USB Behind the Scenes: Hands-on HID Firmware Development from Udemy

Have you ever wanted to develop your own device that can be connected to a computer using USB? Are you familiar with using USB <-> UART adapters but want to take your USB knowledge and understanding to the next ultimate level? If yes, then this course is absolutely for you.

I made the whole content of slides and code by myself after a lot of preparation and fine-tuning to give you the best experience you can find today online to learn and understand USB protocol and framework in theory and in practice.

Your journey with me in this course should save you from any frustration that could happen when you try to learn or understand USB from any other online source. USB is for most a mystery and a very complex protocol, and most engineers try to avoid it or at least try to convert it to other simpler protocols. However, after taking this course, you will be able to be a confident native USB engineer, and you will be able to develop your first bare-metal USB device with me without using any library, which will give you full control over the powers of USB. Even if you want in your career to use a USB library, taking this course will give you a full understanding of what is going on behind the scenes, and will allow you to be able to develop and fine-tune and USB device you want, because, after the end of this course, I would expect from you to have a full understanding of the concept of USB and how it works.

In this course, we will:

- Start with some theoretical information about USB.

- Understand the essential details of USB protocol.

- Take our time to understand how to configure the clock of any embedded system correctly.

- Implement a bare-metal USB firmware for ARM Cortex M4 based microcontroller (STM32F4xx family).

- Implement a bare-metal USB framework.

- Develop our own USB HID mouse from zero to fully functional.

Of course, the source code of the project we are going to develop together in this course will be available for you to download. You may use it as a template (fully or partially) for your projects in the future.

This course is in its early stages and some new additional content will be added or enhanced if necessary frequently. Nevertheless, the current content is full and sufficient to get a fully functional USB human interface device.

Happy engineering. See you inside the course.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Write a bare-metal firmware for usb 2.0 human interface devices (hid) without using any third-party libraries or code generators.
Implement usb device driver and usb 2.0 protocol framework.
Program a fully functional usb mouse from zero.
Understand the generic usb descriptors and the descriptors specific to human interface device (hid) class.
Deal with native usb (without any conversion to uart)
Use arm cortex-m4 based microcontroller (stm32f4xx), one of the most developed and famous mcu in the world.
Debug usb communication using wireshark and linux syslog.
Read different parts of arm cortex-m4 reference manual and extract the important information efficiently.
Understanding how usb 2.0 protocol works in full speed mode.

Understand usb endpoints, pipes, transfer types, packets, transactions, frames, power supply, topology, and many more.
Learn the basic mechanical and electrical specifications of the usb (connectors, cables, speed enumeration resistors, and many more).
Know the history and motivation behind developing the universal serial bus (usb).
Learn using single wire output (swo) to send logs to the debugging host.
Increase your productivity and code portability by using arm cmsis.
Document your code using doxygen syntax.
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Write a bare-metal firmware for usb 2.0 human interface devices (hid) without using any third-party libraries or code generators.
Implement usb device driver and usb 2.0 protocol framework.
Program a fully functional usb mouse from zero.
Understand the generic usb descriptors and the descriptors specific to human interface device (hid) class.
Deal with native usb (without any conversion to uart)
Use arm cortex-m4 based microcontroller (stm32f4xx), one of the most developed and famous mcu in the world.
Debug usb communication using wireshark and linux syslog.
Read different parts of arm cortex-m4 reference manual and extract the important information efficiently.
Understanding how usb 2.0 protocol works in full speed mode.
Understand usb endpoints, pipes, transfer types, packets, transactions, frames, power supply, topology, and many more.
Learn the basic mechanical and electrical specifications of the usb (connectors, cables, speed enumeration resistors, and many more).
Know the history and motivation behind developing the universal serial bus (usb).
Learn using single wire output (swo) to send logs to the debugging host.
Increase your productivity and code portability by using arm cmsis.
Document your code using doxygen syntax.
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Some basic information about the course

Credits:

Optimistic / Inspirational by Mixaund | https://mixaund.bandcamp.com

Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com

Credits:

Five stars: http://www.pngall.com/?p=39082

The definition of universal serial bus (USB) and the motivation behind USB development.

The history of USB development and USB versions.

The most common USB cables and connectors.

A quick look on the inner-structure of the specified cable in USB 2.0.

