Introduction to Real Time and

Embedded System

Chapter One
 What is Embedded System?
• An Electronic/Electro mechanical system which is designed to
perform a specific function and is a combination of both
hardware and firmware (Software)

• E.g. Electronic Toys, Mobile Handsets, Washing Machines, Air

Conditioners, Automotive Control Units, Set Top Box, DVD
Player etc…
• Embedded Systems are:
– Unique in character and behavior
– With specialized hardware and software
 Embedded System VS General Computing
General Purpose Computing System Embedded System
A system which is a combination of A system which is a combination of
generic hardware and General Purpose special purpose hardware and embedded
Operating System for executing a variety OS for executing a specific set of
of applications. applications

Contain a General Purpose Operating May or may not contain an operating

System.(GPOS) system for functioning.
Applications are alterable (programmable) The firmware of the embedded system is
by user (It is possible for the end user to pre-programmed and it is non-alterable
re-install the Operating System, and add by end-user.
or remove user applications).

Performance is the key deciding factor on Application specific requirements (like

the selection of the system. Always Faster performance, power requirements,
is Better. memory usage etc) are the key deciding
factors
Less/not at all tailored towards reduced Highly tailored to take advantage of the
operating power requirements, options power saving modes supported by
for different levels of power management. hardware and Operating System
Response requirements are not time For certain category of embedded
critical systems like mission critical systems, the
response time requirement is highly
critical
Need not be deterministic in execution Execution behavior is deterministic
behavior For certain type of embedded systems like
Hard Real Time systems
 History of Embedded Systems:
• First Recognized Modern Embedded System: Apollo Guidance
Computer (AGC) developed by Charles Stark Draper at the MIT
Instrumentation Laboratory.
– It has two modules
• Command Module(CM)
• Lunar Excursion Module(LEM)
– RAM size 256 , 1K ,2K words
– ROM size 4K,10K,36K words
– Clock frequency is 1.024MHz
– 5000 ,3-input RTL NOR gates are used
– User interface is DSKY(display/Keyboard)
• First Mass Produced Embedded System: Autonetics D-17
Guidance computer for Minuteman-I missi
 Classification of Embedded Systems:

• Based on Generation
• Based on Complexity & Performance Requirements
• Based on deterministic behavior
• Based on Triggering
 Classification based on
Generation
• First Generation: The early embedded systems built around 8-
bit microprocessors like 8085 and Z80 and 4-bit
microcontrollers.
– EX. stepper motor control units, Digital Telephone Keypads
etc.
• Second Generation: Embedded Systems built around 16-bit
microprocessors and 8 or 16-bit microcontrollers, following
the first generation embedded systems
– EX.SCADA, Data Acquisition Systems etc.
• Third Generation: Embedded Systems built around high
performance 16/32 bit Microprocessors/controllers,
Application Specific Instruction set processors like Digital
Signal Processors (DSPs), and Application Specific Integrated
Circuits (ASICs).The instruction set is complex and powerful.
– EX. Robotics, industrial process control, networking etc.
• Fourth Generation: Embedded Systems built around System
on Chips (SoC’s), Re-configurable processors and multicore
processors. It brings high performance, tight integration and
miniaturization into the embedded device market
– EX Smart phone devices, MIDs etc.
 Classification based on Complexity &
Performance
• Small Scale:
– The embedded systems built around low performance and
low cost 8 or 16 bit microprocessors/ microcontrollers.
– It is suitable for simple applications and where performance
is not time critical.
– It may or may not contain OS.
• Medium Scale:
– Embedded Systems built around medium performance, low
cost 16 or 32 bit microprocessors / microcontrollers or DSPs.
– These are slightly complex in hardware and firmware.
– It may contain GPOS/RTOS.
• Large Scale/Complex:
– Embedded Systems built around high performance 32
or 64 bit RISC processors/controllers, RSoC or multi-
core processors and PLD.
– It requires complex hardware and software.
– These system may contain multiple
processors/controllers and co-units/hardware
accelerators for offloading the processing
requirements from the main processor.
– It contains RTOS for scheduling, prioritization
 Classification Based on deterministic behavior:

• It is applicable for Real Time systems. The application/task

execution behavior for an embedded system can be either
deterministic or non-deterministic.

