Embedded systems overview with various type of

examples in different domains such as in

communication systems, robotics application and
in control application
LEC 1

Anindya Sen
MTECH VLSI 5102
Embedded Systems Design
Heritage Institute of Technology
 VLSI 5102 EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
Module I : Introduction to embedded systems: [8L]
• Embedded systems overview with various type of examples in different domains
such as in communication systems, robotics application and in control
application, Design challenge – optimizing design metrics, embedded processor
technology, Difference between embedded computer systems and general
purpose computer Systems, Design methodology.
Module II: Embedded system processor design: [12L]
• Custom single-purpose processors design: using finite state machine model and
RTL model. Standard single-purpose processors design: Timers, and watchdog
timers, LCD controller. Interfacing of Embedded Processors: Hardware protocol
basics, interfacing with a general- purpose processor, RS232, I2C, CAN protocol.
Module III: [10L]
• Introduction to 8051 microcontroller: 8051 architecture, pin configuration, I/O
ports and Memory organization. Instruction set and basic assembly language
programming. Interrupts, Timer/Counter and Serial Communication in 8051,
Introduction to PIC & ARM micro-controllers.
Module IV: [10L]
• Interfacing with Memory & I/O Devices: Different types of embedded memory
devices and interfacing: SRAM, DRAM, EEPROM, FLASH, CACHE memory.
Different types of I/O devices and interfacing: Keypad, LCD, VGA. Square wave
and pulse wave generation, LED, A/D converter and D/A Converter interfacing to
8051.
 Text Books
1. Embedded System Design: A Unified
Hardware/Software Approach – 2nd Ed Frank
Vahid and Tony Givargis
2. Embedded Systems – Rajkamal
• Reference Book:
2. Computers as Components: Principles of
Embedded Computing System Design – 2nd Ed
Wayne Wolf.
 Embedded Systems
• Today life is surrounded by electronic
components from the time we wake up, work
consciously till we sleep.
• Starting with Electronic coffee maker with
timer, then a TV, mobile and laptop for daily
updates and biological monitoring using
sensor loaded watch during nocturnal hours
while asleep. Examples of Embedded System.
 Embedded System
Embedded Systems are
dedicated Systems that do
specialized tasks and often
contain hardware, software and
many other subsystem.

Embedded Systems have real

time constraints.

Embedded systems applications surround every aspect of

our daily lives, ranging from daily household applications
to transportation, communication, recreation and
entertainment systems.
 What is an embedded system
• It is a combination of a processor, memory,
and input/output peripheral devices—that has a
dedicated function within a larger mechanical or
electrical system.
• These are embedded as part of a complete device often
including electrical or electronic hardware and
mechanical parts. Because an embedded system
typically controls physical operations of the machine
that it is embedded within, it often has real-time
computing constraints.
• Embedded systems control many devices in common
use today. Ninety-eight percent of all microprocessors
manufactured are used in embedded systems.
 What is a embedded Systems (Contd)

An embedded system is a special-purpose system in which

the main computing system is completely encapsulated by
the device it controls.

Unlike a general-purpose computer, such as a personal

computer, an embedded system performs pre-defined
tasks, usually with very specific requirements.

Since the system is dedicated to a specific task, design

engineers can optimize it, reducing the size and cost of
the product.
Applications Household
Robotic applications at reception,
inside motor factory, in medicine

Robots welding motor parts in factory

Missile Control

Control Room
 Railway switching system

Switching Yard Switching Control Room

Airplane flight control system

Airplane flight control system

is used to control its level , tilt
of flying, and speed as they
change direction, or condition
of flying as required.
Automatic Flight is another
example which automatically
does the work of a pilot while
landing.
 Medical System

