Latest Technical Details About Embedded

The Linux/Microcontroller project is a port of Linux to systems without a Memory Management Unit (MMU).

Pronounced "you-see-linux", the name uClinux comes from combining the greek letter "mu" and the english capital "C". "Mu" stands for "micro", and the "C" is for "controller". uClinux first ported to the Motorola MC68328: DragonBall Integrated Microprocessor. The first target system to successfully boot is the PalmPilot using a TRG SuperPilot Board with a custom boot-loader created specifically for our Linux/PalmPilot port.

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Sept 2008
Jim Donelson has volunteered to set up a sourceforge uClinux project page in support improving uClinux-dist download speeds. The URL for the download page is: http://sourceforge.net/projects/uclinux/download

August 2008
The current uClinux-dist release is dated August 8, 2008. Here is a quick links to the tar.gz and tar.bz2 packages. Please when downloading pick either the tar.gz or the tar.bz2 version and not both as they are the same file.

• http://www.uclinux.org/uClinux/dist/uClinux-dist-20080808.tar.gz
• http://www.uclinux.org/pub/uClinux/dist/uClinux-dist-20080808.tar.bz2

July 2008
Again this year several uClinux and embedded developers will all be at the Ottawa Linux Symposium (Ottawa Canada July 23-26). The Embedded Linux BOF hosted by Tim Bird is scheduled for Wednesday at 6-7 PM and is immediately followed by the uClinux BOF hosted by Mike Frysinger, Robin Getz and Michael Durrant is scheduled for Wednesday at 7-8 PM

June 2008

The Freescale Technology Forum held a few session again this year that included support for its V2/V3 ColdFire cores featuring the use of uClinux as its Linux OS. The following link shows a video shot at the event demoing a ColdFire MCF53281 processor using uClinux to power an LCD driver while delivering Voice over IP:

July 2007
Greg Ungerer has been posting patches against the dist for those wishing to follow the mid-release updates. The Patches can be found at the following link: http://www.uclinux.org/pub/uClinux/dist/patches/ Feed back on these patches can be posted to the uClinux-dev mailing list. If you wish to subscribe to the mailling list you can do it here https://mailman.uclinux.org/mailman/listinfo/uclinux-dev/.

What is uClinux?

The original uClinux was a derivative of Linux 2.0 kernel intended for microcontrollers without Memory Management Units (MMUs). However, the Linux/Microcontroller Project has grown both in brand recognition and coverage of processor architectures. Today's uClinux as an operating system includes Linux kernel releases for 2.0 2.4 and 2.6 as well as a collection of user applications, libraries and tool chains.

GETTING STARTED

Using uClinux is an excellent way to embed your system! Whether you are an enginner, student, hobbiest, Linux-enthusiast, or all the above :P, getting started with uClinux is a smooth and painless process. A good starting point for the most up-to-date resources and information is the uClinux-dist and this Guide to getting started with uClinux.

Riaan van Boom put together a quick start document for people new to uClinux. This document is a step by step guide to setting up the software up to a point where the kernel can be downloaded to the evaluation board.

For some older information, You can purchase an official distribution CD, or download all the necessary files, just click below to see the "getting started" guides!

uClinux has successfully been ported to the Cisco 2500, 3000, 4000 routers. The patch allowing uClinux to run on the Cisco 2500/3000/4000 routers was completed by Koen De Vleeschauwer. The picture on the left is of a CISCO 3000 running uClinux at Arcturus Networks' Toronto office. The picture was taken by an AXIS 2100 web camera (also running uClinux).

uClinux is the leader in portability. The wide range of Open Source ports is proof of this. Community members from all over the world have been porting uClinux since its release in 1998. While originally developed for the Motorola 68000 chip, the number of available ports is always expanding. If your port is not listed here, or your commercial product using uClinux is not listed, drop us a note at info@uclinux.org.

