Teaching address/data demultiplexing for microcontrollers using lattice semiconductor ispdesignexpert starter kit

Laboratory experimentation can be a very important part of the learning experience for students. Particularly for microcontroller courses that involve hardware. In Electrical Engineering Technology, lab time is utilized in every course. Experiments involving microcontrollers can account for a lot of time in wiring basic components. Decoding a 16-bit address alone would involve hand wiring 6 logic gates. This would easily take up one lab period itself, assuming the decoding design is correct. Using the Lattice Semiconductor ispDesignEXPERT software, the address decoding can be accomplished using schematic capture and programmed to a programmable logic device (PLD). A student can easily simulate their design in software before going to the hardware. The ispDesignEXPERT allows the user to view the input and output waveforms of the schematic design. Alterations can be made to the schematic and the waveform editor will adjust accordingly. This tool will also be used to teach address/data demultiplexing commonly used in Intel 8051 based microcontrollers for I/O memory-mapping. The ispDesignEXPERT allows more efficient microcontroller experiments to get conducted in a semester providing a better understanding of their function to the students. Design Verification Tools User Manual Version 8.0, Copyright December 1999 Lattice Semiconductor Corporation Schematic Entry User Manual Version 8.0, Copyright December 1999 Lattice Semiconductor Corporation ispDesignExpert Tutorial Version 8.0, Copyright December 1999 Lattice Semiconductor Corporation.