Wireless local area networks (WLANs) have traditionally been used to transport only data, but are now being used to carry voice traffic as well as provided new combined voice and data services. Voice over WLANs also offers more flexibility than wired networks (changes to a WLAN don t require changes to installed wiring) and greater capacity than wired networks. This book provides a solid overview of voice over WLANs/VoIP (voice over internet protocol) technology, including voice coding, packet loss, delay and jitter, and echo control. It shows how to combine both WLAN and VoIP technology to create effective voice over WLAN systems.
* Gives complete details on integrating voice and data services on WLANs, including wide area networks
* Explores quality of service (QoS) and security issues
* Step-by-step descriptions of how to plan and implement voice over WLAN networks

The great strides made over the past decade in the complexity and network functionality of embedded systems have significantly enhanced their attractiveness for use in critical applications such as medical devices and military communications. However, this expansion into critical areas has presented embedded engineers with a serious new problem: their designs are now being targeted by the same malicious attackers whose predations have plagued traditional systems for years. Rising concerns about data security in embedded devices are leading engineers to pay more attention to security assurance in their designs than ever before. This is particularly challenging due to embedded devices inherent resource constraints such as limited power and memory. Therefore, traditional security solutions must be customized to fit their profile, and entirely new security concepts must be explored. However, there are few resources available to help engineers understand how to implement security measures within the unique embedded context. This new book from embedded security expert Timothy Stapko is the first to provide engineers with a comprehensive guide to this pivotal topic. From a brief review of basic security concepts, through clear explanations of complex issues such as choosing the best cryptographic algorithms for embedded utilization, the reader is provided with all the information needed to successfully produce safe, secure embedded devices.
The ONLY book dedicated to a comprehensive coverage of embedded security
Covers both hardware- and software-based embedded security solutions for preventing and dealing with attacks.
Application case studies support practical explanations of all key topics, including network protocols, wireless and cellular communications, languages (Java and C/++), compilers, web-based interfaces, cryptography, and an entire section on SSL."

As WLANs (Wireless Local Area Networks) become increasingly common, it's becoming vital to be able to test them for proper performance and to optimize their operation. This book, written by a member of the IEEE committee that develops WLAN standards, is the first book addressing that need. It covers test equipment and methods for the RF (wireless) and physical layers of WLAN, protocols, the application layer, and manufacturing testing. The emphasis throughout is on underlying engineering principles along with modern metrics and methodologies, ensuring this book gives both a solid theoretical background along with field-proven techniques and applications.
Much of the subject material is drawn from the author's own hands-on experience in the field, as an architect and engineer of WLAN test equipment, and a writer of standards for measuring WLAN equipment performance. A particularly engaging chapter deals with manufacturing test, describing some of the different manufacturing test setups and equipment. A concise introduction to deployment testing of "hotspots" and WLANs in enterprises is also provided.
*Gives proven techniques for maximizing the coverage area and performance of wireless networks
*Author's insider position on the IEEE committee developing standards for WLAN testing ensures timeliness and technical integrity of the material
*Includes coverage of newer multiple input/multiple output (MIMO) wireless networks

This book explores the fundamental concepts, basic theory, and key principles of 802.11 networks with roaming capabilities. Today, we increasingly expect to find public Wide Local Area Network (WLAN) 802.11 access in our airports, public spaces, and hotels, and we want to maintain our connections when we're mobile and using 802.11 WLANs.
However, 802.11 was not originally designed with roaming capabilities and can't, in its "pure" form, support seamless roaming between different hotspots and other 802.11 access points. This book details the theory behind various 802.11 extensions to permit roaming and describes how these extensions can be successfully implemented in 802.11 WLANs. Coverage of User Authentication in 802.11 is reviewed as is roaming between 802.11 and other wireless technologies. Wireless technologies and application programming interfaces are given their due with generous coverage as well.
* Offers a comprehensive treatise on Wi-Fi 802.11 roaming by comparing/contrasting it to cellular roaming theory and techniques
* Emerges as a "one stop" resource for design engineers charged with fulfilling the market need for seamless 802.11 device roaming capabilities
* Builds upon the knowledge base of a professional audience without delving into long discussions of theory long since mastered

