Years ago, Dallas Semiconductor created an unusual protocol that used the device’s input power line for communication. Using an embedded capacitor, the device can stand for power to be absent long enough to communicate to an MCU. This allows a sensor to be powered and communicate using one wire...

When working on a project, it is often useful to have the ability to peek into the world of the processor. In those cases, I like to combine the ability to power my project with 5 Volts with a communication path into my code. This can easily be accomplished...

Before I post about USB UART, I feel the need to cover electrical debugging on the PSOC. Since the PSOC is a mixed signal device, handling both analog and digital signals internally, you have challenges when debugging your project. In order to trouble-shoot your project, you must be able...

Once you receive your kit from Cypress, you need to update the debugger’s firmware on on the board. Cypress makes it easy if you are running a Windows machine, but using VMWare makes it more complex as a guest operating system. I describe it as a dance. With the...

Cypress has a great platform: The CY8CKIT-059. On this board is a debugger and a PSOC 5LP device. It works well with Macintosh and VMWare. The version you purchase has to go through a firmware upgrade. It requires some dancing, however. Once you have your project finished, you can...

(Touch.bat now explained.) One of the major reasons I like the PSoC family is due to the PSoC Creator. As of this writing, it is at version 4.3. Even though the IDE is several years old, it is still the most intuitive development environment available. This IDE is available...

Welcome to the SoC Maker blog! I started this blog to help others like me work with System On Chip devices in general, and the Cypress Semiconductor’s PSoC® 5LP* processor in particular. This device is a game changer for the custom design community. SOC Of Choice The PSoC® family...