System and Method for Developing, Testing and Debugging Software for Microcontrollers

Various implementations of the invention develop executable code for an embedded system, including a microcontroller and a device. Some implementations of the invention comprise a microcontroller development tool configured to operate on a general purpose computer. In some implementations, the development tool comprises: 1) a virtual microcontroller configured to operate within the development tool in a manner substantially identical to an operation of the microcontroller of the embedded system, wherein the virtual microcontroller operates within the development tool using op codes native to that of the microcontroller, the virtual microcontroller further configured to receive inputs from and provide outputs to the device of the embedded system, 2) an expanded memory beyond a memory available to the microcontroller, the expanded memory available to the virtual microcontroller and configured to store op codes or data for the virtual microcontroller to assist with development of executable code, and 3) a microcontroller programmer configured to transfer executable code to a memory of the microcontroller, wherein the executable code is developed within the development tool; and a microcontroller coupler configured to couple the development tool to the embedded system.