MR Angiography Digital Subtraction Angiography CT Angiography

Efficient Patient
Monitoring For Multiple
Patients Using WSN

Patient Monitoring System

Application in Automotive Industry
 Examples
• Production control associated with the various
machines in the plant (Robotics + Control)
• Railway switching systems (Comm)
• Flight control systems (Comm)
• Missile & Satellite Communication (Robotics +
Control)
• Vehicle Control (Comm)
• ATM machine (Control)
• Magnetic Resonance Angiography/CTA System
(Robotics + Control )
 Useful Applications
• Mobile Smart Phones and ComputingSystems
• Mobile computer
• Embedded systems for wireless LAN and
convergent technology devices
• Embedded systems for Video, Interactive
video, broadband IPv6 (Internet Protocol
version 6) Internet and other products, real
time video and speech or multimedia
processing systems
•Sensors and
Actuators
 Sensor
• Sensor is an input device, module, machine,
or subsystem whose purpose is to detect
events or changes in its environment and send
the information to other electronics, usually a
computer processor. The detected change at
the sensory input is converted to a electrical
signal either current or voltage.
• Sensors are also called detectors
 Various Sensors around us are
• Gas Sensor
• Temperature Sensor (Thermistor)
• Proximity Sensor
• Ultrasonic Sensor (RADAR)
• Soil moisture Sensor
• Humidity Sensor
• Infrared Sensor (Thermal imaging)
• Alcohol Sensor
• Heartbeat Sensor
• Rain Sensor
• Photo transistor (light) Sensor
• Gyroscope (accelerometer)
 A good sensor obeys the following rules:
• it is sensitive to the measured property
• it is insensitive to any other property likely to be encountered
in its application, and
• it does not influence the measured property.
• Most sensors have a linear transfer function. The sensitivity is
then defined as the ratio between the output signal and
measured property. For example, if a sensor measures
temperature and has a voltage output, the sensitivity is a
constant with the units [V/K]. The sensitivity is the slope of
the transfer function. Converting the sensor's electrical
output (for example V) to the measured units (for example K)
requires dividing the electrical output by the slope (or
multiplying by its reciprocal).
 Actuator
• An actuator is a component of system that is
responsible for moving or controlling some part
of the system for example by opening a valve or
lighting a LED. The work by an actuator is always
based on and preceded by certain action from a
sensor.
• E.G, every time the input voice level of voice
recorder (sensor) cross a threshold then a LED
can be made to glow (done by actuator).
• A sensor and actuator goes hand with hand
 Actuator Function
• An actuator requires a control signal and a source of
energy.
• In a mechanical system, an actuator component
turns the control signal into movements.
• Examples
– Electric motors
– Solenoids
– Stepper motors
– Hard drive
 Other Actuators
• Pneumatic actuators use compressed air to
generate motion.
• Hydraulic actuator use liquid to generate
motion
• Electric actuators use an external power
source, such as a battery to generate motion

Servo Control
 Sensors Actuators
Action An input device Component of
which provide an system that is
output (signal) with responsible for
respect to a specific moving or
physical quantity controlling some
(input). part of the system
for example by
opening a valve or
lighting a LED.
Placed at Input Output
Outcome Electrical Signal Heat, Motion,
Electrical power
Example Magnetometer, Camera, LED, LASER, LOUD
Accelerometer, SPEAKER, SOLENOID,
Microphone, LDR, Light & MOTOR CONTROLLER
Touch Sensor
Sensors and Actuators : Embedded system
Different types of sensors
Temperature Sensors
 Actuators

LEDs

motorized controlled

Push Button LEDs

•RTOS, Tasks,
Process and
Threads
 OS
• An operating system (OS) is system software that
manages computer hardware, software resources,
and provides common services for computer
programs.
• An OS facilitates user access to computer available
hard ware and software providing security.
 Various OS

Some used in Desktop or Laptop. Some are for Mobile.

