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Introduction to Embedded Systems Notes

The document provides an overview of embedded systems, defining them as electronic systems designed for specific functions, and contrasting them with general computing systems. It discusses the history, classification, major application areas, and purposes of embedded systems, as well as outlining the design process and requirements for developing such systems. Key applications include consumer electronics, automotive systems, and healthcare devices, emphasizing the importance of performance, cost, and power consumption in system design.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
9 views19 pages

Introduction to Embedded Systems Notes

The document provides an overview of embedded systems, defining them as electronic systems designed for specific functions, and contrasting them with general computing systems. It discusses the history, classification, major application areas, and purposes of embedded systems, as well as outlining the design process and requirements for developing such systems. Key applications include consumer electronics, automotive systems, and healthcare devices, emphasizing the importance of performance, cost, and power consumption in system design.

Uploaded by

ravalichandra414
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

1. Introduction to Embedded Systems


What is Embedded System? (DEC2016, March-2017.)

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 Systems Vs General Computing Systems: (March-2017)

General Purpose Computing System Embedded System


A system which is a combination of generic A system which is a combination of special
hardware and General Purpose Operating System purpose hardware and embedded OS for
for executing a variety of applications executing a specific set of applications
Contain a General Purpose Operating System May or may not contain an operating system
(GPOS) for functioning
Applications are alterable (programmable) by The firmware of the embedded system is
user (It is possible for the end user to re-install the pre-programmed and it is non-alterable by
Operating System, and add or remove user end-user
applications)
Performance is the key deciding factor on the Application specific requirements (like
selection of the system. Always „Faster is Better‟ performance, power requirements, memory
usage etc) are the key deciding factors
Less/not at all tailored towards reduced operating Highly tailored to take advantage of the
power requirements, options for different levels power saving modes supported by hardware
of power management. and Operating System
Response requirements are not time critical For certain category of embedded systems
like mission critical systems, the response
time requirement is highly critical
Execution behavior is deterministic for
Need not be deterministic in execution behavior certain type of embedded systems like „Hard
Real Time‟ systems

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 2


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

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

[Link] module(CM) [Link] 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 missile

Classification of Embedded Systems:



Based on Generation (March-2017)

Based on Complexity & Performance Requirements


Based on deterministic behavior


Based on Triggering

1. Embedded Systems - 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
[Link], 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.
N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 3
ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

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.

2. Embedded Systems - 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
and management.

3. Embedded Systems - 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

1. Soft Real time Systems: Missing a deadline may not be critical and can be
tolerated to a certain degree

2. Hard Real time systems: Missing a program/task execution time deadline can have
catastrophic consequences (financial, human loss of life, etc.)

4. Embedded Systems - Classification Based on Triggering:

These are classified into two types

1. Event Triggered : Activities within the system (e.g., task run-times) are dynamic and
depend upon occurrence of different events .

2. 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.
ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

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: (DEC2016)

Each Embedded Systems is designed to serve the purpose of any one or a combination of the
following tasks.

o Data Collection/Storage/Representation

o Data Communication

o Data (Signal) Processing

o Monitoring

o Control

o Application Specific User Interface


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

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)


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

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.

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 7


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

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. First, it will give us an introduction to the various steps in embedded system design
before we delve into them in more detail. Second, it will allow us to consider the design
methodology itself. A design methodology is important for three reasons. First, it allows us to
keep a scorecard on a design to ensure that we have done everything we need to do, such as
optimizing performance or performing functional tests. Second, it allows us to develop
computer-aided design tools. Developing a single program that takes in a concept for an
embedded system and emits a completed design would be a daunting task, but by first breaking
the process into manageable steps, we can work on automating (or at least semi automating) the
steps one at a time. Third, a design methodology makes it much easier for members of a design
team to communicate.
The below Figure summarizes the major steps in the embedded system design process. In this top–down
view, we start with the system requirements.

Fig: Major levels of abstraction in the design process


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: First, we gather an informal description from the customers
known as requirements, and we refine the requirements into a specification that contains enough
information to begin designing the system architecture.