Wi-Fi telephony is the latest, most cost effective, and clearest way of carrying voice data wirelessly. The great news is that it can be integrated seamlessly into the same infrastructures as currently used for computer and telephone data.The digital quality is far above current cellular technologies.
This book will be among the first to discuss Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Quality of Service (QoS), and interoperability in connection with Wi-Fi telephony. Security challenges are also presented and solved along these malleable wireless boundaries. In short, this book provides all the information necessary for effective, reliable, crystal clear Wi-Fi telephony service and implementation.
*Using current telephone and computer infrastructure this technology can be implemented at low cost
*The importance of Quality of Service (QoS) and security of Wi-Fi telephony is considered
*Enhances the clarity of a call beyond a basic cellular phone using digital data transfer

Covering the PIC BASIC and PIC BASIC PRO compilers, PIC Basic Projects provides an easy-to-use toolkit for developing applications with PIC BASIC. Numerous simple projects give clear and concrete examples of how PIC BASIC can be used to develop electronics applications, while larger and more advanced projects describe program operation in detail and give useful insights into developing more involved microcontroller applications.
Including new and dynamic models of the PIC microcontroller, such as the PIC16F627, PIC16F628, PIC16F629 and PIC12F627, PIC Basic Projects is a thoroughly practical, hands-on introduction to PIC BASIC for the hobbyist, student and electronics design engineer.
* Packed with simple and advanced projects which show how to program a variety of interesting electronic applications using PIC BASIC
* Covers the new and powerful PIC16F627, 16F628, PIC16F629 and the PIC12F627 models
* The companion website includes program source files, HEX code, data sheets of devices, sensors and schematics of the circuits used in the book

In this new, highly practical guide, expert embedded designer and manager Lewin Edwards answers the question, "How do I become an embedded engineer?" Embedded professionals agree that there is a treacherous gap between graduating from school and becoming an effective engineer in the workplace, and that there are few resources available for newbies to turn to when in need of advice and direction. This book provides that much-needed guidance for engineers fresh out of school, and for the thousands of experienced engineers now migrating into the popular embedded arena.
This book helps new embedded engineers to get ahead quickly by preparing them for the technical and professional challenges they will face. Detailed instructions on how to achieve successful designs using a broad spectrum of different microcontrollers and scripting languages are provided. The author shares insights from a lifetime of experience spent in-the-trenches, covering everything from small vs. large companies, and consultancy work vs. salaried positions, to which types of training will prove to be the most lucrative investments. This book provides an expert's authoritative answers to questions that pop up constantly on Usenet newsgroups and in break rooms all over the world.
* An approachable, friendly introduction to working in the world of embedded design
* Full of design examples using the most common languages and hardware that new embedded engineers will be likely to use every day
* Answers important basic questions on which are the best products to learn, trainings to get, and kinds of companies to work for

Ultra wideband technology turns the radio spectrum available to wireless applications from a country road into a high-speed ten lane super freeway, and the destination is the future of wireless technology. UWB is a huge leap forward because it offers wide bandwidth with little interference, allowing multiple UWB signals to share a single channel. This multi-author volume, compiled under the guidance of Dr. Roberto Aiello, introduces the theory and concepts behind ultra wideband (UWB) systems as well as their applications. Authors include those involved in creating the UWB standards, researchers, and applications specialists.
This book has been broken down into three parts: introduction to UWB, different techniques available, and applications. Within these sections topics covered are UWB spectrum and regulations, UWB channels, modulation techniques, antennas, signal propagation, and UWB transceiver architectures. This book has all the information RF/wireless engineers will need to understand this burgeoning technology.
*An all-star list of contributors covers the subject more authoritatively than any single author could
*Discusses U.S. and international ultra wideband regulations
*Includes material on antenna systems and signal propagation at ultra wideband frequencies

