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driver: Definition and Recommended Links

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A device driver, or software driver, is a computer program allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a device.

A driver typically communicates with the device through the computer bus or communications subsystem to which the hardware is connected. When a calling program invokes a routine in the driver, the driver issues commands to the device. Once the device sends data back to the driver, the driver may invoke routines in the original calling program. Drivers are hardware-dependent and operating-system-specific. They usually provide the interrupt handling required for any necessary asynchronous time-dependent hardware interface.

Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Device_driver)

other great electronics sites:ee toolbox site

• • driver
    • A device driver, or software driver, is a computer program allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a device.

      A driver typically communicates with the device through the computer bus or communications subsystem to which the hardware is connected. When a calling program invokes a routine in the driver, the driver issues commands to the device. Once the device sends data back to the driver, the driver may invoke routines in the original calling program. Drivers are hardware-dependent and operating-system-specific. They usually provide the interrupt handling required for any necessary asynchronous time-dependent hardware interface.

      Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Device_driver)

      (Note: The Electronic Engineers Toolbox provides an alternative set of featured links for this word at http://www.cera2.com/driver.htm)

      Featured Links:

      EMB530: Device Drivers with MontaVista Linux

      This is a four-day hands-on programming course on writing device drivers for embedded systems using MontaVista Linux. This instructor-led course provides the skills needed to successfully develop, test and integrate kernel modules and device drivers as appropriate to embedded Linux products.
      http://www.em.avnet.com

      Integrating proprietary serial and Ethernet devices with SCADA/HMI systems

      To write a driver, or not to write a driver? Developers don’t usually have a choice if a driver isn’t available, but new tools are making the job easier. An experienced Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) integrator explains how one such tool is speeding up the process of integrating OLE for Process Control (OPC) hardware.
      http://www.industrial-embedded.com

      Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) FAQ

      The information on this page is intended primarily for network software developers who are working on lower-level network-related NDIS device drivers for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
      http://www.pcausa.com/resources/ndisfaq.htm

      Implementing Device Drivers - Migrating from Linux to a Microkernel OS

      Recent market developments around IP ownership have prompted many companies to investigate the possibility of migrating their Linux code to a commercial-grade operating system. This paper describes a case study that examines the scope of the effort involved in migrating device driver code developed for a 'monolithic' OS such as Linux to a microkernel OS such as the QNX Neutrino realtime OS (RTOS). A primary goal of the study was to provide...
      http://www.qnx.com

      Unified IO - C++ interface for industrial IO cards

      During our professional experience we have had many problems in finding drivers for industrial control cards for not much proliferated platforms like Linux, OS/2 and other platforms. We believe that many industrial control system developers have the same problems.
      http://www.bbdsoft.com/interface.html

      Essential Linux Device Drivers

      Linux now offers an exceptionally robust environment for driver development: with today’s kernels, what once required years of development time can be accomplished in days. In this practical, example-driven book, one of the world’s most experienced Linux driver developers systematically demonstrates how to develop reliable Linux drivers for virtually any device. Essential Linux Device Drivers is for any programmer with a working knowledge of...
      http://www.amazon.com

      Linux Device Drivers, 3rd Edition

      Updated to cover version 2.4.x of the Linux kernel, the second edition of Linux Device Drivers remains the best general-purpose, paper-bound guide for programmers wishing to make hardware devices work under the world's most popular open-source operating system. The authors take care to show how to write drivers that are portable--that is, that compile and run under all popular Linux platforms. That, along with the fact that they're careful...
      http://www.amazon.com

      VIA Launches Open Source Driver Development Portal

      VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the launch of a beta version of the VIA Linux Portal as part of an initiative designed to extend collaboration with the Open Source community. The VIA Linux Portal will initially offer graphics drivers for the VIA CN896 digital media IGP chipset for the new Ubuntu 8.04 LTS distribution. Documentation and source code for these drivers...
      http://www.via.com.tw

      D. Kalinsky Associates White Papers

      A Survey of Task Schedulers * Basic Concepts of Real-Time Operating Systems * * Mutexes Battle Priority Inversions * Architecture of Device I/O Drivers * Architecture of Safety Critical Systems'
      http://www.kalinskyassociates.com/EmbeddedResources.html

      Jungo - Evaluation Downloads

      Your evaluation versions of WinDriver and KernelDriver are fully operable for a 30 DAY PERIOD. You may use it to develop your custom driver. When your driver operates to your satisfaction, you may purchase the registered version.
      http://www.jungo.com/dnload.html

      Explanation: these links are provided as part of our EE glossary project, which seeks to identify the most prominent keywords in embedded systems, embedded software, realtime and rtos, dsp (digital signal processing), system-on-a-chip, microprocessors and microcontrollers, and other constituent elements for embedded systems. While we seek to keep most of the links up-to-date, the user is refered to other primary electronic-based search sites such as: cera2.com, embedded.com, or EDN Magazine. If you have any suggestions of links or definitions, please email!

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