SYSTEMS

UNIT-I -OVERVIEW OF EMBEDDED

Embedded System
software
An embedded system can be thought of as a computer hardware system having
embedded in it. An embedded system can be an independent system or it can be a part of a large
which is
System. An embedded system is a microcontroller or microprocessor based system
designed to perform a specific task. For example, a fire alarm is an embedded system; it will
sense only smoke.

An embedded system has three components -

It has hardware.

It has application so ftware.

It has Real Time Operating system (RTOS) that supervises the application software and
provide mechanism to let the processor run a process as per scheduling by following
plan to control the latencies. RTOS defines the way the system works. It sets the rules
during the execution of application program. A small scale embedded system may not
have RTOS.

So we can define an embedded system as a Microcontroller based, so ftware driven, reliable.

real-time control system.

Characteristics ofan Embedded System

" Single-functioned - An embedded system usually performs a specialized operation and
does the same repeatedly. For example: A pager always functions as a pager.

. Tightly constrained - All computing systems have constraints on design metrics, but
those on an embedded system can be especially tight. Design metrics is a measure of an
implementation's features such as its cost, size, power, and performance. It must be of a
size to fit on a single chip, must pertorm fast enough to process data in real time and
consume minimum power to extend battery life.
. Reactive and Real time - Many
embedded systems must continually react to changes in
without any
compute certain results in real time
the system's environment and must
Consider an example of a car cruise controller: it continually monitors and reacts
delay.
must computeacceleration or de-accelerations repeatedly
to speed and brake sensors. It
limited time; a delayed computation can result in failure to control of the car.
within a

Microprocessors based - It must be

microprocessor or microcontroller based.
ROM. It does not
a memory, as its software usually embeds in
Memory It must have
computer.
any secondary memories in the
need
devices.
have connected peripherals to connect input and output
Connected - It must
Hardware is used
- Software is used for more features and flexibility.
" HW-SW systems
for performance and security.

Analog IO
ASIP and ASIC

Memory

ProcesSors Digital IO
Core

Advantages

Easily Customizable

consumption
" Low power
. LoW cost

Enhanced performance
An Embedded Computer Designer's View
" Measured by: Cost, /O connections, Memory Size,
Performance
Memory

Cacbe

Microcontoller

4 AD CPU DA

InrndasDn
(E 474

An Embedded Control System Designer's View

" Measured by:
Cost, Time to market, Cost, Functionality, Cost & Cost.

Mesery

Cacbe
Mlicrocotroller

Sensor: AD CPU DA Actunter

Diagostic Auulary Sys1e14

pexer, coole)
tools
Elxo cecuncal
backup ad safery

Eeraal
|Eavuganeg!

Intnsateun
General Purpose System Vs Embedded System
let's compare it with a
In order to better realize the characteristics of an embedded system,
general computing system.
resources that integrate
1. Computer: A computer is a combination of hardware and software
together and provides various functionalities to the user.
2. Embedded Device : An embedded device is a part of an integrated system that is formed
can
as a combination of computer hardware and sofware for a specific function and which
operate without human interaction.

General purpose
computer Embedded system
Purpose Multipurpose Single function

Low or no resource
Constraint constraint Size, povwer, cost, memory, realtime
Performance Faster and better Fixed runtime requirement
Can have keyboard, Integrated into the real world with
User display, mouse, touch buttons, sensors, Leads, LCDs,
Interface Screen Bluetooth system
Disadvantages

" High development effort

Larger time to market

Basic Structure of an Embedded System

The following illustration shows the basic structure of an embedded system

A-D Processor & D-A Actuator

Sensor ASIC Converter
Converter

Memory

converts it to an electrical signal which

Sensor It measures the physical quantity and
be read by an observer or by any electronic instrument like an A2D converter. A
can
sensor stores the measured quantity to the memory.

analog signal sent by the

A-D Converter - An analog-to-digital converter converts the
sensor into a digital signal.

output and store it to

Processor & ASICs - Processors process the data to measure the
the memory.

" D-A Converter - A digital-to-analog converter converts the

digital data fed by the
processor to analog data
Converter to the actual
Actuator - An actuator compares the output given by the D-A
(expected) output stored in it and stores the approved output.
Processor is the heart of an embedded system. It is the basic unit that takes inputs and produces
an output after processing the data. For an embedded system designer, it is necessary to have tne
knowledge of both microprocessors and microcontrollers.

Processors in aSystem
A processor has two essential units

Program Flow Control Unit (CU)

Execution Unit (EU)

The CU includes a fetch unit for fetching instructions rom the memory. The EU has circuits
that implement the instructions pertaining data transfer operation and data conversion from
one form to another.

The EU includes the Arithmetic and Logical Unit (ALU) and also the circuits that execute
instructions for a program control task such as interrupt, or jump to another set of instructions.
A
processor runs the cycles of fetch and executes the instructions in the same sequence as they
are fetched from memory.

