An electronic device or embedded system is said to be field-programmable or in-place programmable if its firmware (stored in non-volatile memory , such as ROM ) can be modified "in the field", without disassembling the device or returning it to its manufacturer.
18-473: This is often an extremely desirable feature, as it can reduce the cost and turnaround time for replacement of buggy or obsolete firmware. For example, a digital camera vendor could distribute firmware supporting a new image file format by instructing consumers to download a new firmware image to the camera via a USB cable. When a device's firmware is stored in mask ROM or one-time programmable PROM, it cannot be modified without physically replacing
36-400: A device's firmware with new code that can modify or extend its capabilities. Numerous online communities have sprung up around devices found to be particularly conducive to such modification. For example, the iPodLinux and OpenWrt projects have enabled users to run full-featured Linux distributions on their MP3 players and wireless routers, respectively. While hobbyist field-programming
54-423: A testing section to document how the software was tested. This documents conformance to the client's requirements. The result is a detailed description of how the software is designed, how to build and install the software on the target device, and any known defects and workarounds. This build document enables future developers and maintainers to come up to speed on the software in a timely manner, and also provides
72-628: A maximum of 15 words. Documentation intended for a general audience should avoid gender-specific terms and cultural biases. In a series of procedures, steps should be clearly numbered. Technical writers and corporate communicators are professionals whose field and work is documentation. Ideally, technical writers have a background in both the subject matter and also in writing, managing content, and information architecture . Technical writers more commonly collaborate with subject-matter experts , such as engineers, technical experts, medical professionals, etc. to define and then create documentation to meet
90-483: A roadmap to modifying code or searching for bugs. These software tools can automatically collect data of your network equipment. The data could be for inventory and for configuration information. The Information Technology Infrastructure Library requests to create such a database as a basis for all information for the IT responsible. It is also the basis for IT documentation. Examples include XIA Configuration. "Documentation"
108-540: Is any communicable material that is used to describe, explain or instruct regarding some attributes of an object, system or procedure, such as its parts, assembly, installation, maintenance, and use. As a form of knowledge management and knowledge organization , documentation can be provided on paper, online, or on digital or analog media , such as audio tape or CDs . Examples are user guides , white papers , online help , and quick-reference guides. Paper or hard-copy documentation has become less common. Documentation
126-416: Is often distributed via websites, software products, and other online applications. Documentation as a set of instructional materials shouldn't be confused with documentation science , the study of the recording and retrieval of information. While associated International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards are not easily available publicly, a guide from other sources for this topic may serve
144-530: Is the preferred term for the process of populating criminal databases. Examples include the National Counterterrorism Center 's Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment , sex offender registries , and gang databases. Documentation, as it pertains to the early childhood education field, is "when we notice and value children's ideas, thinking, questions, and theories about the world and then collect traces of their work (drawings, photographs of
162-609: Is theoretically possible in practically any embedded system today, in practice efforts to modify consumer devices are often hampered by lack of documentation for the hardware . Computer bug Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.132 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 388679142 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Fri, 29 Nov 2024 05:36:12 GMT Documentation Documentation
180-552: The integrated circuit , so such a device cannot be field-programmable in the modern sense. Erasable PROM -based firmware can be erased and reprogrammed, but only after lengthy exposure to a high-intensity ultraviolet light source. Thus, field-programmable devices were not practical until the invention of EEPROM and flash memory in the 1980s. Early EEPROMs could only be reprogrammed with expensive, dedicated programmer hardware , since they required high voltages (10-20 V , compared to typical 3-5 V logic levels ) and there
198-798: The EEPROM and Flash chips in many consumer electronics devices. Many such devices include JTAG headers internally for factory programming and quality control , even though no external connector is exposed in the finished product. The 1980s saw the introduction of programmable logic devices (PLDs) such as PALs , PLAs , and CPLDs . These are integrated circuits which can implement nearly arbitrary digital logic functions based on firmware-like information stored in non-volatile memory. Thus, devices containing PLDs may be considered as field-programmable hardware , while EEPROM and flash memory act as storage for field-programmable software . Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) were invented in 1984, and are
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#1732858571853216-440: The children in action, and transcripts of their words) to share with a wider community". Thus, documentation is a process, used to link the educator's knowledge and learning of the child/children with the families, other collaborators, and even to the children themselves. Documentation is an integral part of the cycle of inquiry - observing, reflecting, documenting, sharing and responding. Pedagogical documentation, in terms of
234-411: The engineer keeps a notebook detailing the development "the build" of the project or module. The document can be a wiki page, Microsoft Word document or other environment. They should contain a requirements section, an interface section to detail the communication interface of the software. Often a notes section is used to detail the proof of concept, and then track errors and enhancements. Finally,
252-762: The most advanced kind of programmable logic available today. These high-capacity devices may implement extremely complex logic, such as microprocessors or digital signal processors . Today, they are a great aid in the development and rapid deployment of digital electronic devices. FPGAs are often used for prototyping hardware designs and hardware acceleration . Many consumer electronic devices (including MP3 players , broadband routers , cell phones , and digital cameras) contain embedded systems based on general-purpose microprocessors and microcontrollers . Most of these devices contain field-programmable components which can be located and accessed by knowledgeable hardware hackers . Field-programming allows hobbyists to replace
270-500: The purpose. Documentation development may involve document drafting, formatting, submitting, reviewing, approving, distributing, reposting and tracking, etc., and are convened by associated standard operating procedure in a regulatory industry. It could also involve creating content from scratch. Documentation should be easy to read and understand. If it is too long and too wordy, it may be misunderstood or ignored. Clear, concise words should be used, and sentences should be limited to
288-446: The teacher documentation, is the "teacher's story of the movement in children's understanding". According to Stephanie Cox Suarez in "Documentation - Transforming our Perspectives", "teachers are considered researchers, and documentation is a research tool to support knowledge building among children and adults". Documentation can take many different styles in the classroom. The following exemplifies ways in which documentation can make
306-514: The user's needs. Corporate communications includes other types of written documentation, for example: The following are typical software documentation types: The following are typical hardware and service documentation types: A common type of software document written in the simulation industry is the SDF. When developing software for a simulator, which can range from embedded avionics devices to 3D terrain databases by way of full motion control systems,
324-437: Was no standard programming protocol ; as a result, field-programming was mostly performed by professional technicians and service engineers. However, as of the early 2000s, many devices were expressly designed to be field-programmed by ordinary consumers. Several developments have made this possible: Standard protocols for programming non-volatile memory devices have emerged. For example, JTAG may be used to read and program
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