This book helps engineers to grasp fundamental theories and design principles by presenting physical and intuitive explanations of switched-capacitor circuits. Numerous circuit examples are discussed and the author emphasizes the most important and fundamental principles involved in implementing state-of-the-art switched-capacitor circuits for analog signal processing and power management applications. Throughout the book, the author presents numerous step-by-step tutorials and gives practical design examples.
While some quantitative analysis is necessary to understand underlying concepts, tedious mathematical equations and formal proofs are avoided. An intuitive appreciation for switched-capacitor circuits is achieved.
Much of the existing information on contemporary switched-capacitor circuit applications is in the form of applications notes and data sheets for various switched-capacitor ICs. This book compiles such information in a single volume and coherently organizes and structures it.
The author has his own website at www.mingliangliu.com
* Step-by-step tutorials which emphasize the most fundamental principals of switched-capacitor circuits
* Few tedious mathematical equations
* The first easy-to-understand compilation on this subject--most information available is not very cohesive

Many embedded engineers and programmers who need to implement basic process or motion control as part of a product design do not have formal training or experience in control system theory. Although some projects require advanced and very sophisticated control systems expertise, the majority of embedded control problems can be solved without resorting to heavy math and complicated control theory. However, existing texts on the subject are highly mathematical and theoretical and do not offer practical examples for embedded designers. This book is different;it presents mathematical background with sufficient rigor for an engineering text, but it concentrates on providing practical application examples that can be used to design working systems, without needing to fully understand the math and high-level theory operating behind the scenes. The author, an engineer with many years of experience in the application of control system theory to embedded designs, offers a concise presentation of the basics of control theory as it pertains to an embedded environment.
* Practical, down-to-earth guide teaches engineers to apply practical control theorems without needing to employ rigorous math
* Covers the latest concepts in control systems with embedded digital controllers
* The accompanying companion website contains source code and real-world application examples to help users create fully working systems

IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the future of Internet telephony. And this book is your guide to that future.
IPv6 is the replacement for the currently used IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4). IPv6 will offer increased IP addresses (full 128-bit addresses, compared to the 32-bit addresses of IPv4), enhanced security, and greater robustness. It will also be fully backwards compatible with existing IPv4 systems. These capabilities will finally make Internet telephony a viable competitor to conventional switched telephone networks. In this book, Dan Minoli clearly explains IPv6 and how telephone networks can be built on its foundations.
This is not just another IPv6 book; instead, it focuses on those aspects of IPv6 relevant to Internet telephony systems and voice networks. Minoli uses a compare/contrast approach, exploring where IPv6 is similar to IPv4 and where it differs, to let you quickly grasp the essence of IPv6 and the similarities (and differences) between current IPv4-based systems and IPv6-based systems.
If you will be designing, implementing, or maintaining the next generation of Internet telephony systems, then you need the information in this book
*Explains the essential concepts of IPv6 and how they relate to Internet telephony
*Describes how Internet telephony systems using IPv6 are different from, and better than, Internet telephony systems based on the older IPv4 standard
*Discusses how to transition existing IPv4 Internet telephony systems and conventional switched systems to IPv6-based systems
*Extensive treatment of security issues, including IP layer encryption and authentication methods
*Explains connection techniques, including plug and play approaches, for equipment used in IPv6 systems
* The first title describing how the next generation Internet protocol IPv6 can be used for Internet telephony
* Explains IPv6 as it applies to Internet telephony (VoIP)
* Shows how IPv6 gives better security, QoS, and signal integrity in Internet telephony"

Today's embedded and real-time systems contain a mix of processor types: off-the-shelf microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), and custom processors. The decreasing cost of DSPs has made these sophisticated chips very attractive for a number of embedded and real-time applications, including automotive, telecommunications, medical imaging, and many others-including even some games and home appliances. However, developing embedded and real-time DSP applications is a complex task influenced by many parameters and issues.
This introduction to DSP software development for embedded and real-time developers shows how to use digital signal processors efficiently in embedded and real-time systems. It covers software and firmware design principles, from processor architectures and basic theory to the selection of appropriate languages and basic algorithms. The reader will find practical guidelines, diagrammed techniques, tool descriptions, and code templates for developing and optimizing DSP software and firmware. The book also covers integrating and testing DSP systems as well as managing the DSP development effort. The accompanying companion website contains the code from the design examples as well as design tools and product demos.

