When PCs and peripherals began showing up with USB ports in the late 1990s, many predicted that legacy serial (COM) ports would soon be obsolete. The predictions were wrong. While most standard peripherals now use USB, serial ports are the interface of choice for devices that require simple programming, long cables, operation in harsh environments, or basic networking capabilities. Serial ports are more versatile then ever due to developments such as USB virtual COM ports, the .NET SerialPort class, enhanced microcontroller USARTs, and new wireless interfaces. Serial Port Complete Second Edition is a completely revised and updated guide to programming and interfacing to COM ports, USB virtual COM ports, and serial ports in embedded systems. Author Jan Axelson shows how to: § Access COM ports using the SerialPort class in Microsoft’s .NET Framework. § Program embedded systems for serial-port communications. § Design and program USB devices accessed as virtual COM ports. § Upgrade RS-232 designs to USB with no changes to host software or device firmware. § Design circuits for electrically harsh environments. § Create serial networks of embedded systems and PCs. § Use serial ports in wireless links. Example code is provided for PCs and embedded systems in both Basic and C/C#. The author maintains a website with articles, program code, and other links of interest to developers of serial-port applications (janaxelson.com).

Computing: general.

Developers who want to access USB devices from their embedded systems will find a helpful resource in USB Embedded Hosts: The Developer’s Guide. This new book from the author of USB Complete shows how small systems can take advantage of the same wealth of USB devices available to conventional PCs. The book begins with a review of USB host communication protocols. Readers then learn which USB host requirements are relaxed for embedded systems and what new requirements some embedded systems must meet. To help in selecting a development platform, the book explores available hardware and software for USB host communications in small systems. The heart of the book focuses on communicating with USB devices. The topics (with example code) include USB drives, keyboards, virtual serial ports, network bridges, mics, speakers, video cameras, and printers, plus devices that don’t fit defined USB classes. Also discussed are systems that support both USB host and device functions. The example code is written for the BeagleBoard-xM open development board using a distribution of Linux targeted to small systems. Also covered is how to use Linux commands and utilities to learn about, monitor, and debug communications with USB devices.

The popularity of serial communications demands that additional serial port interfaces be developed to meet the expanding requirements of users. The Windows Serial Port Programming Handbook illustrates the principles and methods of developing various serial port interfaces using multiple languages. This comprehensive, hands-on, and practical guide to serial interface programming enables you to develop sophisticated interfaces and apply them in real-world applications. Each chapter addresses a language and how it can be applied in the development of serial port interfaces. The seven languages discussed are: ANSI C Visual C++ Visual Basic LabVIEW MATLAB Smalltalk Java Step by step and line by line, the Handbook clearly explains the interfacing techniques used for each different language in the serial port communication. Examples from actual systems have been compiled and debugged, with detailed source code for each included on an accompanying CD-ROM.

Over the past twenty years there has been considerable improvement and new information in the design of port and berth structures. This handbook reflects the lastest progress and developments in navigation safety, port planning and site selection, layout of container, oil and gas terminals, cargo handling, berth design and construction, fender and mooring principles. It presents guidelines and recommendations for the main items and assumptions in the layout, desing and construction of modern port structures, and the forces and loadings acting on them. The book provides an evaluation of different designs and construction methods for port and berth structures, and recommendations given by the different international harbour standards and recommendations. Practising harbour and port engineers and students will find the handbook an invaluable source of information.

This guide takes the pain out of designing for this popular interface with specific, detailed examples that show how to develop USB devices and the applications that communicate with them. How the USB communicates with the PC, deciding if a project should use a USB interface, choosing a USB controller chip for peripheral design, and determining code with Windows applications are covered in detail.

Communications will play a central role in the computer applications of the next decade. The core of these applications is asynchronous serial communication. This book includes both theoretical and practical discussions of this topic, allowing programmers and technically advanced users to build their own C programming library of functions for serial communications.