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 8


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

Requirements may be functional or nonfunctional. We must of course capture the basic


functions of the embedded system, but functional description is often not sufficient. Typical
nonfunctional requirements include:
■ Performance: The speed of the system is often a major consideration both for the usability of
the system and for its ultimate cost. As we have noted, performance may be a combination of
soft performance metrics such as approximate time to perform a user-level function and hard
deadlines by which a particular operation must be completed.
■ 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. An industrial control system for an assembly line may be designed to fit
into a standard-size rack with no strict limitations on weight. A handheld device typically has
tight requirements on both size and weight that can ripple through the entire system design.
■ Power consumption: Power, of course, is important in battery-powered systems and is often
important in other applications as well. Power can be specified in the requirements stage in terms
of battery life—the customer is unlikely to be able to describe the allowable wattage.
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. Let’s consider the entries in
the form:
■ Name: This is simple but helpful. Giving a name to the project not only simplifies talking
about it to other people but can also crystallize the purpose of the machine.
■ Purpose: This should be a brief one- or two-line description of what the system is supposed to
do. If you can’t describe the essence of your system in one or two lines, chances are that you
don’t understand it well enough.
■ Inputs and outputs: These two entries are more complex than they seem. The inputs and
outputs to the system encompass a wealth of detail:
— Types of data: Analog electronic signals? Digital data? Mechanical inputs?
— Data characteristics: Periodically arriving data, such as digital audio
samples? Occasional user inputs? How many bits per data element?
— Types of I/O devices: Buttons? Analog/digital converters? Video displays?
■ Functions: This is a more detailed description of what the system does. A good way to
approach this is to work from the inputs to the outputs: When the system receives an input, what
does it do? How do user interface inputs affect these functions? How do different functions
interact?
Performance: Many embedded computing systems spend at least some time controlling physical
devices or processing data coming from the physical world. In most of these cases, the
computations must be performed within a certain time frame. It is essential that the performance
requirements be identified early
since they must be carefully measured during implementation to ensure that the system works
properly.
■ Manufacturing cost: This includes primarily the cost of the hardware components. Even if you
don’t know exactly how much you can afford to spend on system components, you should have
some idea of the eventual cost range. Cost has a substantial influence on architecture: A machine
that is meant to
sell at $10 most likely has a very different internal structure than a $100 system.
■ Power: Similarly, you may have only a rough idea of how much power the system can
consume, but a little information can go a long way. Typically, the most important decision is

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 9


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

whether the machine will be battery powered or plugged into the wall. Battery-powered
machines must be much more careful about how they spend energy.

■ Physical size and weight: You should give some indication of the physical size of the system
to help guide certain architectural decisions. A desktop machine has much more flexibility in the
components used than, for example, a lapel mounted voice recorder.

GPS MODULE:

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 resolutions;
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. As such, 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.
The specification should be understandable enough so that someone can verify that it meets
system requirements and overall expectations of the customer.
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.

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 10


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

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.
This block diagram is still quite abstract—we have not yet specified which operations will be
performed by software running on a CPU, what will be done by special-purpose hardware, and
so on. The diagram does, however, go a long way toward describing how to implement the
functions described in the specification. We clearly see, for example, that we need to search the
topographic database and to render (i.e., draw) the results for the display. We have chosen to
separate those functions so that we can potentially do them in parallel—performing rendering
separately from searching the database may help us update the screen more fluidly.

FIG: BLOCK DIAGRAM FOR THE MOVING MAP

The hardware block diagram clearly shows that we have one central CPU surrounded by memory
and I/O devices. In particular, we have chosen to use two memories: a frame buffer for the pixels
to be displayed and a separate program/data memory for general use by the CPU. The software
block diagram fairly closely follows the system block diagram, but we have added a timer to
control when we read the buttons on the user interface and render data onto the screen. To have a
truly complete architectural description, we require more detail, such as where units in the
software block diagram will be executed in the hardware block diagram and when operations
will be performed in time.

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 11


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

Fig : Hardware and software architectures for the moving map.

The architectural description tells us what components we need. The component design effort
builds those components in conformance to the architecture and specification. The components
will in general include both hardware—FPGAs, boards, and so on—and software modules. Some
of the components will be ready-made. The CPU, for example, will be a standard component in
almost all cases, as will memory chips and many other components .In the moving map, the GPS
receiver is a good example of a specialized component that will nonetheless be a predesigned,
standard component. We can also make use of standard software modules.