*Digital signal processors (DSPs) are the future of microchips *Includes practical guidelines, diagrammed techniques, tool descriptions, and code templates to aid in the development and optimization of DSP software and firmware *The accompanying companion website contains code from the design examples used in the book, so developers can easily use it in their own designs

The push to move products to market as quickly and cheaply as possible is fiercer than ever, and accordingly, engineers are always looking for new ways to provide their companies with the edge over the competition. Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), which are faster, denser, and more cost-effective than traditional programmable logic devices (PLDs), are quickly becoming one of the most widespread tools that embedded engineers can utilize in order to gain that needed edge. FPGAs are especially popular for prototyping designs, due to their superior speed and efficiency.
This book hones in on that rapid prototyping aspect of FPGA use, showing designers exactly how they can cut time off production cycles and save their companies money drained by costly mistakes, via prototyping designs with FPGAs first. Reading it will take a designer with a basic knowledge of implementing FPGAs to the "next-level" of FPGA use because unlike broad beginner books on FPGAs, this book presents the required design skills in a focused, practical, example-oriented manner.
*In-the-trenches expert authors assure the most applicable advice to practicing engineers
*Dual focus on successfully making critical decisions and avoiding common pitfalls appeals to engineers pressured for speed and perfection
*Hardware and software are both covered, in order to address the growing trend toward "cross-pollination" of engineering expertise

Active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs) are the preferred choice when thin, low power, high quality, and lightweight flat panel displays are required. Here is the definitive guide to the theory and applications of AMLCDs.
Contemporary portable communication and computing devices need high image quality, light weight, thin, and low power flat panel displays. The answer to this need is the color active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD). The rides of AMLCD technology over less than two decades to undisputed dominance as a flat panel display has been breathtaking, and designers of portable devices need a thorough understanding of the theory and applications of AMLCDs. Willem den Boer, a holder of over 30 patents in imaging technologies, has created this guide to AMLCD theory, operating principles, addressing methods, driver circuits, application circuits, and alternate flat display technologies (including active matrix flat panel image sensors). Numerous design and applications examples illustrate key points and make them relevant to real-world engineering tasks.
Need more information on Mobile Displays, go to: http: //www.insightmedia.info/newsletters.php#mdr
-Systematically discusses the principles of liquid crystal displays and active matrix addressing.
-Describes methods of enhancing AMLCD image quality.
-Extensive coverage of AMLCD manufacturing techniques.
-Thorough examination of performance characteristics and specifications of AMLCDs.

This book serves as an invaluable reference to Power Electronics Design, covering the application of high-power semiconductor technology to large motor drives, power supplies, power conversion equipment, electric utility auxiliaries and numerous other applications.
Design engineers, design drafters and technicians in the power electronics industry, as well as students studying power electronics in various contexts, will benefit from Keith Sueker's decades of experience in the industry. With this experience, the author has put the overall power electronics design process in the context of primary electronic components and the many associated components required for a system.
The seeming complexity of power electronics design is made transparent with Keith Sueker's simple, direct language and a minimum reliance on mathematics. Readers will come away with a wealth of practical design information that has hundreds of explanatory diagrams to support it, having also seen many examples of potential pitfalls in the design process.
* A down-to-earth approach, free of complex jargon and esoteric information.
* Over 200 illustrations to clarify discussion points.
* Examples of costly design goofs will provide invaluable cautionary advice.

