EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

EE382N‐4
Embedded Systems Architecture Course 

Mark McDermott
 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Goals of the Course
High‐Level Goals
– Understand the scientific principles and concepts behind embedded systems,
and
– Obtain hands‐on experience in programming embedded systems.
By the end of the course, you will be able to
– Understand the “Big Ideas" in embedded systems
– Obtain direct hands‐on experience on both hardware and software elements 
commonly used in embedded system design.
– Understand basic real‐time resource management theory
– Understand the basics of embedded system application concepts such as 
signal processing and feedback control
– Understand, and be able to discuss and communicate intelligently about
• embedded processor architecture and programming
• I/O and device driver interfaces to embedded processors with networks, 
multimedia cards and disk drives
• OS primitives for concurrency, timeouts, scheduling, communication and 
synchronization

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

What are the “Big Ideas”
ƒ HW/SW Architecture
– Non processor centric view of architecture
ƒ Bowels of the “operating system”
– Specifically, the lower half of the OS
– Concurrency
ƒ Real world design
– performance vs. cost tradeoffs
ƒ Analyzability
– how do you “know” that your drive‐by‐wire system will function correctly?
ƒ Application‐level techniques
– Power Aware Programming

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

So, what is an embedded system?
Simple answer ‐
Anything that uses a “processor” but isn't a general‐purpose 
computer.

The user “sees” a smart (special‐purpose) system as opposed to the 
computer inside the system
“how does it do that?”
“it has a computer inside it!”
“it does not or cannot run Windows or MacOS!”
But it might run Windows CE or Linux…
The end‐user typically does not or cannot modify or upgrade the 
internals

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Four General Categories of Embedded Systems
ƒ General Computing
– Applications similar to desktop computing, but in an embedded package
– Video games, set top boxes, wearable computers, automatic tellers
ƒ Control Systems
– Closed loop feedback control of real time system
– Vehicle engines, chemical processes, nuclear power, flight control
ƒ Signal Processing
– Computations involving large data stream
– Radar, Sonar, video compression
ƒ Communication & Networking
– Switching and information transmission
– Telephone system, Internet

Courtesy Intel
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Types of Embedded System Functions
ƒ Control Laws
– PID control
– Fuzzy logic, ...
ƒ Sequencing logic
– Finite state machines
– Switching modes between control laws
ƒ Signal processing
– Multimedia data compression
– Digital filtering
ƒ Application specific interfacing
– Buttons, bells, lights,...
– High speed I/O
ƒ Fault response
– Detection & reconfiguration
– Diagnosis
Courtesy Intel
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Distinctive Embedded System Attributes
ƒ Reactive: computations occur in response to external events
– Periodic events (e.g., rotating machinery and control loops)
– Aperiodic events (e.g., button closures)
ƒ Real‐Time: timing correctness is part of system correctness
– Hard real‐time
• Absolute deadline, beyond which answer is useless
• May include minimum time as well as maximum time
– Soft real‐time
• Missing a deadline is not catastrophic
• Utility of answer degrades with time difference from deadline
– Example:
• a train is entering an urban area...
• the railway gate in the city allows automotive traffic to go over the tracks
• when should the railway gate close?
In general,
Real Time does not equal “Real Fast”
Courtesy Intel
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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Typical Embedded System Constraints
ƒ Small Size, Low Weight
– Handheld electronics
– Transportation applications weight costs money
ƒ Low Power
– Battery power for 8+ hours (laptops often last only 2 hours)
– Limited cooling may limit power even if AC power available
ƒ Harsh environment
– Heat, vibration, shock
– Power fluctuations, RF interference, lightning
– Water, corrosion, physical abuse
ƒ Safety critical operation
– Must function correctly
– Must not function incorrectly
ƒ Extreme cost sensitivity
– $.05 adds up over 1,000,000 units
Courtesy Intel
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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

A Hierarchy of Embedded Computer Design

Level Name Modules Primitives Descriptive Media

H Transistors, Resistors, 
1 Electronics  Gates, FF’s  Circuit Diagrams
A etc.
R
D
W
2 Logic  Registers, ALU’s  Gates, FF’s  Logic Diagrams
A
R Processors, Busses,  Register Transfer 
E 3 Organization  Registers, ALU’s ... 
Memories  Notation
Assembly 
FIRMWARE 4 Microprogramming  Microinstructions Microprogram
Language 

S Assembly Language  Assembly Language  Assembly Language  

5 OS Routines 
O Programming Instructions Programs
F
T Procedural Applications,  OS Routines 
W
6 HLL Programs
Programming Drivers, etc. High Level Languages
A
R Embedded Embedded Problem Oriented 
E 7 Procedural Constructs
Applications Systems Programs

Focus of this class

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

A Typical Embedded System

Applications

Libraries Operating System & Boot Loader
Software 
Architecture

Complier
Assembler & Linker

ISA ISA
HW  HW 
Accelerator Accelerator
Processor Processor
Hardware Interconnect Fabric
Architecture
SOC Peripherals:
MTD, UART, I2C, PCMCIA, NIC, USB, ADC, DAC, GPIO, Audio, Video 