System Integration:
Only after the components are built do we have the satisfaction of putting them together and
seeing a working system. Of course, this phase usually consists of a lot more than just plugging
everything together and standing back. Bugs are typically found during system integration, and
good planning can help us find the bugs quickly. 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

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 12


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

Characteristics of Embedded systems: (DEC2016, March-2017)

Embedded systems possess certain specific characteristics and these are unique to each
Embedded system.

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

1. Application and Domain Specific:-

• Each E.S has certain functions to perform and they are developed in such a manner to do
the intended functions only.

• They cannot be used for any other purpose.

• Ex – The embedded control units of the microwave oven cannot be replaced with AC‟S
embedded control unit because the embedded control units of microwave oven and AC
are specifically designed to perform certain specific tasks.

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 13


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

T,VINAYSIMHA REDDY, Dept. of ECE, MRCET

2. Reactive and Real Time:-

• E.S are in constant interaction with the real world through sensors and user-defined input
devices which are connected to the input port of the system.

• Any changes in the real world are captured by the sensors or input devices in real time
and the control algorithm running inside the unit reacts in a designed manner to bring the
controlled output variables to the desired level.

• E.S produce changes in output in response to the changes in the input, so they are referred
as reactive systems.

• Real Time system operation means the timing behavior of the system should be
deterministic ie the system should respond to requests in a known amount of time.

• Example – E.S which are mission critical like flight control systems, Antilock Brake
Systems (ABS) etc are Real Time systems.

3. Operates in Harsh Environment :–

• The design of E.S should take care of the operating conditions of the area where the
system is going to implement.

• Ex – If the system needs to be deployed in a high temperature zone, then all the
components used in the system should be of high temperature grade.

• Also proper shock absorption techniques should be provided to systems which are going
to be commissioned in places subject to high shock.

4. Distributed: –

• It means that embedded systems may be a part of a larger system.

• Many numbers of such distributed embedded systems form a single large embedded
control unit.

• Ex – Automatic vending machine. It contains a card reader, a vending unit etc. Each of
them are independent embedded units but they work together to perform the overall
vending function.

5. Small Size and Weight:-

• Product aesthetics (size, weight, shape, style, etc) is an important factor in choosing a
product.

• It is convenient to handle a compact device than a bulky product.

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 14


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

6. Power Concerns:-

• Power management is another important factor that needs to be considered in designing


embedded systems.

• E.S should be designed in such a way as to minimize the heat dissipation by the system.

7. Single-functioned:- Dedicated to perform a single function

8. Complex functionality: - We have to run sophisticated algorithms or multiple algorithms in


some applications.

9. Tightly-constrained:-

Low cost, low power, small, fast, etc

10. Safety-critical:-

Must not endanger human life and the environment

Quality Attributes of Embedded System: Quality attributes are the non-functional


requirements that need to be documented properly in any system design.(DEC16,March-2017)

Quality attributes can be classified as

I. Operational quality attributes

II. Non-operational quality attributes.

I. Operational Quality Attributes: The operational quality attributes represent the relevant
quality attributes related to the embedded system when it is in the operational mode or online
mode.

Operational Quality Attributes are:

1. Response :-

It is the measure of quickness of the system.

It tells how fast the system is tracking the changes in input variables.

Most of the E.S demands fast response which should be almost real time.

Ex – Flight control application.

N SURESH , Dept of ECE Page 15


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

2. Throughput :-

It deals with the efficiency of a system.

It can be defined as the rate of production or operation of a defined process over a


stated period of time.

The rates can be expressed in terms of products, batches produced or any other
meaningful measurements.

Ex – In case of card reader throughput means how many transactions the reader
can perform in a minute or in an hour or in a day.

Throughput is generally measured in terms of “Benchmark”.

A Benchmark is a reference point by which something can be measured

3. Reliability :-

• It is a measure of how much we can rely upon the proper functioning of the system.

• Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) are the
terms used in determining system reliability.

• MTBF gives the frequency of failures in hours/weeks/months.

• MTTR specifies how long the system is allowed to be out of order following a
failure.

• For embedded system with critical application need, it should be of the order of
minutes.

4. Maintainability:-

• It deals with support and maintenance to the end user or client in case of technical issues
and product failure or on the basis of a routine system checkup.

• Reliability and maintainability are complementary to each other.

• A more reliable system means a system with less corrective maintainability requirements
and vice versa.

• Maintainability can be broadly classified into two categories

1. Scheduled or Periodic maintenance (Preventive maintenance)

2. Corrective maintenance to unexpected failures

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 18


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

5. Security:-

• Confidentiality, Integrity and availability are the three major measures of information
security.