These are all categorized under General Purpose Operating
System (GPOS). They all can handle multiple tasks at any
given time. Their tasks are not time critical.
Structural Design of an GPOS
 RTOS
• A Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) has to
satisfy two components, viz., “Real-Time” and
“Operating System”

Note the
missing layers Board
compared to Support
GPOS
Package
Real Time Systems
 RTOS
• The primary agent responsible for correct
working of an embedded system is the Real Time
Operating System.
• General Purpose OS vs RTOS.
– GPOS is not time critical e.g. UNIX, Windows, Linux
• Real-time systems characterized by the strictness
of real-time restrictions.
– VxWorks, LynxOS, QNX, RTLinux
 GPOS vs. RTOS
• GPOS
i. Non deterministic
ii. Time insensitive
iii. Can use virtual memory concept
iv. High interrupt latency

• RTOS
i. Deterministic
ii. Time sensitive
iii. Can't use virtual memory
iv. Low interrupt latency
 What is an embedded Systems

An embedded system is a special-purpose system in which

the main computing system is completely encapsulated by
the device it controls.

Unlike a general-purpose computer, such as a personal

computer, an embedded system performs pre-defined
tasks, usually with very specific requirements.

Since the system is dedicated to a specific task, design

engineers can optimize it, reducing the size and cost of
the product.
 Definition: Real time System
• A real-time system is any information
processing system which has to respond to
externally generated input stimuli within a
finite and specified period – the correctness
depends not only on the logical result but also
the time it was delivered – failure to respond
is as bad as the wrong response!
 Real time system
• Embedded systems are bound to real-time
constraints.
• Correctness of the system behavior depends not
only on the logical results of the computation,
but also on the physical instant at which these
results are produced
• Time means that the correctness of the system
depends not only on logical results but also on
the time the results are produced.
 Examples
• Production control associated with the various
machines in the plant (Robotics + Control)
• Railway switching systems (Comm)
• Flight control systems (Comm)
• Missile & Satellite Communication (Robotics +
Control)
• Vehicle Control (Comm)
• ATM machine (Control)
• Magnetic Resonance Angiography/CTA System
(Robotics + Control )
Main difference between Non-real and
Real time system
• Postulated deadline has to be met under all
(even the worst) circumstances
• Has to be predictable (May not be fast)
 Classification
• A real-time task is hard
– if missing deadline may cause catastrophic
consequences on the environment under control. E.g.
Automotive, aeronautics domain.
• A real time task is firm
– if missing its deadline makes the result useless, but
missing does not cause serious damage. E.g. weather
forecast, stock exchange.
• A real time task is soft
– if meeting its deadline is desirable but missing does
not cause serious damage. E.g. comfort electronics
body electronics in car.
Hard Real time System
Firm Real Time System
 Soft Real time system

Hard Real Time system will have very less jitter in time value compared to Soft real time system
 Basic Concepts in building a RTOS
• Real-time applications usually are executed on
top of a Real-time Operating System (RTOS).
• Designing a proper RTOS architecture needs
efficient use of basic services like
– Process management,
– inter-process communication,
– interrupt handling,
– process synchronization
• making use of a very restricted resource budget
 Basic Concept in building a RTOS
• Based on demand the techniques used are
– library-based approaches,
– Monolithic kernels,
– Microkernels,
– virtual machines/exokernels
• Safety critical application supported by separation of
applications either in the time or the space domain.
• Multi-core architectures need special techniques for
– process management,
– memory management,
– synchronization.
• PROCESSOR USED in
EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
are either
Microprocessor or
Microcontroller
 Microprocessor and MicroController
• Most embedded system are build around Micro-
Controller. Why?
• What is the difference between a Microprocessor and a
Micro Controller
• Applications on Microprocessors include Desktop
Laptops Notepads etc. But this is not the case with
Micro Controllers.
• Micro Controller has a CPU in addition with a fixed
amount of RAM, ROM and other peripherals
(interfacing, I/O) all embedded on a single chip.
Microprocessors are isolated from RAM, or ROM
storage, may have registers and stack.
 mprocessors and mControllers
• A Microprocessor refers specifically to the device /
comp whose job is to fetch commands, interpret the
command opcodes and execute the commands. In a
modern Microprocessor this basically means that the
ALU, the register set instruction pipeline, and the Micro
processor control circuitry to perform the Von
Neumann “Fetch – Decode-Execute” cycle. One
generalization is that Microprocessor require an
external, bus and discreet memory devices to interface
with external (separate from internal regs and built in
cache).