Sensors & Actuators Connectors

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Types of System Abstraction

Hidden Aspect Applications
Applications Hidden Aspect
Hidden Aspect OS OS

Firmware/Application Firmware Firmware

Hardware Hardware Hardware

Basic  Complex Standalone 
Embedded Embedded System
System System
Example: Example: Example:
PID controller Set top Box iPhone

[email protected]
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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Processor Classification

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Computing Element Choices
General Purpose Selection Factors:
Processors  ‐ Type and complexity of computational algorithms
(GPPs): ‐ Desired level of flexibility       ‐ Performance
Programmability /Flexibility 

‐ Development cost                    ‐ System cost
‐ Power requirements              ‐ Real‐time constrains
Application‐Specific
Processors (ASPs)

Configurable Hardware

Co‐Processors &
Accelerators Application Specific 
Integrated Circuits 
(ASICs)

Specialization , Development cost/time  Performance
Performance/Chip Area/Watt
(Computational Efficiency)
Courtesy Intel
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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

The Real Problem facing Embedded Systems: POWER 

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Why ARM?

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Because it is the “other” architecture

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Course Syllabus
Hardware Software
ISAs for Embedded Systems Monitors & Bootloaders

GPP Microarchitectures Embedded Linux

ARM ISA Device Driver Development

FPGA Architectures Interrupt Handlers

DSP Microarchitectures Debugging Embedded Systems

Blackfin ISA Real Time Operating Systems

Reconfigurable Logic OS Services and Middleware

I/O Subsystems SW Library Development

Networks‐on‐Chips File System Development

Cognitive Sensors SW Optimization

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Grading
ƒ Homework: 10%
ƒ Labs: 30%
ƒ Exam 1: 15%
ƒ Exam 2: 15%
ƒ Project: 30%

Penalty for late submission of homework and class project:

25% per working day. (Maximum: 100%).

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

Overview of the Lab Assignments
ƒ Lab #1
– Develop an Interrupt handler to measure the latency of Linux running on the TLL2020 
platform using the I/O ports on the FPGA.
ƒ Lab #2
– Write an ARM assembly language program (ALP) implementation of a memory test. 
Use the ARM ADS system to verify.
ƒ Lab #3
– Write an ALP and/or C‐routine which slows down and speeds up the processor clock 
on the ARM processor without disrupting the I/O capability. The processor will be 
performing a memory tests on the Block RAM that is in the FPGA. 

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

ENS 114 Lab
ƒ Located on first floor of ENS.
ƒ Systems can be accessed via Remote Desktop
– MAC ,PC or Linux Desktop
ƒ ABSOLUTLEY NO FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED IN THE LAB
– Zero tolerance. Two students received F’s in the lab for spilling drinks on the 
equipment.

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

TLL5000/TLL6219 Prototype System Block Diagram
MZ_CPLD_CLKO SPARTAN-3 FPGA
ARM 926
CPLD
MZ_CPLD_CS5
CLKO FF State
MZ_CPLD_CS1
CS_5 FF Machine
CS_1 MZ_CPLD_BE[3:0]
FF
BE[3:0]
MZ_CPLD_AS
AS FF

RW MZ_CPLD_RW User LL5000

FF

FPGA_MZ_DTACK LOGIC I/O

DTACK
Circuitry
XCVR

DIR
EN
ADDR[23:0] A B FF

XCVR
FF
DIR
EN
DATA[31:0] A B

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

TLL‐5000 Block Diagram 

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

TLL‐5000 
Baseboard

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

TLL 6219 Block Diagram
i.MX21 SOC Memory Power Supplies
Communication
Keypad SDRAM
SDMMC 18 V Input Adapter
64MB / 3.3 V Base
Mini USB OTG Platform

IrDA Flash
Display
RJ45 16MB
ENET
Ethernet LCD Smart LCD

RJ12
SSI
Serial ARM926
EJ-S core
Glue
1-Wire Logic
Status/Jumpers
CSPI CPLD
User
Jumpers
GPIO IO
I2C
User LED Buffers

Connectors

40 pin Mezzanine
CPU CPLD
GPIO JTAG Connectors JTAG

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

TLL6219 ARM 926‐EJS Board

LCD connector RJ-45

20 Pin CPU JTAG Ethernet
Connector
40 Pin GPIO connector

Ethernet
Flash CPLD Controller
Reset

Boot Mode RJ-12

Flash Jumpers
Serial
Connector

i.MX21
SDRAM

SDRAM

Mini
USB
Power
User Reset User Power
Jumpers LEDs
Supply
Power LED

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i.MX21 Features 

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 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

ARM926 Clock Generation

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ARM926 
Bus Cycle 
Waveforms
and 
Timing
 EE382N-4 Embedded Systems Architecture

TLL6219 Memory Map

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