The main features of USB protocol regardless of the USB version.

Demonstration of the USB star topology and the meaning of USB function.

Explanation about the history of different power supply specifications for USB devices.

Explanation about the principle of smart chargers.

Here you can find a PDF file that contains the slides of some of the important upcoming lectures that you may need frequently to be opened next to you while watching the videos (e.g. to be able to compare the transaction types without switching between the videos).

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Focuses on bare-metal USB firmware development, which provides engineers with low-level control and optimization capabilities for embedded systems

Uses the STM32F4xx family of microcontrollers, which are widely used in industry and provide a practical learning experience

Teaches how to develop a USB HID mouse from scratch, offering a hands-on project to solidify understanding of USB protocol and firmware development

Requires familiarity with ARM Cortex-M4 microcontrollers, which may exclude beginners without prior experience in embedded systems

Emphasizes debugging USB communication using Wireshark and Linux SysLog, which are essential skills for troubleshooting embedded systems

Relies on STM32CubeIDE, which may require learners to adapt their workflow if they are more familiar with other integrated development environments

Reviews summary

Bare-metal usb hid firmware development

According to learners, this course offers an incredibly deep dive into bare-metal USB HID firmware development on STM32 microcontrollers. Many appreciate the focus on understanding what happens behind the scenes, without relying on libraries or code generators, describing it as challenging but highly rewarding. Students highlight the practical, hands-on approach, particularly the project to build a USB mouse from scratch, as a major strength. The course covers USB protocol details extensively, which is seen as both a positive (thorough understanding) and potentially a warning (very complex, requiring significant effort). Debugging tools like Wireshark are also covered. While requiring a solid foundation in C and embedded systems, it's considered unique and valuable for those seeking this specific, low-level knowledge.

Focuses on STM32F4xx.

"Working with the STM32F4xx was relevant to my work."

"The course is tied to a specific microcontroller family, but the underlying USB concepts are universal."

"Useful if you are already using or planning to use STM32 microcontrollers."

"Might require adaptation if you are using a different MCU, but the principles apply."

Learning Wireshark and SysLog.

"Using Wireshark to debug USB communication was an invaluable skill learned here."

"Practical tips on debugging are very helpful."

"Learning to use Linux SysLog for firmware logs was a great addition."

Knowledgeable and clear explanations.

"The instructor clearly knows this topic inside and out and explains complex concepts well."

"Great instructor who is passionate about the subject."

"Explanations were clear and easy to follow, even for difficult parts."

"The instructor's deep understanding is evident throughout the course."

Thorough coverage of USB protocol.

"The explanations of USB packets, transactions, and descriptors are incredibly detailed and clear."

"I finally understand the USB protocol after struggling with documentation for years."

"The course dives deep into the theory, which is essential for the hands-on part."

"Excellent coverage of bus states, timing, and transfer types."

Develop a functional USB mouse.

"Building a working USB mouse from scratch was a fantastic practical exercise."

"The project ties the theoretical concepts together perfectly."

"Loved the step-by-step process of building the HID device."

"This hands-on project makes the complex theory feel much more concrete and applicable."

Deep understanding without libraries.

"This course is perfect for those who want to really understand how USB works from the ground up, without relying on confusing libraries."

"The bare-metal approach forces you to understand every detail, which is challenging but ultimately leads to a much deeper knowledge than using HALs."

"Going bare-metal was tough, but it solidified my understanding of USB protocol at a level I couldn't get elsewhere."

"I appreciated learning how to configure everything manually instead of using a code generator."

Requires significant effort and prerequisites.

"This is not a beginner course. Be prepared for a steep learning curve and complex topics."

"You need a solid background in C and embedded systems to keep up."

"The material is dense and requires revisiting lectures multiple times."

"It was challenging, but the sense of accomplishment is huge."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in USB Behind the Scenes: Hands-on HID Firmware Development with these activities:

Review Embedded Systems Fundamentals

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Solidify your understanding of embedded systems concepts, which are crucial for grasping the bare-metal USB firmware development covered in this course.

Browse courses on Embedded Systems

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Review microcontroller architecture and peripherals.
Study memory management and interrupt handling.
Practice basic GPIO and timer configurations.

Review 'The STM32F4xx Reference Manual'

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Gain a comprehensive understanding of the STM32F4xx microcontroller, which is used in the course for bare-metal USB firmware development.