• These are classified in to two types

– Soft Real time Systems: Missing a deadline may not be
critical and can be tolerated to a certain degree.
– Hard Real time systems: Missing a program/task execution
time deadline can have catastrophic consequences
(financial, human loss of life, etc.)
 Classification Based on Triggering
• These are classified into two types
– Event Triggered : Activities within the system
(e.g., task run-times) are dynamic and depend
upon occurrence of different events .
– Time triggered: Activities within the system follow
a statically computed schedule (i.e. they are
allocated time slots during which they can take
place) and thus by nature are predictable.
 Major Application Areas of Embedded
Systems:
• Consumer Electronics: Camcorders, Cameras etc.
• Household Appliances: Television, DVD players, washing
machine, Fridge, Microwave Oven etc.
• Home Automation and Security Systems: Air conditioners,
sprinklers, Intruder detection alarms, Closed Circuit Television
Cameras, Fire alarms etc.
• Automotive Industry: Anti-lock breaking systems (ABS), Engine
Control, Ignition Systems, Automatic Navigation Systems etc.
• Telecom: Cellular Telephones, Telephone switches, Handset
Multimedia Applications etc.
• Computer Peripherals: Printers, Scanners, Fax machines etc.
• Computer Networking Systems: Network Routers, Switches,
Hubs, Firewalls etc.
• Health Care: Different Kinds of Scanners, EEG, ECG Machines
etc.
• Measurement & Instrumentation: Digital multi meters,
Digital CROs, Logic Analyzers PLC systems etc.
• Banking & Retail: Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) and
Currency counters, Point of Sales(POS)
• Card Readers: Barcode, Smart Card Readers, Hand held
Devices etc.
 Purpose of Embedded Systems:
• Each Embedded Systems is designed to serve
the purpose of any one or a combination of
the following tasks.
– Data Collection/Storage/Representation
– Data Communication
– Data (Signal) Processing
– Monitoring
– Control
– Application Specific User Interface
 1. Data Collection/Storage/Representation
• Performs acquisition of data from the external world.
• The collected data can be either analog or digital
• Data collection is usually done for storage, analysis,
manipulation and transmission
• The collected data may be stored directly in the system or
may be transmitted to some other systems or it may be
processed by the system or it may be deleted instantly after
giving a meaningful representation.
 2. Data Communication
• Embedded Data communication systems are deployed in
applications ranging from complex satellite communication
systems to simple home networking systems.
• Embedded Data communication systems are dedicated for
data communication.
• The data communication can happen through a wired interface
(like Ethernet, RS-232C/USB/IEEE1394 etc) or wireless
interface (like Wi-Fi, GSM,GPRS, Bluetooth, ZigBee etc).
• Network hubs, Routers, switches, Modems etc are typical
examples for dedicated data transmission embedded systems.
 3.Data (Signal) Processing
• Embedded systems with Signal processing functionalities are
employed in applications demanding signal processing like
Speech coding, synthesis, audio video codec, transmission
applications etc.
• Computational intensive systems Employs Digital Signal
Processors (DSPs).
 4. Monitoring
• Embedded systems coming under this category are
specifically designed for monitoring purpose.
• They are used for determining the state of some variables
using input sensors.
• They cannot impose control over variables.
• Electro Cardiogram (ECG) machine for
monitoring the heart beat of a patient is
a typical example for this.
• The sensors used in ECG are the different Electrodes
connected to the patient’s body .
• Measuring instruments like Digital CRO, Digital Multi meter,
Logic Analyzer etc used in.
• Control & Instrumentation applications are also examples of
embedded systems for monitoring purpose.
 5. Control
• Embedded systems with control functionalities are used for
imposing control over some variables according to the
changes in input variables .
• Embedded system with control functionality contains both
sensors and actuators.
• Sensors are connected to the input port for capturing the
changes in environmental variable or measuring variable.
• The actuators connected to the output port are controlled
according to the changes in input variable to put an impact on
the controlling variable to bring the controlled variable to the
specified range
• Air conditioner for controlling room temperature is a typical
example for embedded system with “Control” functionality.
• Air conditioner contains a room temperature sensing element
(sensor) which may be a thermistor and a handheld unit for
setting up (feeding) the desired temperature.
• The air compressor unit acts as the actuator. The compressor
is controlled according to the current room temperature and
the desired temperature set by the end user.
 6.Application Specific User Interface