• Confidentiality deals with protection of data and application from unauthorized


disclosure.

• Integrity deals with the protection of data and application from unauthorized
modification.

• Availability deals with protection of data and application from unauthorized users.

6. Safety :-

Safety deals with the possible damages that can happen to the operator, public and the
environment due to the breakdown of an Embedded System.

The breakdown of an embedded system may occur due to a hardware failure or a


firmware failure.

Safety analysis is a must in product engineering to evaluate the anticipated damages and
determine the best course of action to bring down the consequences of damage to an
acceptable level.
II. Non-Operational Quality Attributes: The quality attributes that needs to be addressed for
the product not on the basis of operational aspects are grouped under this category.

1. Testability and Debug-ability:-

• Testability deals with how easily one can test the design, application and by which means
it can be done.

• For an E.S testability is applicable to both the embedded hardware and firmware.

• Embedded hardware testing ensures that the peripherals and total hardware functions in
the desired manner, whereas firmware testing ensures that the firmware is functioning in
the expected way.

• Debug-ability is a means of debugging the product from unexpected behavior in the


system

• Debug-ability is two level process

• [Link] level [Link] level

• 1. Hardware level: It is used for finding the issues created by hardware problems.

• 2. Software level: It is employed for finding the errors created by the flaws in the software.

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 18


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

2. Evolvability :-

• It is a term which is closely related to Biology.

• It is referred as the non-heritable variation.

• For an embedded system evolvability refers to the ease with which the embedded product
can be modified to take advantage of new firmware or hardware technologies.

3. Portability:-

• It is the measure of system independence.

• An embedded product is said to be portable if the product is capable of functioning in


various environments, target processors and embedded operating systems.

• „Porting‟ represents the migration of embedded firmware written for one target processor
to a different target processor.

4. Time-to-Prototype and Market:-

• It is the time elapsed between the conceptualization of a product and the time at which
the product is ready for selling.

• The commercial embedded product market is highly competitive and time to market the
product is critical factor in the success of commercial embedded product.

• There may be multiple players in embedded industry who develop products of the same
category (like mobile phone).

5. Per Unit Cost and Revenue:-

• Cost is a factor which is closely monitored by both end user and product manufacturer.

• Cost is highly sensitive factor for commercial products

• Any failure to position the cost of a commercial product at a nominal rate may lead to the
failure of the product in the market.

• Proper market study and cost benefit analysis should be carried out before taking a
decision on the per-unit cost of the embedded product.

• The ultimate aim of the product is to generate marginal profit so the budget and total cost
should be properly balanced to provide a marginal profit.

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 18


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

SUMMARY
1. An embedded system is an electronic/electromechanical system designed to perform a
specific function and is a combination of both hardware and firmware (software).
2. A general purpose computing system is a combination of generic hardware and general
purpose operating system for executing a variety of applications, whereas an embedded
3. System is a combination of special purpose hardware and embedded OS/firmware for
executing a specific set of applications.
4. Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) is the first recognized modern embedded system and
Autonetics D-17, the guidance computer for the Minuteman-I missile, was the first mass
produced embedded system.
5. Based on the complexity and performance requirements, embedded systems are classified
into small-scale, medium-scale and large-scale/complex.
6. The presences of embedded system vary from simple electronic system toys to complex
flight and missile control systems.
7. Embedded systems are designed to serve the purpose of any one or combination of data
collection/storage/representation, data processing, monitoring, control or application
specific user interface.

8. Wearable devices refer to embedded systems which are incorporated into accessories and
apparels. It envisions the bonding of embedded technology in our day to day lives.

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
1. Embedded systems are
(a) General Purpose (b) Special Purpose
2. Embedded system is
(a) An electronic system (b) A pure mechanical system
(c)An electro-mechanical system (d) (a) or (c)
3. Which of the following is not true about embedded systems?
(a) Built around specialized hardware (b) Always contain an operating system
(c)Execution behavior may be deterministic (d) All of these (e) none of these
4. Which of the following is not an example of small scale embedded system?
(a) Electronic Barbie doll (b) Simple calculator
(c) Cell Phone (d) Electronic toy car

