EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

Subject: Basic Electronics & Communication Engineering - 21ELN14/24

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
 Module III
Embedded Systems – Definition, Embedded systems vs general
computing systems, Classification of Embedded Systems, Major
application areas of Embedded Systems, Elements of an Embedded
System, Core of the Embedded System, Microprocessor vs
Microcontroller, RISC vs CISC, Harvard vs Von-Neumann.
Sensors and Interfacing – Instrumentation and control systems,
Transducers, Sensors.
Actuators, LED, 7-Segment LED Display .(Text 1)
Applications of Embedded Systems
DEFINITION
An Electronic/Electro mechanical system which is
designed to perform a specific function and is a
combination of both hardware and firmware
(Software)
Classification of Embedded Systems

Complex and
Generation Performance
Requirements

Deterministic
Triggering
Behaviour
 Embedded Systems Vs
General Computing
Systems
General Computing System Embedded Systems

combination of generic hardware and General combination of special purpose hardware and
Purpose Operating System embedded OS for executing a specific set of
applications
Contain a General Purpose Operating System (GPOS) May or may not contain an operating system for
functioning
Applications are alterable (programmable) by user The firmware of the embedded system is pre-
programmed and it is non-alterable by end-user
Performance is the key deciding factor on the Application specific requirements (like performance,
selection of the system. Always ‘Faster is Better’ power requirements, memory usage etc) are the key
deciding factors
 Embedded Systems Vs
General Computing
Systems
General Computing System Embedded Systems

Less/not at all tailored towards reduced operating Highly tailored to take advantage of the power saving
power requirements, options for different levels of modes supported by hardware and Operating System
power management.

Response requirements are not time critical For certain category of embedded systems like
mission critical systems, the response time
requirement is highly critical
Need not be deterministic in execution behavior Execution behavior is deterministic for certain type of
embedded systems like ‘Hard Real Time’ systems
Classificatio
n of
Embedded
Systems

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

 Classification of
Embedded Systems

Based on Generation

First Generation Second Generation Third Generation Fourth Generation

Based on Complexity and performance

Medium Scale Embedded
Small Scale Embedded Systems Large Scale Embedded Systems
Systems
Classification of
Embedded Systems based
on Generation
First Generation
• 8 Bit Microprocessors(8085) and 4 bit Microcontrollers .
Simple in hardware circuits with firmware developed in
assembly code.
Digital Telephone Keypads, Stepper Motor Control units.

Second Generation
• built around 16 bit microprocessors. 8 bit and 16 bit
microcontrollers. More complex and powerful
Data Acquisition systems, SCADA systems
Classification of
Embedded Systems based
on Generation
Third Generation
• Application and domain specific processors/controllers like
Digital Signal Processors(DSP) and Application Specific
Integrated Circuits(ASICs)
• Instruction set more complex and powerful
• Instruction Pipelining
Fourth Generation
• System on Chip, Reconfigurable processors and multicore
processors
• High performance, tight integration and miniaturization
 Classification Based on
Complexity and
Performance

Small Scale Embedded Systems

Medium Scale Embedded Systems

Large Scale Embedded Systems

Classification of Embedded
Systems based on
Complexity and Performance
Small Scale Embedded Systems
• Simple in application needs, performance
requirements are not time critical
• Built on low cost 8 or 16 bit
microprocessors/microcontrollers
• May or may not contain an operating system for
its functioning

Eg: Electronic Toy

Classification of Embedded
Systems based on
Complexity and Performance
Medium Scale Embedded Systems
• Slightly complex in hardware and firmware
requirements
• Built around low cost 16 bit/ 32 bit
microprocessors/microcontrollers
• Usually contain an embedded operating
system
Classification of Embedded
Systems based on
Complexity and Performance
Large Scale Embedded Systems
• Highly complex hardware and firmware
requirements.
• Mission critical applications demanding high
performance
• May contain multiple processors/controllers
and co units/ hardware accelerators
• Complex embedded systems usually contain a
high performance RTOS
Major Applications of Embedded Systems
Home Automation and Automotive Industry:
Household Appliances: Security Systems: Air Anti-lock breaking
Consumer Electronics: Television, DVD players, conditioners, sprinklers, systems (ABS), Engine
Camcorders, Cameras etc. Washing machine, Fridge, Intruder detection Control, Ignition Systems,
Microwave Oven etc. alarms, Closed Circuit Automatic Navigation
Television Cameras Systems etc.

