Design Features: April 13, 1995

Cover Story
Microkernel and modular OSs	To produce more compact and adaptable code, software vendors are segmenting their operating-system kernels into modules surrounding a microkernel. As a result, they can offer a standard OS with custom configurability using minimal memory resources. -- Richard A Quinnell, Technical Editor
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Home-automation buses: Protocols really hit home	Buses using wired and wireless technology-including IR, narrowband, and spread-spectrum communication-are bringing entertainment, security, and energy conservation to the home. But, even as several architectures vie for dominance, the industry keeps searching for that "killer application." --Dan Strassberg, Senior Technical Editor
Finding the keys to flyback power supplies produces efficient design	Many power-supply designers lack a good understanding of flyback-transformer power supplies. The reason is that energy delivered to the load stores in the transformer core itself and not in a separate inductor. A quick tutorial on flyback-power-supply design may help clear out some of the cobwebs. --Brooks R Leman, Power Integrations Inc
DMA module enhances µC CPU performance	Matching a µC's CPU performance to a particular application can be a tricky task. However, to enhance µC performance, a DMA module peripheral can offload many data-transfer tasks from the CPU-and help you defray overall system cost. --Kevin Anderson, Motorola Inc
STEP: a new standard for EDA tools	Surveys show that useful standards-not more bells and whistles-are what users need and want. Until now, EDIF and CFI, which offer limited usefulness, were the only standards available to meet those needs. Now, a new standard, STEP, has emerged and may well turn out to be exactly what users have been awaiting. --Lars Celander , Institutet för Verkstadsteknisk Forskning