View Disillusioned: Five Families and the Unraveling... on Amazon

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Read the sections on USB and clock configuration.
Study the memory map and interrupt vector table.
Review the examples of peripheral configurations.

Review 'USB Complete: The Developer's Guide'

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Gain a deeper understanding of the USB protocol and its various aspects, complementing the course's hands-on approach with theoretical knowledge.

View USB Complete: The Developer's Guide, Fifth... on Amazon

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Read chapters on USB descriptors and device classes.
Study the sections on USB enumeration and data transfer.
Review the examples of USB device implementations.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Implement USB Descriptors

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Reinforce your understanding of USB descriptors by creating and testing different descriptor sets for various HID devices.

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Design descriptors for a simple keyboard.
Design descriptors for a joystick.
Test the descriptors using a USB analyzer tool.

Document USB HID Project

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Solidify your understanding of the USB HID project by creating comprehensive documentation, including diagrams, explanations, and code comments.

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Create a block diagram of the USB HID system.
Write detailed explanations of each code module.
Add comments to the code using Doxygen syntax.
Generate documentation using Doxygen.

Contribute to a USB Driver Project

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Deepen your knowledge of USB drivers by contributing to an open-source project, such as fixing bugs, adding new features, or improving documentation.

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Find an open-source USB driver project on GitHub.
Identify a bug or feature to work on.
Submit a pull request with your changes.

Develop a Custom USB HID Device

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Apply your knowledge of USB HID firmware development by creating a custom USB HID device, such as a game controller, a sensor interface, or a custom input device.

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Define the functionality of your custom device.
Design the hardware and firmware for the device.
Test and debug the device.

Career center

Learners who complete USB Behind the Scenes: Hands-on HID Firmware Development will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Firmware Engineer

A Firmware Engineer develops low-level software that controls hardware. This course is an excellent fit for a firmware engineering role, because it focuses on writing bare-metal firmware for USB devices. The course content, including implementing a USB device driver and the USB protocol, is directly applicable to firmware development. Understanding how to configure hardware clocks and working with ARM Cortex-M4 microcontrollers as taught in this course is essential for many firmware projects. This course especially helps provide valuable experience in human interface device development, a common focus for firmware engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Firmware Engineer

Embedded Systems Engineer

An Embedded Systems Engineer designs, develops, and tests the software and hardware for embedded systems. This course is highly relevant to this role, as it provides hands-on experience in developing bare-metal USB firmware. The course teaches essential details of the USB protocol, which is crucial for connecting embedded devices to computers. The coursework involves implementing a complete USB human interface device from the ground up, which helps build a strong understanding of low-level hardware and software interaction. Additionally, this course covers debugging USB communication, which is a key skill for embedded engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Embedded Systems Engineer

Consumer Electronics Developer

A Consumer Electronics Developer designs and develops electronic products for everyday use. This course provides relevant skills for this role, since many consumer devices rely on USB for communication and power. The course teaches how to write bare-metal USB firmware and develop USB human interface devices, directly relevant to consumer product development. The course material on hardware clock configurations, and the focus on ARM Cortex-M4 microcontrollers, are valuable for developing products that use these components which are prominent in consumer electronics. The ability to debug USB communication is also a critical skill for consumer device development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consumer Electronics Developer

Hardware Engineer

A Hardware Engineer designs and tests electronic hardware systems. While this role primarily focuses on physical hardware, understanding how firmware interacts with hardware is vital. This course helps build a foundation in understanding the low level details of how devices communicate over USB, which is important when designing new hardware that interfaces with computers. A hardware engineer benefits by understanding how software controls hardware at the level taught in this course. The course's emphasis on USB protocol and communication will improve the understanding of hardware functionality.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hardware Engineer

Test Engineer

A Test Engineer designs and implements testing procedures for electronic systems. This course may be useful because the skills learned directly apply to test engineering of USB devices. This course provides you with the low-level knowledge to write test software and debug hardware interactions. Test engineers will be better prepared to design comprehensive tests for devices using USB. The course provides an understanding of the USB protocol, debugging techniques, and hands-on firmware implementation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Test Engineer

Research and Development Engineer

A Research and Development Engineer works to develop and test new technologies and products. This course is useful for R&D engineers, since it focuses on low level technology and the development of hardware and software. Research and Development engineers need a deep understanding of how technology works at the level of the hardware. This course will help engineers who delve into hardware and firmware development. The course allows you to implement firmware for a USB based device, giving you experience with hardware interfaces and low level coding.