Telecom: Cellular
Computer Networking
Telephones, Telephone Computer Peripherals: Health Care: Different
Systems: Network
switches, Handset Printers, Scanners, Fax Kinds of Scanners, EEG,
Routers, Switches, Hubs,
Multimedia Applications machines etc. ECG Machines etc.
Firewalls etc.
etc.

Measurement & Banking & Retail:

Instrumentation: Digital Automatic Teller Card Readers: Barcode,
multi meters, Digital Machines (ATM) and Smart Card Readers,
CROs, Logic Analyzers PLC Currency counters, Point Hand held Devices etc.
systems etc. of Sales (POS)
Elements of an Embedded Systems
FPGA/ASIC/DSP/SoC
Microprocessor/controller Embedded
Firmware

Memory

Communication Interface

System
I/p Ports Core O/p Ports
(Sensors)
(Actuators)

Other supporting
Integrated Circuits &
subsystems

Embedded System

Real World
 General Purpose and Domain Specific
Embedded System Processors
• Microprocessors
• Microcontrollers
• Digital Signal Processors

Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs)

Core of the

Application Specific Integrated

Circuits (ASICs)

Commercial off the shelf

Components (COTS)
Microprocessor
Vs Microcontroller
Microprocessor
CPU for Computers
No RAM, ROM, I/O on CPU chip itself
Example：Intel’s x86, Motorola’s 680x0

Many chips on mother board

Data Bus
CPU
General-
Serial
Purpose RAM ROM I/O Timer COM
Micro- Port
Port
processor
Address Bus
Microcontroller
A smaller computer
On-chip RAM, ROM, I/O ports...
Example：Motorola’s 6811, Intel’s 8051, Zilog’s Z8 and PIC 16X

CPU RAM ROM

A single chip
Serial
I/O Timer COM
Port
Port
 Microprocessor Vs Microcontroller

Microprocessor Microcontroller
• Silicon chip representing a CPU, performs • Highly integrated chip contains CPU, scratch
arithmetic and logical operations pad RAM, on chip ROM/flash memory, I/O
• Dependent Unit ports
• General purpose in design and operation • Self contained unit
• Doesn’t contain I/O port • Application oriented and domain specific

• Limited power saving options compared to • Contains multiple built in I/O ports
microcontrollers • Includes lot of power saving features
Microcontroller
Architectures
Harvard Architecture
Von Neumann Architecture
 Harvard vs Von Neumann Architectures

Separate buses for instruction and data Single shared bus for instruction and
fetching data fetching
Easier to pipeline, so high performance Low performance Compared to
Comparatively high cost Harvard Architecture
No memory alignment problems Cheaper
Since data memory and program memory Allows self modifying codes
are stored physically in different Since data memory and program
locations, no chances for accidental memory are stored physically in same
corruption of program memory chip, chances for accidental
corruption of program memory
 Lesser no. of instructions Greater no. of
RISC vs Instruction Pipelining and Instructions
CISC increased execution
speed
Generally no instruction
pipelining feature
Processo Orthogonal Instruction
Set
Non Orthogonal
Instruction Set
rs Operations are performed Operations are
on registers only, the only performed on registers
memory operations are or memory depending
load and store on the instruction
Large number of registers Limited no. of general
are available purpose registers
 Programmer needs to write Instructions are like
RISC vs more code to execute a task
since the instructions are
macros in C language
simpler ones
CISC Variable length
Instructions
Processo Single, Fixed length
Instructions
More silicon usage since
rs Less Silicon usage and pin
more additional decoder
logic is required to
count implement the complex
instruction decoding
Harvard Architecture
Can be Harvard or Von-
Neumann Architecture
THANK YOU