeouts

• Advanced Communication Protocols

o Custom protocol implementation (e.g., UART protocol for communication)

o Advanced CAN Bus usage

o Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and ZigBee for IoT

7. Embedded C for IoT (Advanced Topics)

• IoT Fundamentals

o What is IoT? Overview of sensors, actuators, and connectivity

o Cloud integration (e.g., MQTT, HTTP)

• Wireless Communication in Embedded Systems

o Working with Wi-Fi (ESP32/ESP8266), Bluetooth (BLE), LoRa modules

o Interfacing sensors with cloud platforms

• Security in Embedded Systems

o Basic cryptography techniques (AES, RSA, hashing)

o Secure boot, encryption/decryption, secure firmware updates

8. Interview Preparation for Embedded Systems

• Interview-focused Topics

o C Language Basics: Pointers, dynamic memory allocation, structures, bitwise

operations, and function pointers

o Embedded-specific Concepts: Volatile, memory-mapped I/O, interrupt

handling, UART, I2C/SPI, real-time constraints

o Problem-solving & Algorithm Design: Examples include calculating

checksums, data encoding/decoding, timing-related problems, and buffer
manipulation

• Common Interview Questions

o Write code to toggle an LED using GPIO

o Implement a simple UART communication

o How would you optimize a piece of embedded C code for size or speed?

o Explain how to debug a system with memory leaks or stack overflows

o Design an interrupt-driven system and explain its real-time behavior

• Hands-on Projects for Interviews

o Design a simple device (e.g., smart temperature logger, home automation)

o Work on integrating external hardware modules (e.g., sensors, actuators,

displays)

• System Design Interviews

o Be prepared to design embedded systems and explain trade-offs, including

performance, cost, and power consumption.

9. Final Project (Capstone Project)

• Project-Based Learning

o Design and implement an embedded system with multiple peripherals (e.g.,

sensor interfacing, communication protocols)

o Example project: Smart Home System with IoT integration, or Wearable Health
Monitoring System with sensors

• Project Documentation

o Writing clean, maintainable, and well-documented code

o Creating design and architecture documentation