N SURESH, Dept of ECE Page 19


ESD UNIT-1 NOTES

5. The first recognized modern embedded system is


(a) Apple computer (b) Apollo Guidance Computer
(c) Calculator (d) Radio navigation system
6. The first mass produced embedded system is
(a) Minuteman-I (b) Minuteman-II
(c) Autonetics D17 (d) Apollo Guidance Computer
7. Which of the following is (are) an intended purpose of embedded systems?
(a) Data collection (b) Data processing
(c) Data communication (d) All of these (e) None of these
8. Which of the following is an example of an embedded system for data communication?
(a) USB mass storage device (b) Network router (c) Digital camera
(d)Music player (e) All of these (f) None of these
9. A digital multimeter is an example of embedded system for
(a) Data communication (b) Monitoring (c) Control
(d) All of these (e) None of these
10. Which of the following is an example of an embedded system for signal processing?
(a) Apple iPOD (b) Sandisk USB mass storage device
(c) both a and b (d) None of these

Reference Text Books:-

1. Introduction to Embedded Systems – Shibu K.V Mc Graw Hill

2. Computers as Components –Wayne Wolf-morgan Kaufmann publications

[Dept of ECE, MRCET] Page 20

Common questions

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The development of an embedded system begins with creating a specification that defines system requirements and performance expectations. This is followed by architecture design, outlining the system's structural plan. Component design builds the individual parts to fit the architecture. The final stage is system integration, where components are assembled and tested for functionality and to identify bugs. Each stage affects the subsequent, from initial design decisions to the success of integration .

Embedded systems are classified by complexity and performance into small scale, medium scale, and large scale/complex systems. Small scale systems use low performance 8 or 16 bit microprocessors/microcontrollers with simple applications, not always requiring an OS. Medium scale systems with 16 or 32 bit processors and DSPs have more complex hardware/firmware and may use GPOS or RTOS. Large scale or complex systems utilize high performance 32 or 64 bit processors and multi-core systems, requiring complex hardware and include RTOS for management .

Deterministic behavior in embedded systems is crucial for real-time operations where timing is critical. In systems like hard real-time embedded systems, missing an execution time deadline can lead to catastrophic consequences such as financial losses or loss of life. Thus, their execution behavior must be predictable and maintain a fixed time frame for completion of tasks. Conversely, soft real-time systems can tolerate some flexibility in timing without such severe impacts .

Embedded systems are integral in healthcare for applications like EEG and ECG machines, which process real-time signals that require precise measurement and processing capabilities. Their deterministic and reliable performance ensures accurate health assessments and patient safety. The compact design of embedded systems also facilitates integration into portable medical devices .

A well-defined system specification serves as a blueprint for the entire design process, outlining what the system should achieve. It acts as a contract between developers and stakeholders, ensuring that customer requirements are met in both function and performance. Accurate specifications help in avoiding scope creep and guide the architecture, design decisions, and testing phases to align with customer expectations .

Power consumption is a crucial consideration in embedded system design, especially for battery-powered systems. It affects the choice of components, operating modes, and overall system architecture to ensure efficient energy use while meeting performance requirements. Power can be a primary specification, and systems may employ various power-saving modes to maximize battery life .

The generation of an embedded system correlates with advancements in hardware capabilities. First generation systems utilized 8-bit microprocessors, while later generations incorporated more powerful processors. Second generation systems advanced to 16-bit processors, third to 32-bit, featuring DSPs and ASICs. Fourth generation now includes System on Chips (SoCs) and multicore processors, offering high performance and miniaturization .

Embedded systems are a combination of special purpose hardware and embedded OS/firmware designed to execute a specific set of applications, whereas general purpose computing systems have generic hardware coupled with a general purpose operating system designed to execute a variety of applications. The firmware in embedded systems is pre-programmed and typically non-alterable by the end-user, whereas applications in general systems are alterable and can be re-installed .

The architecture of an embedded system heavily influences its manufacturing cost. The choice of components, such as the type of microprocessor or use of multi-core systems, affects both component and assembly costs. A simpler architecture with fewer components may reduce costs but limit performance capabilities. Nonrecurring engineering costs during design also contribute to the system's overall cost .

Porting embedded firmware involves ensuring compatibility with the target processor's architecture, instruction set, and performance specifications. Differences in peripheral interfaces, memory management, and available development tools must be addressed. Firmware design must be adaptable to the specific requirements and constraints of the new environment, such as system interfaces and power consumption expectations .

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