AI 302

Embedded Systems
SPRING 2023

Lecture 01 - Introduction
Instructor: Dr. Tarek Abdul Hamid
The Future
 Embedded System
 Future of 21st Century
 Embedded systems incorporated in the Internet of Things (IoT)
 Machine to Machine (M2M) devices
 Exceptionally versatile and adaptable, embedded systems can be found in all smart
devices today.
 It is difficult to find a single portion of modern life that doesn’t involve this technology.
Here are some of the real-life examples of embedded system applications.
 Central heating systems
 GPS systems
 Fitness trackers
 Medical devices
 Automotive systems
 Transit and fare collection
 ATMs
 Factory robots
 Electric vehicle charging stations
 Interactive kiosks

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History of Embedded Systems
 1970
 Computers for commercial and admin apps
 Microprocessor – miniaturization – Moore’s Law
 1980
 Computer networks – bridge IT + Telecommunication
 Mouse, Windows and GUI
 1990
 Internet and WWW – access to digital technologies
 2000
 Second revolution for embedded systems
 Economic Challenges
 Increase fuel economy and reduce emissions in automobile by adjusting motor state
 Airbags and assisted braking systems – improve comfort and security of passengers
 Improve security, performance, attractiveness and market share

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Introduction to Embedded System
 System
 Way of working, organizing, performing one or many tasks as per rules or plan
 Arrangement – units assemble and work together as per program or plan

 Examples of system
 Time display system – watch
 Automatic cloth washing system – washing m/c

 Embedded Systems are

 Omnipresent (homes, office, shopping malls, hospitals, cars, aircraft…)
 Computing Device – does a specific focused job

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What is Embedded System?
 Embedded System
 Any device that includes a computer but is not itself a general purpose
computer

 H/W and S/W - part of some larger systems and expected to function without
human intervention

 Respond, monitor, control external environment using sensors and actuators

 Embedding a computer - but not for general purpose

 Applied Computer System

 Includes analog interface to the external world

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Embedded System - Definitions

 An embedded system is an application that contains at least one programmable

computer (typically in the form of a microcontroller, a microprocessor or digital
signal processor chip)
 is used by individuals who are, in the main, unaware that the system is
computer-based
o From Embedded C Programming perspective by Michael.J.Pont

 “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.”
 S/W usually embeds into a ROM or flash
 Independent system or part of a large system
o by Raj Kamal

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Embedded System Vs Desktop System

 Desktop / Laptop
 General purpose computer
 Used for playing games, word processing, accounting, SDT etc.,

 Embedded System
 Single Purpose and
 fixed embedded software for specific job

 Typical Examples
 A/C, VCD/DVD Player, Printer, Fax m/c, Mobile phone etc
 Customized embedded HW + fixed embedded SW (firmware) + specific processor
 to meet the specific requirement

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Examples
 PDA
 Digital camera
 Cell phone

 Simple Control: front panel of microwave – less functionality

 Camera - Canon EOS has 3 microprocessors - 32b RISC CPU runs auto focus

 Analog TV - tuning and channel selection - less functionality

 Digital TV
 decompression, descrambling etc., more functionality
 complex signaling functions

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Examples
 Automobile ES
 High end automobile may have 100 microprocessors
 4b up checks tension of the seat belt
 UC run dashboard devices - display services
 A UC is a processing core that has the memory (volatile and non volatile) integrated internally.
 16/32b up controls engine - most complex function
 Example Automobile system
 ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System)
 4 sensors senses the speed of wheels
 4 brakes controlled by hydraulic pump
 Embedded ABS
 receives inputs from sensors
 actuates hydraulic pump
 Similar control system implemented through microcontroller in AU

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Characteristics of Embedded System
 Sophisticated functionality - differ by appliances

 RT operation (not always necessary)

 Low manufacturing cost

 Application dependent processor

 Restricted memory

 low power
 Critical in battery operated devices
 Excessive power consumption increases system cost even in wall powered devices

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Characteristics of Embedded System

 Manufacturing cost
 Non-Recurring Engineering cost (NRE) – cost for design and development
 Cost of production and marketing each unit

 Production cost should be taken care when targeting mass market

 Technology choice depends on no of units plan to produce

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Characteristics of Embedded System

 RT operation
 Finish operations by deadlines

 HRTS (Hard Real Time Systems) - missing deadline is catastrophic

 Automated missile launch system

 SRTS (Soft Real Time Systems) - missing deadline degrades performance

 Playing video - missed decoded frame

 Many systems are multi rate - inputs from external world comes at different rates