Ported Microcontrollers and Microprocessors

uClinux on the Motorola DragonBall, and other 68K Derivatives

Be sure to download the binaries and source code [here].
uClinux was first released to the public domain supporting the Motorola DragonBall (M68EZ328), Motorola's M68328, and the M68EN322. Since then, uClinux has grown exponentially, as the worlds greatest MMU-less chips receive there own ports.

uClinux on Motorola ColdFire

Information on the ColdFire port is found here: http://www.uclinux.org/ports/coldfire/index.html.
Be sure to download the binaries and source code [here].

uClinux on the ADI Blackfin

Information on the ADI Blackfin processor can be found at blackfin.uclinux.org

uClinux on the ETRAX

uClinux on Motorola QUICC - Quad Integrated Communications Controller

Information on the mc68360 QUICC port is found here: http://www.uclinux.org/ports/mc68360/README.html.
Be sure to download the binaries and source code [here].

uClinux on the ARM7TDMI and MC68EN302

Information on the ARM7TDMI port is found here: http://www.aplio.com/B/B2111.htm
Information on the MC68EN302 port is found here: http://aplionet.aplio.fr/page2.htm
Be sure to download the binaries and source code for the ARM7TDMI [here].
Be sure to download the binaries and source code for the MC68EN302 [here].

uClinux on Sigma Design DVD system on chip sets

Information on the Sigma Design DVD system on chip products can be found at www.sigmadesigns.com Sigma Designs' reference for this ARM core system on chip makes use of uClinux. Chances are your home DVD player already runs uClinux! A copy of their product release source code can be found [here]
Information on the ETRAX port of uClinux is found here: http://www.developer.axis.com/software/.
Be sure to download the binaries and source code [here].

uClinux on Intel i960

Information on the i960 port of uClinux is found here: http://www.cse.ogi.edu/~kma/uClinux.html
Be sure to download the binaries and source code [here].

uClinux on PRISMA More information on this hobbyist project is found here: http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/way/fr30/ uClinux on Atari 68k More information on this hobbyist project is found here:http://www.esat.kuleuven.ac.be/~pcoene/atari.html uClinux on the Microblaze Microblaze is a highly-parameterisable 32 bit RISC soft-core processor targetted for Xilinx FPGAs. The ability to customise the processor (e.g. hardware arithmetic support, caches on/off, flexible bus architecture) creates both opportunites and challenges for Linux kernel configuration. The uClinux port to Microblaze was done by Dr John Williams in the Embedded Systems group at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and is part of their reconfigurable computing research program. The project home page is http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~jwilliams/mblaze-uclinux. More information on the Microblaze can be found at http://www.xilinx.com/edk. uClinux on the NEC V850E The V850E is a small RISC processor designed by NEC, usually used in embedded applications. For more information on uClinux/v850, see the web page at http://www.ic.nec.co.jp/micro/uclinux/eng/ (Japan) or http://www.ee.nec.de/uclinux (Europe), or send email to uclinux-v850@lsi.nec.co.jp. uClinux on H8 More information on this project can be found in the H8 pages Devices running uClinux Arcturus Networks has a microcontroller module designed specifically to run uClinux. It is called the uCsimm. More information can be found at the uCsimm website. SnapGear Inc produces both consumer and developer products based upon uClinux. The SecureEdge (TM) is a family of reference designs for secure, Internet-ready appliances. As a development platform the SecureEdge (TM) makes it is easy to quickly prototype deeply embedded applications. Customers have built diverse applications such as gas station forecourt control with e-commerce, government sports/betting regulatory controllers, and satellite protocol optimized remote access routers. One notable project has been the BMS player developed for MP3.com. SnapGear Inc provides total lifecycle services from conceptual design through to manufacturing and even global fulfillment. Partners include Motorola and Hitachi. Aplio has several uClinux-based products, including the ATMEL ARM7TDMI based voice-over-IP telephone. The Aplio/Phone allows you to talk for as long as you want without incurring any long-distance charges. Aplio also offers the AT91 Development Board. This is a helpful tool for a development team using the Aplio/Trio to design an Internet Appliance. AXIS ported uClinux to their ETRAX chip in order to develop a commercial product, their AXIS 2100 Network Camera. It is a digital indoor camera with direct network attachment. ADOMO have a product line of great ColdFire based set top home thin appliances. Check them out [here], or read [this] article from linuxdevics.com. TABO software developed a Programmable Logic Controller that uses Arcturus Networks' uCsimm and runs uClinux. Read this linuxdevices.com article on it. Contact TABO at tabo@niagra.com. ATMEL has an ARM-based evaluation board, the AT91, that runs uClinux. Arnewsh Inc. also makes evaluation boards that run uClinux. CISCO 2500/3000/4000 Koen De Vleeschauwer has created a patch that allows uClinux to run on older MC68EC030 based CISCO routers (2500/3000/4000). It requires 4MB of RAM. The patch file will be moved into the uClinux archive in the next few days. For now the patch can be found at http://users.belgacom.net/gc376810/uClinux-cisco2500-0.1.tar.gz