• Embedded systems which are designed for a specific

application.
• Contains Application Specific User interface (rather than
general standard UI ) like key board, Display units etc.
• Aimed at a specific target group of users.
• Mobile handsets, Control units in industrial applications etc
are examples.
 EMBEDDED SYSTEM DESIGN PROCESS
• This section provides an overview of the
embedded system design process aimed at
two objectives.
– It will give us an introduction to the various steps
in embedded system design before we delve into
them in more detail.
– It will allow us to consider the design
methodology itself.
 Requirements
• Clearly, before we design a system, we must know what
we are designing.
• The initial stages of the design process capture this
information for use in creating the architecture and
components.
• We generally proceed in two phases:
– we gather an informal description from the customers known
as requirements.
– we refine the requirements into a specification that contains
enough information to begin designing the system architecture.
– requirements may be functional or nonfunctional.
 Non Functional Requirements
• Performance: The speed of the system is often a
major consideration both for the usability of the
system and for its ultimate cost.
• Cost: The target cost or purchase price for the
system is almost always a consideration. Cost
typically has two major components:
– manufacturing cost includes the cost of components
and assembly
– nonrecurring engineering (NRE) costs include the
personnel and other costs of designing the system.
• Physical size and weight: The physical aspects
of the final system can vary greatly depending
upon the application.
• Power consumption: Power, of course, is
important in battery-powered systems and is
often important in other applications as well.
 Requirements form
• A sample requirements form that can be filled out at the start of the project.
• We can use the form as a checklist in considering the basic characteristics of
the system.
– Name
– Purpose
– Inputs and outputs
– Types of data
– Data characteristics
– Types of I/O devices
– Functions
– Performance
– Manufacturing Cost
– Power
– Physical size and weight
REQUIREMENTS FORM OF GPS MOVING
MAP MODULE:
• Name : GPS moving map
• Purpose: Consumer-grade moving map for driving use
• Inputs : Power button, two control buttons
• Outputs : Back-lit LCD display 400 _ 600
• Functions : Uses 5-receiver GPS system; three user-selectable
resolution always displays current latitude and longitude
• Performance: Updates screen within 0.25 seconds upon
movement
• Manufacturing cost:$30
• Power: 100mW
• Physical size and weight: No more than 2” _ 6, ” 12 ounces
 Specification

• The specification is more precise—it serves as the contract

between the customer and the architects.
• The specification must be carefully written so that it accurately
reflects the customer’s requirements and does so in a way that
can be clearly followed during design.
• A specification of the GPS system would include several
components:
– Data received from the GPS satellite constellation.
– Map data.
– User interface.
– Operations that must be performed to satisfy customer requests.
– Background actions required to keep the system running, such as
operating the GPS receiver
 Architecture Design

• The specification does not say how the system

does things, only what the system does.
• Describing how the system implements those
functions is the purpose of the architecture.
• The architecture is a plan for the overall structure
of the system that will be used later to design the
components that make up the architecture.
• The creation of the architecture is the first phase
of what many designers think of as design.
 System Integration
• By building up the system in phases and running
properly chosen tests, we can often find bugs more
easily.
• If we debug only a few modules at a time, we are
more likely to uncover the simple bugs and able to
easily recognize them.
• Only by fixing the simple bugs early will we be able
to uncover the more complex or obscure bugs that
can be identified only by giving the system a hard
workout
 Characteristics of Embedded systems
1. Application and domain specific
2. Reactive and Real Time
3. Operates in harsh environments
4. Distributed
5. Small Size and weight
6. Power concerns
7. Single-functioned
8. Complex functionality
9. Tightly-constrained
10. Safety-critical