The Rabbit 3000 is a popular high-performance microprocessor specifically designed for embedded control, communications, and Ethernet connectivity. This new technical reference book will help designers get the most out of the Rabbit's powerful feature set. The first book on the market to focus exclusively on the Rabbit 3000, it provides detailed coverage of: Rabbit architecture and development environment, interfacing to the external world, networking, Rabbit assembly language, multitasking, debugging, Dynamic C and much more
Authors Kamal Hyder and Bob Perrin are embedded engineers with years of experience and they offer a wealth of design details and "insider" tips and techniques. Extensive embedded design examples are supported by fully tested source code. Whether you're already working with the Rabbit or considering it for a future design, this is one reference you can't be without

* Let the experts teach you how to design embedded systems that efficiently hook up to the Internet using networked core modules * Provides a number of projects and source code using RabbitCore, which will make it easy for the system designer and programmer to get hands-on experience developing networked devices * Accompanying companion website contains useful tools and software for embedded network design

This is not another book about installing a home or "hobby" Wi-Fi system. Instead, this book shows you how to plan, design, install, and operate WLAN systems in businesses, institutions, and public settings such as libraries and hotels. In other words, this book is packed with serious information for serious professionals responsible for implementing robust, high performance WLANs covering areas as small as a coffee shop or as large as entire communities.
Ron Olexa provides a solid foundation in RF/wireless theory as it applies to WLANs. His detailed, thorough coverage of propagation at GHz frequencies helps you understand the mysteries of WLAN coverage (such as how it can change from season to season due to foliage). You'll also learn about antenna radiation patterns and gain so you can design you WLAN to have the coverage you need without causing interference to (or suffering interference from) other WLANs.
* Covers the widely used 802.11 family, as well as the new 802.16 and 802.20 standards
* Focuses on big commercial network implementations, such as in public buildings and businesses
* Author has over 25 years of experience with cellular systems and wireless networks

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are devices that provide a fast, low-cost way for embedded system designers to customize products and deliver new versions with upgraded features, because they can handle very complicated functions, and be reconfigured an infinite number of times. In addition to introducing the various architectural features available in the latest generation of FPGAs, The Design Warrior s Guide to FPGAs also covers different design tools and flows.
This book covers information ranging from schematic-driven entry, through traditional HDL/RTL-based simulation and logic synthesis, all the way up to the current state-of-the-art in pure C/C++ design capture and synthesis technology. Also discussed are specialist areas such as mixed hardward/software and DSP-based design flows, along with innovative new devices such as field programmable node arrays (FPNAs).
Clive "Max" Maxfield is a bestselling author and engineer with a large following in the electronic design automation (EDA)and embedded systems industry. In this comprehensive book, he covers all the issues of interest to designers working with, or contemplating a move to, FPGAs in their product designs. While other books cover fragments of FPGA technology or applications this is the first to focus exclusively and comprehensively on FPGA use for embedded systems.
* First book to focus exclusively and comprehensively on FPGA use in embedded designs
* World-renowned best-selling author
* Will help engineers get familiar and succeed with this new technology by providing much-needed advice on choosing the right FPGA for any design project"

The consumer electronics market has never been as awash with new consumer products as it has over the last couple of years. The devices that have emerged on the scene have led to major changes in the way consumers listen to music, access the Internet, communicate, watch videos, play games, take photos, operate their automobiles even live.
Digital electronics has led to these leaps in product development, enabling easier exchange of media, cheaper and more reliable products, and convenient services.
This handbook is a much-needed, comprehensive engineering guide to the dynamic world of today's digital consumer electronics.
It provides complete details on key enabling technologies, standards, delivery and reception systems, products, appliances and networking systems.
Each chapter follows a logical progression from a general overview of each device, to market dynamics, to the core technologies and components that make up that particular product. The book thoroughly covers all of the key digital consumer product categories: digital TV, digital audio, mobile communications devices, gaming consoles, DVD players, PCs and peripherals, display devices, digital imaging devices, web terminals and pads, PDAs and other handhelds, screenphones/videophones, telematics devices, eBooks and readers, and many other current and future products.
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.Surveys crucial engineering information for every digital consumer product category, including cell phones, digital TVs, digital cameras, PDAs and many more the only reference available to do so
.Has extremely broad market appeal to embedded systems professionals, including engineers, programmers, engineering managers, marketing and sales personnel 1,000,000+ potential readers
.Helps engineers and managers make the correct design decisions based on real-world data"