See salaries and explore the career path for Research and Development Engineer

Automotive Engineer

An Automotive Engineer designs and develops vehicle systems. This course may be useful for an automotive engineer because modern cars rely heavily on embedded systems and communication protocols, including USB. A deep understanding of USB is helpful for automotive applications. The course's focus on bare-metal firmware and hardware interaction provides a base for connecting devices within a vehicle. The debugging information provided by this course is helpful when developing automotive systems that need to communicate over wired and related protocols.

See salaries and explore the career path for Automotive Engineer

Robotics Engineer

A Robotics Engineer designs, builds, and maintains robots. This course may be useful when considering that many robots use microcontrollers and communicate using protocols like USB. The course's focus on bare-metal USB firmware and hardware interaction gives the robotics engineer a foundation for designing USB interfaces in robotic systems. The knowledge of the USB protocol and debugging techniques gained in this course may be helpful when integrating various sensors and actuators within robot systems. The hands-on experience developing a human interface device can translate to similar interfaces for robots.

See salaries and explore the career path for Robotics Engineer

Internet of Things Engineer

An Internet of Things Engineer designs and develops devices that connect to the internet. This course may be helpful for this role, as it focuses on device-level communication and hardware interaction, which are foundational for IoT projects. The course provides experience in writing bare-metal USB firmware and developing a USB human interface device. While this course does not explicitly cover wireless communication, the skills gained in hardware interfacing, debugging, and the USB protocol are all applicable in the broader field of IoT engineering.

See salaries and explore the career path for Internet of Things Engineer

Biomedical Engineer

A Biomedical Engineer designs and develops medical devices. This course may be useful for a biomedical engineer because some medical devices rely on USB for data transfer and communication. Biomedical engineers can benefit from a deep knowledge of USB, and the ability to develop such devices from the lowest level. This course's emphasis on bare-metal firmware and hardware interaction provides knowledge that will be applicable in certain biomedical device applications. The debugging information provided by this course is helpful when working with complex hardware systems often found in medical technology.

See salaries and explore the career path for Biomedical Engineer

System Architect

A System Architect designs the high-level structure of a system. This course may be useful because it provides an understanding of low-level hardware and firmware interactions. This course's focus on the USB protocol and hardware access provides a foundation for understanding system-level design with USB as a core element. While system architects are not typically involved in low-level coding, they need to have a strong sense of communication with hardware, which could benefit from this course's content.

See salaries and explore the career path for System Architect

Technical Consultant

A Technical Consultant provides expert advice on technology-related matters. This course may be useful as it develops a specialized understanding of a very complex area of hardware and software. This course's coverage of the USB protocol and implementation of human interface devices provides a strong technical foundation that might be useful when consulting in the field of embedded systems. The course provides foundational knowledge on debugging complex systems that may come up in consulting roles. Understanding hardware interaction is helpful for offering comprehensive advice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Consultant

Product Manager

A Product Manager is responsible for the strategy, roadmap, and execution of a product. This course may be helpful for a product manager, especially if their product interacts with low-level hardware. While product managers are not typically involved in software development, an understanding of the technical aspects of hardware and software interaction helps in making informed product decisions. This course provides an understanding of the USB protocol and low-level hardware interactions that help in product design and development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates documents for technical products or services. While they don't need to be developers, a technical writer may benefit from this course to better understand USB and the related software and hardware. This course allows a technical writer to understand the USB protocol, firmware development, and debugging processes. This understanding allows them to better translate technical concepts into clear and accurate documentation, and to more deeply understand the system.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Data Scientist

A Data Scientist analyzes data to derive insights. This course may be useful in specialized applications of data science, such as the analysis of hardware systems or data from embedded devices, which might benefit from the knowledge of low-level communication. While not a core skill, understanding how data is transferred over USB and how hardware interacts with software can help a data scientist better understand certain data sources. The knowledge gained in this course is applicable when working with data from specialized hardware.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

USB Behind the Scenes

Hands-on HID Firmware Development

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Bare-metal usb hid firmware development

Activities

Career center

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