14S4003

Introduction to Embedded System

Semester 1 2020/2021 9/9/2020 1
What is an Embedded System
 An embedded system is one that has computer hardware with software embedded in it
as one of its components.
 We can define an embedded system as “A microprocessor based system that
does not look like a computer”.
 We can say that it is “A combination of computer hardware and software, and
perhaps additional mechanical or other parts, designed to perform a
dedicated function. In some cases, embedded systems are part of a larger
system or product, as is the case of an antilock braking system in a car ”.

 An embedded system is a computer system with a dedicated function within a larger

mechanical or electrical system, often with real-time computing constraints. It is
embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts
(Wikipedia).

9/9/2020 2
Significance
 Due to their compact size, low cost and simple design
aspects made embedded systems very popular and
encroached into human lives and have become
indispensable. They are found everywhere from kitchen
ware to space craft. To emphasize this idea here are
some illustrations.

9/9/2020 3
Embedded systems everywhere?
Embedded systems span all aspects of
modern life and there are many examples of
their use
 Microwave oven: A microwave oven cooks
or heats food with microwave radiation
generated by a magnetron.
 Digital camera: A digital camera takes
photographs by recording images
electronically via an image sensor and
stores the digitized image in a flash
memory card.
 Vehicle electronic stability control system: A
vehicle ESC (electronic stability control)
system helps to improve a vehicle's
maneuverability by detecting and
minimizing skids.
9/9/2020 4
Examples of Embedded Systems
 Consumer electronics, for example MP3 Audio,
digital camera, home electronics, …

9/9/2020 5
Were the embedded systems
existing earlier ?
 Yes, We have been enjoying the grace of embedded system quite a
long time. But they were not so popular because in those days most
of the embedded systems were designed around a microprocessor
unlike today’s systems which were built around a microcontroller.
 As we know a microprocessor by itself do not possess any memory,
ports etc. So everything must be connected externally by using
peripherals like 8255, 8257, 8259 etc. So the embedded system
designed using microprocessor was not only complicated in design
but also large in size. At the same time the speed of microprocessor
is also a limitation for high end applications.

9/9/2020 6
Why a microcontroller ?
 A microcontroller is a single silicon chip with memory and all Input/Output
peripherals on it. Hence a microcontroller is also popularly known as a single
chip computer. Normally, a single microcomputer has the following features :
◦ Arithmetic and logic unit
◦ Memory for storing program
◦ EEPROM for nonvolatile data storage
◦ RAM for storing variables and special function registers
◦ Input/output ports
◦ Timers and counters
◦ Analog to digital converter
◦ Circuits for reset, power up, serial programming,debugging
◦ Instruction decoder and a timing and control unit
◦ Serial communication port

9/9/2020 7
System Design Requirements
 When designing a computer system, we must consider a
variety of factors:
◦ Cost
◦ General computation speed
◦ Special computation need
◦ Real-time constraint
◦ Reliability
◦ Power consumption

9/9/2020 8
System Design Requirements

Radar Charts of Various Systems

9/9/2020 9
Overview of a general FPGA device
 A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a logic device that
contains a twodimensional array of generic logic cells and
programmable switches.
 A logic cell can be configured (i.e., programmed) to perform a simple
function, and a programmable switch can be customized to provide
interconnections among the logic cells.
 A custom design can be implemented by specifying the function of
each logic cell and selectively setting the connection of each
programmable switch.

9/9/2020 10
Conceptual structure of an FPGA device

9/9/2020 11
Three-input LUT-based logic cell
 LUT-based logic cell A logic
cell usually contains a
small configurable
combinational circuit with
a D-type flip-flop (D FF).
The most common
method to implement a
configurable
combinational circuit is a
lookup table (LUT).

9/9/2020 12
Microcontroller vs FPGA
Microcontroller Architecture FPGA Architecture.

9/9/2020 13
Microcontroller vs FPGA
Specifications Microcontroller FPGA
Principle of operation Desired program is flashed in the Desired program to hardwire the logic circuit
microcontroller which executes instruction of FPGA is loaded. Based on this logic FPGA
consecutively. It works based on software works as desired.
program.
Software Programming C, C++, C# etc. VHDL,Verilog
Language used
Application Suitable to be used for serial execution of It is used for parallel execution.
instruction. Here speed is proportional to
execution time of the instruction.
Processing power It is time limited. The execution depends on It is space limited. More is the work, more is
processor cycling power. the logic circuits required to be created on
FPGA chip.
Components needed All the required components are sufficiently It requires RAM, ROM and external storage.
available on chip itself. No external Almost most of the FPGA boards come up
components are needed unless for specific with these components in order to have rapid
requirements. prototype developments.

9/9/2020 14
Embedded Systems vs General Purpose Computing
Embedded Systems General Purpose Computing
Few application that are known at Broad class of applications
design-time
Not programmable by end user Programmable by end user
Fixed run‐time requirements Faster is better
(additional computing power not
useful)
Criteria: Criteria:
- cost - cost
- power consumption - average speed
- predictability
…
9/9/2020 15
Implementation Alternatives

9/9/2020 16
 Overview Of The Altera De1 Boards
 The Altera DEI board is based on a
Cyclone II EP2C20 device and has an ◦ Ten red user LEDs
array of built-in peripherals. The main ◦ Eight green user LEDs
parts and connectors are as follows: ◦ Four seven-segment LED displays
◦ Altera Cyclone II EP2C20 FPGA device ◦ Audio codec with line-in, line-out, and
◦ Onboard USB blaster for device microphone-in jacks
programming ◦ VGA port with three 4-bit DACs
◦ Altera EPCS4 serial configuration ◦ RS-232 transceiver and 9-pin port
EEPROM
◦ 512K byte SRAM ◦ PS2 mouse and keyboard port
◦ 8M byte SDRAM ◦ SD card socket
◦ 4M byte Flash memory ◦ Two 40-pin expansion headers
◦ Four pushbutton switches ◦ 50-MHz oscillator, 27-MHz oscillator,
◦ Ten slide switches and 24-MHz oscillator for clock sources

9/9/2020 17
The Altera DE1
Board

9/9/2020 18
Sumber
 Pong P. Chu, Embedded SoPC Design with Nios II
Processor and VHDL Examples, Wiley, 2011.
 D. D. Gajski, S. Abdi, A. Gerstlauer, G. Schirner, Embedded
System Design: Modeling, Synthesis,Verification, ISBN
978-1-4419-0503-1, Springer, 2009
 https://www.slideshare.net/yayavaram/introduction-to-
embedded-systems-2614825

9/9/2020 19