Designing Autonomous Mobile Robots introduces the reader to the fundamental concepts of this complex field. The author addresses all the pertinent topics of the electronic hardware and software of mobile robot design, with particular emphasis on the more difficult problems of control, navigation, and sensor interfacing.
Covering topics such as advanced sensor fusion, control systems for a wide array of application sensors and instrumentation, and fuzzy logic applications, this volume is essential reading for engineers undertaking robotics projects as well as undergraduate and graduate students studying robotic engineering, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science. Its state-of-the-art treatment of core concepts in mobile robotics helps and challenges readers in exploring new avenues in an exciting field. The accompanying CD-ROM provides software routines for the examples cited as well as an electronic version of the text.
*Authored by a well-know pioneer of mobile robotics
*Learn how to approach the design of and complex control system with confidence

As design complexity in chips and devices continues to rise, so, too, does the demand for functional verification. Principles of Functional Verification is a hands-on, practical text that will help train professionals in the field of engineering on the methodology and approaches to verification.
In practice, the architectural intent of a device is necessarily abstract. The implementation process, however, must define the detailed mechanisms to achieve the architectural goals. Based on a decade of experience, Principles of Functional Verification intends to pinpoint the issues, provide strategies to solve the issues, and present practical applications for narrowing the gap between architectural intent and implementation.
The book is divided into three parts, each building upon the chapters within the previous part. Part One addresses why functional verification is necessary, its definition and goals. In Part Two, the heart of the methodology and approaches to solving verification issues are examined. Each chapter in this part ends with exercises to apply what was discussed in the chapter. Part Three looks at practical applications, discussing project planning, resource requirements, and costs. Each chapter throughout all three parts will open with Key Objectives, focal points the reader can expect to review in the chapter.

* Takes a "holistic" approach to verification issues
* Approach is not restricted to one language
* Discussed the verification process, not just how to use the verification language

Expert contributors drawn from the ranks of academia and industry have authored chapters in such areas as third-generation wireless, wireless sensor networks, RF power amplifiers, spread spectrum modulation, signal propagation, antennas, and other key subjects that engineers working in RF and wireless need to be familiar with.
This is far more than just a tutorial or reference guide it is a "guided tour" through the world of cutting-edge RF and wireless design, combining theory, applications, and philosophies behind the RF/wireless design process. The multiple and sometimes overlapping chapters reiterate and emphasize the fundamentals in the context of different types of wireless applications.
Here are just a few benefits that readers will gain from reading this book:
*A refresher and update of wireless principles and techniques.
*Information about the latest (and forthcoming) RF and wireless circuits, products and systems.
*Guidelines, approaches, and techniques to RF/wireless design.
*Examples of typical applications with an emphasis on real-world situations including existing and forthcoming new components and integrated circuits.
*Coverage of new and emerging wireless topics heretofore not widely covered in print (e.g. UWB, RFID, IR, etc.)
* A comprehensive survey of current RF and wireless engineering practice
* Heavy emphasis on practical applications and design guidelines
* Multiple contributors assure a wide range of perspectives and avoids individual bias"