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Characteristics of Embedded System

 Application dependent requirements

 Fault Tolerance and Reliability

 Continue operation despite HW or SW faults
 Ex: aircraft and medical monitoring sys

 Safe
 Avoid physical or economic damage to person or property

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Characteristics of Embedded System
 More Features – Dedicated Systems

 Pre-defined functionalities – h/s accordingly designed

 Programmability rarely used during life time of system

 Not programmed on regular basis

 OTP and execute infinitely

 Do specific task

 RT, fault-tolerant and safe

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Characteristics of Embedded System
 Single Functional - cannot be programmed to do different things
 pagers and mobile phones

 Limited Resources - fixed RAM, ROM

 No secondary storage CD-ROM, FDD

 Work against deadlines - Real Time systems

 Missing deadline cause catastrophe

 Power constrained - Battery powered products

 Highly reliable - No 3 finger salute – cannot afford to reset

 Extreme environment conditions - Temperature and humidity

 Cost sensitive to CE - Millions of units sold

 Diversified processors and OS unlike desktop (intel + MS - Wintel)

 complex to chose right platform
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Constraints in Embedded Systems
Tightly constrained than traditional software systems
 Cost
 Cannot have high end or fast processor
 Cannot have more memory – processor footprint should be less
 Size
 Processor footprint should be less
 Cooling requirements + Processor should take less space
 Performance
 Ex: Digital camera snaps, Mobile phone address book contact list etc.,
 Power
 Battery power products – Mobile phones
 Optimized power saving algorithms and operating modes – reduce power dissipation
 SW Program size + # of instructions – affect processor’s energy consumption
 Available System Memory and Processor Speed
 Limited power dissipation when running system continuously
 Reactive and Real Time – Adaptive cruise control and radar missile detection systems

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More Examples

 NASA Mars Rover uses an Intel 80C85 8-bit microprocessor

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More Examples

 Palm Vx Handheld uses Motorolla Dragonball EZ 32-b microprocessor

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More Examples

 Philips sonicare plus toothbrush – Zilog Z8 8b microprocessor

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More Examples

 Vendo V-MAX 720 vending machine uses the Motorola M68HC11 8b

microprocessor
 Electronic and mechanical parts should go in hand
 Delivering a good wrt cash - transformed - web enabled cashless delivery
 Stock monitored remotely
 Transactions through credit or smart card
 Security monitor from remote

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More Examples

 Sony’s Aibo Robotic Dog uses ERS-110 an MIPS 64b RISC processor
 Coordinate the motions
 Needs to do sensing
 Control the manipulators
 Need to communicate
 Ex: football competition b/w robo

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More Examples

 Rio MP3 Player uses 32b RISC processor

 Compressed form of audio is mp3
 Sophisticated up to be used for audio processing

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More Examples

 Garmin Streetpiolot GPS receiver uses a 16b processor

 Any transport system can get its global location
 Automated navigation system make use GPS
 Communication with satellite and output about vehicle position and map display

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More Examples

 Hunter 44550 programmable thermostat uses a 4b processor

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Types of Embedded System
 Similar to general computing
 PDA, video games, STP box, ATM
 Since the functionalities is subset of PC functionalities
 I/0 based
 No sensing of ext environment and no control of actuators
 More like general purpose
 Respond to users input

 Control systems
 Sensing and actuating - is a specific job
 Feed back control of RT systems
 Vehicle engines - fuel injection control
 Flight control
 Nuclear reactors

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Types of Embedded System

 Signal Processing
 Core job is processing of signals
 Radar
 Sonar
 DVD players

 Communication and Networking

 Cellular phones,
 Internet appliances
 Web enabled vending m/c

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Nature of System Functions
 Functions expected from Embedded Systems – To do
 Obey control laws - for sensing and actuation
 Sequencing logic - task specific and not general
 Signal processing - if there is external interface
 May not be a core activity
 But required to deal with sensing inputs
 App specific interfacing
 What kind of sensors and actuators interconnected
 h/s interfacing for i/o devices
 Fault response
 What happens if fault occurs
 General philosophy is - graceful degradation
 Catastrophic failure should not happen
 Ex: battery low in mobile phone – message to user before shut down

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Embedded System Architecture

 Memory - has the software to control the system

 AD conversion blocks - interface to sensors

 DA conversion blocks - interface to actuators
 Integral and essential component of embedded control systems

