Trampoline is a static real-time operating system (RTOS) designed for small embedded systems. Its API aligns with the OSEK/VDX OS and AUTOSAR OS 4.2 standards, making it an ideal choice for projects that require deterministic real-time performance and standardized interfaces. This article will delve into the core features of Trampoline, the platforms it supports, and the wealth of example code.
Powerful Platform Compatibility
With its highly portable architecture, Trampoline has successfully supported numerous mainstream microcontroller architectures, making it a highly flexible solution. The currently supported platforms include:
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• Cortex-M: Including common models like M0+, M3, and M4, widely used in various low-power embedded applications. -
• Cortex-A: Supports the Cortex-A7 architecture, providing possibilities for applications requiring higher computational power, currently still under active development. -
• Cortex-R: Supports the Cortex-R52 architecture, particularly suitable for applications with extremely high real-time requirements, such as motor control and industrial automation. -
• RISC-V: Supports the PULPino microprocessor, an important member of the RISC-V ecosystem, showcasing Trampoline’s compatibility with emerging architectures. -
• PowerPC: Supports 32-bit PowerPC architecture, providing options for projects requiring specific instruction sets. -
• POSIX: Provides virtual platform support for POSIX systems (tested on Linux and OS X), facilitating developers to develop and debug in a more familiar environment. -
• AVR: Supports 8-bit AVR microcontrollers, such as the Atmel ATMega series, enabling Trampoline to be applied in resource-constrained micro devices. -
• ARM: Supports 32-bit ARM architecture, covering a wide range of embedded processors. -
• virt-v7 (Cortex-A9/A7): Supports virtualization environments for Cortex-A9 and Cortex-A7 through the XVisor hypervisor, expanding application scenarios. -
• RH850: Supports the Renesas G4MH instruction set, providing good support for Renesas microcontrollers.
Rich Hardware Support
Trampoline not only supports various architectures but also is compatible with a variety of popular evaluation boards, allowing developers to quickly get started and prototype. Some supported evaluation boards include: Arduino Uno, Arduino Mega, XPlainedPro, Raspberry Pi 2 Model B, Olimex LPC-L2294-1MB, Teensy31, XPC56XX EVB, ZedBoard, Renesas R-Car S4 Spider, STM32F4DISCOVERY, Nucleo-32, etc.
This wide range of hardware support lowers the entry barrier for developers and shortens the development cycle.
Comprehensive Example Code
To help developers quickly master the usage of Trampoline, the project provides a wealth of example code covering different platforms and functionalities. These examples include basic LED blinking, button reading, interrupt handling, timer usage, and gradually demonstrate how to utilize Trampoline’s API for more complex development.
For example, for the Cortex-M4 architecture, examples are provided for different MCUs, including STM32F407, STM32F303K8, STM32L432, and MK20DX256, making it easy for developers to directly port and modify. Other architectures, such as AVR, RISC-V, PowerPC, etc., also have corresponding example code.
These example codes not only help understand how to use Trampoline but also provide valuable references for developers, accelerating the development process.
Simplified API
Trampoline’s API follows the OSEK/VDX OS and AUTOSAR OS 4.2 standards, allowing developers familiar with these standards to quickly get started. The simplified API design reduces code complexity, improves code readability and maintainability, and helps lower development costs and risks.
Static Characteristics and Real-time Performance
As a static RTOS, Trampoline allocates all resources at compile time, avoiding runtime dynamic memory allocation, thus ensuring the system’s determinism and real-time performance. This is crucial for embedded applications that require precise control over time and resources.
Conclusion
Trampoline RTOS, with its lightweight, highly portable nature, standardized API, and rich example code, provides an ideal solution for small embedded system development. Its support for various mainstream architectures and evaluation boards, along with adherence to OSEK/VDX and AUTOSAR standards, makes it an excellent RTOS worth attention and experimentation.
Project address: https://github.com/TrampolineRTOS/trampoline