Types ofProcessors

Processors can be of the following categories -

General Purpose Processor (GPP)

Microprocessor
Microcontroller

Embedded Processor

Digital Signal Processor

o Media Processor

Application Specific System Processor (ASSP)

Application Specific Instruction Processors (ASIPs)

.The Embedded system hardware includes elements like user
interface, Input/Output interfaces,
display and memory, ete.Generallv, an embedded system conprises power supply, processor,
memory. tmers, serial communication ports and system applicat ion specific circuits.

(User Interface)

Embedded Computer
Input Output
Variables" Software
Variables

Hardware

Link to Other Systems

Types of Embedded Systems

Embedded systems can be classified into different types based on performance, functional
requirements and performance of the microcontrol!er.

Types of Embedded
Systems

Based On Based On The Performance

Performance & Functional of The Microcontroller
Requirements

Real Time Stand

Networked Moblle Small Scale Medium Scale Sophisticated
Alone

Types of Embedded systems

Embedded systems are classified into four categories based on their performance and functional
Tequiremnents:

Stand alone embedded systems

Real time embedded systems
ES SHOULD OPERATE UNDER REAL TIME CONSTRAINTS
Sources of processor for implementation
• Processor like 8085/ Microcontroller

• Custom design a processor

• Using the HDL and design a processor in FPGA and use that
processor.
 1,2 lhe Embedded System Design Process 11

1.2 THE EMBEDDED SYSTEM DESIGN PROCESS

This section pruvides an overview of the embedded system design prucess aimed at
two objcctives, First, it will give us an introduction to the various steps in embedded
system design becfore we delve into them in more dctall. Sccond, it will 2 us to

consider the design metbodology itself. A dcsign methodology is important for

three reasons. First, it allows us to keep a scorecard on a design to ensure that we
have done cverything we nced to do, such as optimizing performance or perform
tools.
ing functional tests. Second, it allowS us to develop computer-aided design
system and
Developing a single program that takes in a concept for an embedded
npleted design
emits a completede would be a daunting task, but by first breaking the process
the
into manageablc steps, we can work on Automating (or at least semiautomating)
steps one at a timc. Third, a design methodology makes it much casier for members
of a design team to communicate. By defning the overall process, team members
can morc casily understand what they are supposed to do, whatarcthey should receive
at certain times, and what they to hand off whcn
from other team members
they complete their assigned steps. Since most embedded systems are designed
is perhaps the most important role of a welldefined design
by tcams, coordination
methodulugy. process.
design
Figure 1.1 summarizes the major steps in the embedded system
the system requirements. In the next step.
In this top-down view, we start with
Customer want
S Requirements what does
Top-down i Bottom-up
desig1 design
Specification

(Hw
Architecture

Components

Systenn integration

FIGURE I.1
design process.
Maior levels of atbstraction in the

start tom osl abstact descphioy

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desig wory ton Soal compones to Gi sp
oise Refinem enabshachon,we mst: analy:
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At each chardctskes B anrent
to determihe design to add det aul.
Refne the
12 CHAPTER 1 Emtbedded Computing

specification, we create a more detailed description of what we want. But the

specification states only how the system bchaves, not how it is built. The details
of the system's internals begin to take shape when we develop the architccture,
which gives the system structure in terms of large components. Once we know the
software
componcnts we need, ve can design thOse componcnts, including both
modules and any specialized hardware we need. Based on those components, we
can finally build a complete system.
In this scction we will consider design from the top-down -we will begin with
the most abstract description of the system and conclude with concrete details.
a
The alternative is a bottomup view in which wc start with components to build
We
system. Bottom-up design steps are shown in the figure as dashed-line arrows.
need bottom-up design because we do not have perfect insight into how later stages
of the design process will turn out. Decisions at one stage of design are based upon
estimates of what will happen later:How fast can we make a particular function run?
How much memory will we need? Hoð much system bus capacity do we need?
Ifour estimates are inadequate, we may have to backtrack and amend our original
decisions to take the new facts into account. In general, the less experience we
have with the design of similar systems, the more we will have to rely on bottom-up
design information to help us rcfine the system.
view
But the steps in the design process are only one axis along which we can
embedded system design. We also need to consider the major goals of thc design:
manufacturing cost;
performance (both overall speed and deadlines); and
power consumption.
We must also consider the tasks we need to perform at every step in the design
process. At each step in the design, we add detail:
We must analyze the design at each step to determine how we can meet the
specifications.
We must then refine the design to add detail.
And we must verify the design to ensure that it still meets all systemn goals,
such as cost, speed, and so on.

1.2.1 Requirements
Clearly, before we design a system, we must know what we are designing. The
initial stages of the design process capture this infornmation 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.
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