Module-I

INTRODUCTION TO
EMBEDDED
SYSTE
MS

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Definition of embedded
system

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Definition of embedded
system

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CHARACTERISTICS OF AN
EMBEDDED SYSTEM
Characteristics of an Embedded System: The important characteristics of an
embedded system are

• Speed (bytes/sec) : Should be high speed

•
• Power (watts) : Low power dissipation
•
• Size and weight: As far as possible small in size and low weight
•
• Accuracy (% error) : Must be very accurate
•
• Adaptability: High adaptability and accessibility.
•
• Reliability: Must be reliable over a long period of time.

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Embedded system VS Generalpurpose
system

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HISTORY OF AN
EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
• Appollo Guidance Computer(AGC), 1963:

• The first recognizable modern embedded system.

• Developed by Charles Stark Draper at the MIT Instrumentation
lab for lunar expedition. They ran the inertial guidance systems
of both the Command module(CM) and the Lunar excursion
module(LEM).

• D-17 Guidance Computer, 1961-1966:

• The first computer to use ICs, it helped astronauts collect real-

time flight data.

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HISTORY OF AN
EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
• In 1968, the first embedded system for a vehicle was released;
the Volkswagen 1600 used a microprocessor to control.

• 1987, the first embedded operating system, the real-time

VxWorks, was released by Wind River, followed by Microsoft's
Windows Embedded CE in 1996.

• By the late 1990s, the first embedded Linux products began to

appear. Today, Linux is used in almost all embedded devices.

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Classification of embedded
system
The classification of embedded systems is based on
the following criteria’s:
1. Based on generation

2. Based on Complexity and performance

3. Based on deterministic behavior
4. Based on Triggering

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Classification of embedded
system
1. Based on generation
• First Generation (1G):
• Built around 8 bit microprocessor and micro
controller
• Simple in hardware circuit and firmware developed.
• Ex: Digital telephone keypads.
• Second Generation (2G):
• Built around 16 bit microprocessor and 8 bit micro
controller
• More complex and powerful
• Ex: SCADA(Supervisory Control And Data
Acquisition) systems
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Classification of embedded
system
1. Based on generation
• Third Generation (3G):
• Built around 32 bit microprocessor and 16 bit micro
controller
• Concepts like DSPs and ASICs evolved.
• Ex: Robotics, Media etc.
• Fourth Generation (4G):
• Built around 64 bit microprocessor and 32 bit micro
controller
• The concept of SoCs, multi core processors evolved.
• Highly complex and very powerful.
• Ex: Smart phones.
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Classification of embedded
system
2. Based on Complexity and performance
• Small scale embedded systems: These usually use 8 bit or 16 bit
microcontrollers, and have minimum hardware and software. They are so
small and require little power they may be powered by a battery.
Ex: Electronic Toy.
• Medium scale embedded systems: They use either one or a few 16 bit or
32 bit microcontrollers, and hardware and software is more complex as
compared to small scale embedded systems.
Ex: Industrial Machines.
• Large Scale embedded systems: The most complex of the three
classifications mentioned. Response time is critical.
Ex: Mission critical Applications.
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Classification of embedded system

Classification of embedded system

3. 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.)

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Classification of embedded system

4. 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.

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Major applications of Embedded
systems

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Major applications of Embedded
systems

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Purpose of Embedded Systems

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Contd..

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Contd…

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Contd…

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Contd…

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Contd…

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Contd…

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Contd…

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Elements of an embedded systems

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General Purpose and Domain Specific
Processors
• General purpose processors (GPP) are designed for general purpose
computers such as PCs or workstations. The computation speed of a
GPP is the main concern and the cost of the GPP is usually much
higher than tha of DSPs and microcontrollers. All techniques that can
increase CPU speed have been applied to GPPs.

• Generally a DSP processor has separate program and data memories.

This allows the processor to fetch an instruction, while simultaneously
fetching operands or storing results for a previous instruction. Often it
is also possible to fetch multiple data from memory in one clock cycle
by using multiple busses and multi port memories or multiple
independent data memories

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ASICs

An application-specific integrated circuit is an integrated circuit (IC) customized for a

particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use. For example, a chip
designed to run in a digital voice recorder or a high-efficiency bitcoin miner is an
ASIC. Application-specific standard products (ASSPs) are intermediate between ASICs
and industry standard integrated circuits like the 7400 series or the 4000 series

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SoC

What is a System on Chip (SoC)?

A system on a chip, also known as an SoC, is essentially an integrated circuit or an IC

that takes a single platform and integrates an entire electronic or computer system
onto it. It is, exactly as its name suggests, an entire system on a single chip. The
components that an SoC generally looks to incorporate within itself include a central
processing unit, input and output ports, internal memory, as well as analog input
and output blocks among other things.
SoC technology is also being used in smaller sized Personal Computers and laptops
to reduce power consumption and improve the performance of the tablet or
notebook by using a singular chip to manage all the various aspects of the system.

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PLDs

A programmable logic device is an electronic component used to build

reconfigurable digital circuits. Unlike integrated circuits which consist of logic
gates and have a fixed function, a PLD has an undefined function at the time of
manufacture

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Memory: ROM

• Read-only memory (ROM) is a type of non-volatile memory used in

computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be
electronically modified after the manufacture of the memory device.
Read-only memory is useful for storing software that is rarely changed
during the life of the system, sometimes known as firmware. Software
applications for programmable devices can be distributed as plug-in
cartridges containing read-only memory.

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Memory:

There are two main kinds of semiconductor memory

• Volatile
• Non volatile

•Examples of non-volatile memory are flash memory (used as secondary

memory) and ROM, PROM, EPROM and EEPROM memory (used for
storing firmware such as BIOS).

•Examples of volatile memory are primary storage, which is typically dynamic

random-access memory (DRAM), and fast CPU cache memory, which is
typically static random-access memory (SRAM) that is fast but energyconsuming,
offering lower memory areal density than

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RAM

 Random-access memory is a form of computer memory that can be read

and changed in any order, typically used to store working data and machine
code. A random-access memory device allows data items to be read or
written in almost the same amount of time irrespective of the physical
location of data inside the memory.

 RAM contains multiplexing and demultiplexing circuitry, to connect the data

lines to the addressed storage for reading or writing the entry. Usually more
than one bit of storage is accessed by the same address, and RAM devices
often have multiple data lines and are said to be "8-bit" or "16-bit", etc.
devices.

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Communication interface

 Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Inter- Integrated Circuit (I2C), Universal

Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART), Controller Area Network
(CAN) and Universal Serial Bus (USB).
 A UART is usually an individual (or part of an) integrated circuit (IC) used
for serial communications over a computer or peripheral device serial
port. One or more UART peripherals are commonly integrated in
microcontroller chips. Specialised UARTs are used for automobiles, smart
cards and SIMs.

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