Embedded Systems -
Introduction
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 1
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
System Definition
• A way of working, organizing or
performing one or many tasks
according to a fixed set of rules,
program or plan.
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
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Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
System Definition
• Also an arrangement in which all
units assemble and work together
according to a program or plan.
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
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Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Examples of Systems
• Time display system – A watch
• Automatic cloth washing system – A
washing machine
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
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Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Embedded System Definitions:
1. “An embedded system is one that
has a dedicated purpose software
embedded in a computer
hardware.” – Present Book
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 5
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Embedded System Definitions:
2. “An embedded system is a system
that has software embedded into
computer-hardware, which makes a
system dedicated for an application (s)
or specific part of an application or
product or part of a larger system.” –
Present Book
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 6
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
3. “It is a dedicated computer
based system for an
application(s) or product. It
may be an independent system
or a part of large system. Its
software usually embeds into a
flash or ROM (Read Only
Memory).” – Present Book
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 7
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
“It is any device that includes a
programmable computer but is
not itself intended to be a
general purpose computer.” –
Wayne Wolf, Ref: 121
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 8
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
“Embedded Systems are the
electronic systems that contain a
microprocessor or a
microcontroller, but we do not
think of them as computers– the
computer is hidden or embedded in
the system.” – Todd D. Morton,
Ref: 119
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 9
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Let’s consider a Computer
A computer is a system that has the following
or more components.
• A microprocessor
• A large memory comprising the following
two kinds:
• (a) Primary memory (semiconductor
memories - RAM, ROM or Flash and fast
accessible caches)
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 10
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Computer
(b) Secondary memory [(magnetic memory
located in hard disks, diskettes and
cartridge tapes, optical memory in CD-
ROM or memory micro-card or card or
stick, for example, in a mobile or camera
[Different user programs can load into the
primary memory and can be run.]
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 11
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Computer
• Operating system (OS).
• I/O units such as touch screen, modem,
fax cum modem etc.
• Input units such as keyboard, mouse,
digitizer, scanner, etc.
• Output units like LCD screen, video
monitor, printer, etc.
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 12
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Computer
• Networking units like Ethernet card, front-end
processor-based server, bus drivers, etc.
• General purpose user interfaces and application-
software, mostly in secondary memory
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 13
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Now consider Embedded system
–Three main embedded components
1. Embeds hardware to give computer
like functionalities
2. Embeds main application software
generally into flash or ROM and the
application software performs
concurrently the number of tasks.
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 14
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Embedded system components
3. Embeds a real time operating system
( RTOS), which supervises the
application software tasks running on
the hardware and organizes the
accesses to system resources
according to priorities and timing
constraints of tasks in the system.
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 15
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Embedded system RTOS
• Enables execution of concurrent processes
or threads or tasks
• Provides a mechanism to let the processor
run each process as per scheduling and to
do context-switch between the various
processes (threads or tasks)
• RTOS sets the rules during execution of
application processes to enable finishing
of a process within the assigned time
interval and with assigned priority.
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 16
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 17
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Exemplary Application Areas
– Also refer to Section 1.10
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
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A Sophisticated Embedded System
Characteristics
(1) Dedicated functions
(2) Dedicated complex algorithms
(3) Dedicated (GUIs) and other user
interfaces for the application
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
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Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
(4) Real time operations— Defines the ways
in which the system works, reacts to the
events and interrupts, schedules the system
functioning in real time and executes by
following a plan to control the latencies
and to meet the deadlines.
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 20
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Definition of Latency — Waiting interval
between the instance at which a need to
run the codes arises for task (or interrupt
service routine) following an event and
instance of start executing the codes
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 21
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
(5) Multi-rate operations — Different
operations may take place at distinct
rates. For example, the audio, video,
network data or stream and events
have the different rates and time
constraints to finish associated
processes.
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 22
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Constraints of an Embedded System
Design
• Available system-memory
• Available processor speed
• Limited power dissipation when running
the system
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 23
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
System design constraints
• Performance,
• power,
• size,
• non-recurring design cost, and
• manufacturing costs.
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 24
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Summary
We learnt
(i) Definitions of embedded system,
(ii) Embedded hardware, application
software and RTOS
(iii) Exemplary application-areas
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 25
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
Summary…
We learnt
(iii) Sophisticated Embedded System
Characteristics
(iv) System Constraints
(v) Design Constraints
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 26
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education
End of Lesson 1
Chapter-1L01: "Embedded Systems -3E " , Raj Kamal,
2015 27
Publs.: McGraw-Hill Education