Analog Interfacing to Embedded Microprocessors addresses the technologies and methods used in interfacing analog devices to microprocessors, providing in-depth coverage of practical control applications, op amp examples, and much more. A companion to the author's popular Embedded Microprocessor Systems: Real World Design, this new embedded systems book focuses on measurement and control of analog quantities in embedded systems that are required to interface to the real world.
At a time when modern electronic systems are increasingly digital, a comprehensive source on interfacing the real world to microprocessors should prove invaluable to embedded systems engineers, students, technicians, and hobbyists. Anyone involved in connecting the analog environment to their digital machines, or troubleshooting such connections will find this book especially useful. Stuart Ball is also the author of Debugging Embedded Microprocessor Systems, both published by Newnes. Additionally, Stuart has written articles for periodicals such as Circuit Cellar INK, Byte, and Modern Electronics.
* Provides hard-to-find information on interfacing analog devices and technologies to the purely digital world of embedded microprocessors
* Gives the reader the insight and perspective of a real embedded systems design engineer, including tips that only a hands-on professional would know
* Covers important considerations for both hardware and software systems when linking analog and digital devices

Learn about designing, programming, and developing with the popular new Texas Instruments family of microcontrollers, the MSP430 series with this new book from Chris Nagy. This product line is experiencing explosive growth due to its low-power consumption and powerful features, but very little design and application information is available other than what is offered by the manufacturer. The book fills a gap in the technical literature for embedded systems engineers by offering a more complete combination of technical data, example code, and descriptive prose than is available from the manufacturer reference information, and is useful to both professionals and hobbyists. Intended for embedded engineers who are new to the embedded field, or for the thousands of engineers who have experience with other microcontrollers (such as PICs, 8051s, or Motorola HC0x devices) but are new to the MSP430 line, Chris Nagy offers a thorough and practical description of the device features, gives development guidelines, and provides design examples. Code examples are used in virtually every chapter and online. The book is divided into three sections: the first section provides detailed descriptions of the devices themselves; the second describes hardware/firmware development for the devices; the third is designed to incorporate information from the first two, and provide guidelines and examples of designs.

All disc-based content for this title is now available on the Web.
* Get up-to-speed on the TI MSP430 product family's features and idiosyncrasies
* A 'hand-holding' reference to help get started on designs
* Accompanying companion website includes code examples

This first book in the Materials and Processes for Electronics Applications series answers questions vital to the successful design and manufacturing of electronic components, modules, and systems such as:
- How can one protect electronic assemblies from prolonged high humidity, high temperatures, salt spray or other terrestrial and space environments?
- What coating types can be used to protect microelectronics in military, space, automotive, or medical environments?
- How can the chemistry of polymers be correlated to desirable physical and electrical properties?
- How can a design engineer avoid subsequent potential failures due to corrosion, metal migration, electrical degradation, outgassing?
- What are the best processes that manufacturing can use to mask, clean, prepare the surface, dispense the coating, and cure the coating?
- What quality assurance and in-process tests can be used to assure reliability?
- What government or industry specifications are available?
- How can organic coatings be selected to meet OSHA, EPA, and other regulations?
Besides a discussion of the traditional roles of coatings for moisture and environmental protection of printed circuit assemblies, this book covers dielectric coatings that provide electrical functions such as the low-dielectric-constant dielectrics used to fabricate multilayer interconnect substrates and high-frequency, high-speed circuits.
Materials engineers and chemists will benefit greatly from a chapter on the chemistry and properties of the main types of polymer coatings including: Epoxies, Polyimides, Silicones, Polyurethanes, Parylene, Benzocyclobenzene and many others.
For manufacturing personnel, there is an entire chapter of over a dozen processes for masking, cleaning, and surface preparation and a comprehensive review of over 20 processes for the application and curing of coatings including recent extrusion, meniscus, and curtain coating methods used in processing large panels. The pros and cons of each method are given to aid the engineer in selecting the optimum method for his/her application. As a bonus, from his own experience, the author discusses some caveats that will help reduce costs and avoid failures.
Finally, the author discusses regulations of OSHA, EPA, and other government agencies which have resulted in formulation changes to meet VOC and toxicity requirements. Tables of numerous military, commercial, industry, and NASA specifications are given to help the engineer select the proper callout.