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Embedded System Architecture
 FPGA / ASIC
 Special hw interfaces with CPU
 CPU off shores special functionalities

 Human interface with CPU - LCD, LED

 Diagnostic tools
 Trace failures
 System does self checks to check all paths on regular basis using diagnostic
tools
 If not system may damage the users due to unexpected malfunctions

 Power cooling systems

 Proper package of whole systems wrt external environment
 Good well system can fail due to improper packaging
 Ex: moisture controlling
 Mechanical aspects of design - too critical

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Implementing Embedded System
 HW
 PE (Portable Executable)
 peripheral devices
 i/o
 interfacing sensors and actuators
 interfacing protocols
 Memory
 Bus

 HW aspects looks similar to general purpose systems

 But embedded systems differ by peripherals
 General purpose is about std i/o devices
 in ES - i/o devices varies a large
 Diff kinds of sensors - so PE should be defined wrt i/o devices

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Implementing Embedded System
 Cross assemblers and compilers
 Host and target m/c
 Ex: compiler for PIC uc on simple PC
 Compile c program for PIC uc (target board)
 Not executed on PC in which it is compiled

 Compilers for family of processors (variants)

 Since similar architecture but differ by registers or features

 Emulators
 IS emulators
 Emulates target processor on another m/c

 Simulation environment
 timing analysis of code on host m/c

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Implementing Embedded System
 PC - hw connector - target board
 Monitor execution of code from PC
 Debugging tools

 System SW
 Cross compilers and assemblers
 Emulators and simulators
 Debugging tools

 System SW aspects differ from that of general purpose system

 Top of the system sw is specialized OS with RT features if required

 App sw - flavors for different devices

 Ex: same os vxworks on laser printer and on other appliances
 App sw targeted for printing on top of OS
 App sw distinguish the functionality

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Characteristics of Embedded SW

 Logically and temporally correct programs

 Cant do correct at wrong time
 Correct operation has no meaning

 Deal with inherent physical concurrency

 GP m/c - multi users and processes running
 ES - physical world is concurrent - have to support concurrency
 Reactive Systems

 Has to be reliability and fault tolerance

 Has to be app specific and single purpose

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Multitasking and Concurrency

 Deal with several i/o and multiple events occurring independently

 Many of ES - expected to be multitasking

 Separating tasks simplifies programming complexity

 but requires s/w mechanism for multi-tasking - switching b/w different tasks

 Concurrency => appearance of simultaneous execution of many tasks

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Challenges in ES Design

 How much hw do we need?

 Word size of CPU and size of memory

 How do we meet our deadlines (deadlines for a RT system)

 Faster hw or cleverer sw
 Faster cpu means extra cost
 Cleverer sw requires faster cpu

 So, design logic on FPGA or ASIC a dedicated function using low cost cpu and include
it for compromising on cost
 Dedicated logic on FPGA or ASIC to compromise of SW so as to meet deadline

 How do we minimize power

 Turn off unnecessary logic
 Reduce memory accesses

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ES Design – A Global Picture
 Multi objective
 Dependability
 Not fail
 Should have fault tolerance or graceful degradation

 Affordability
 Depending on the market targeted

 Safety

 Security
 Not cause bodily harms to users

 Scalability

 Timeliness
 Operation in time

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ES Design – A Global Picture
 To meet above multi objectives of ES design we need multi-discipline
 Electronic hw

 Mechanical hw

 Control algorithms

 SW

 Humans

 Society / institutions
 sociological acceptance of product - accept by society

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ES Design – Life Cycle

 ES Design Life cycle events

 LC => how do a ES gets developed
 Requirements

 Design

 Manufacturing

 Deployment

 Logistics of maintaining the system

 Retirement support

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ES Design Goals

 Performance
 overall speed, deadlines

 Functionality and user interface

 MFG cost

 Power consumption

 Phy size etc.,

 Size and power also related to performance and should be taken care accordingly
 Ex: cannot design a digital camera of wt 10 kg

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ES Design Goals

 Functional and Non Functional Requirements part of ES design

 Functional requirements
 o/p as a function of i/p - specification of ES as i/o

 Non Functional requirements

 time to compute o/p
 size
 weight
 power consumption
 Reliability etc.,

 functional and non functional requirements are critical for product acceptance

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Design and Development Process of
ES Life Cycle
 Requirements

 Specifications

 Architecture

 Components Design

 System Integration

 Testing is critical
 GP system - patch download for a bug
 ES system - use forever and no flexibility for patch update

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