ARM® Cortex® M4 Cookbook
About This Book
- This book focuses on programming embedded systems using a practical approach
- Examples show how to use bitmapped graphics and manipulate digital audio to produce amazing games and other multimedia applications
- The recipes in this book are written using ARM's MDK Microcontroller Development Kit which is the most comprehensive and accessible development solution
Who This Book Is For
This book is aimed at those with an interest in designing and programming embedded systems. These could include electrical engineers or computer programmers who want to get started with microcontroller applications using the ARM Cortex M4 architecture in a short time frame. This book's recipes can also be used to support students learning embedded programming for the first time. Basic knowledge of programming using a high-level language is essential but those familiar with other high-level languages such as Python or Java should not have too much difficulty picking up the basics of embedded C programming.
What You Will Learn
- Use ARM's uVision MDK to configure the microcontroller run time environment (RTE), create projects and compile, download, and run simple programs on an evaluation board
- Use and extend device family packs to configure I/O peripherals
- Develop multimedia applications using the touchscreen and audio codec beep generator
- Write multi-threaded programs using ARM's real-time operating system (RTOS)
- Write critical sections of code in assembly language and integrate these with functions written in C
- Fix problems using ARM's debugging tool to set breakpoints and examine variables
- Port uVision projects to other open source development environments
In Detail
Embedded microcontrollers are at the core of many everyday electronic devices. The so-called Internet of Things drives the market for such technology, so much so that embedded cores now represent 90% of all processors sold. The ARM® Cortex® M4 is one of the most powerful microcontrollers on the market. The book begins with an introduction to the ARM® Cortex® family and we cover the installation of the ARM® uVision Integrated Development Environment and topics such as target devices, evaluation boards, code configuration, and GPIO. You will then learn about core programming topics. You will find out about advanced aspects such as data conversion, multimedia support, real-time signal processing, and real-time embedded systems. By the end of the book, you will be able to successfully create robust and scalable ARM® Cortex® based applications.
Why Read This Book
You will get a practical, recipe-driven guide to quickly build real Cortex‑M4 projects—especially multimedia apps like bitmapped graphics and digital audio—using ARM's MDK tools. The book emphasizes hands‑on examples and performance techniques (DMA, CMSIS‑DSP, FPU) so you can move from idea to working firmware fast.
Who Will Benefit
Embedded engineers, hobbyists, and students with basic C and electronics knowledge who want to develop multimedia and real‑time applications on ARM Cortex‑M4 microcontrollers using Keil MDK.
Level: Intermediate — Prerequisites: Basic C programming, familiarity with digital electronics and microcontroller fundamentals (GPIO, timers, interrupts); some prior exposure to toolchains and embedded development is helpful.
Key Takeaways
- Implement bitmapped graphics and display drivers on Cortex‑M4 evaluation boards
- Manipulate digital audio streams and apply real‑time DSP using the M4's FPU and CMSIS‑DSP
- Use Keil MDK (uVision) and CMSIS to set up projects, build toolchains, and run the debugger
- Drive peripherals efficiently with interrupts, timers and DMA for low‑latency multimedia
- Integrate common serial buses (SPI, I2C, UART) and storage interfaces for sensors and SD cards
- Profile and optimize firmware for performance and power on Cortex‑M4 platforms
Topics Covered
- Introduction to ARM Cortex‑M4 and the Cookbook approach
- Getting started with Keil MDK and CMSIS
- Project structure, toolchain setup, and debugging basics
- GPIO, timers, and interrupt-driven control
- DMA and peripheral‑to‑peripheral data movement
- ADC/DAC, sampling, and basic audio I/O
- CMSIS‑DSP basics and signal processing on M4
- Bitmapped graphics: framebuffers, drawing primitives, and displays
- Multimedia projects: sound synthesis and simple games
- Storage and file I/O (SD card interfacing and simple file access)
- Communications: UART, SPI, I2C and sensor integration
- Performance tuning, FPU usage, and low‑power considerations
- Advanced topics and extending recipes (RTOS tips, external peripherals)
- Appendices: reference material, register access patterns, and example code
Languages, Platforms & Tools
How It Compares
Compared with Joseph Yiu's Definitive Guide, this book is much more recipe‑oriented and project focused—Yiu dives deeper into core architecture, while Fisher focuses on practical multimedia examples using Keil MDK.
