Embedded Systems

1 Introduction
1.
Lothar Thiele

Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology

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Computer Engineering
and Networks Laboratory

Organization
WWW: http://www.tik.ee.ethz.ch/tik/education/lectures/ES/
Lecture: Lothar Thiele,
Thiele thiele@tik.ee.ethz.ch
thiele@tik ee ethz ch
Coordination: Jan Beutel, beutel@tik.ee.ethz.ch
References:
P. Marwedel: Eingebettete Systeme (paperback), Springer
Verlag, December 2007, ISBN: 978-3-540-34048-5.
G.C.
G C Buttazzo: Hard Real
Real-Time
Time Computing Systems
Systems. Kluwer
Academic Publishers, 1997.
W. Wolf: Computers
p
as Components
p
Principles
p
of Embedded
System Design. Morgan Kaufman Publishers, 2000.
J. Teich: Digitale Hardware/Software Systeme, Springer
Verlag 1997
Verlag,
1997.
The slides contain material of J. Rabaey, K. Keuzer, Wayne Wolf,
Peter Marwedel, Philip Koopman and from the above books of J.
T i h G.C.
Teich,
G C Buttazzo,
B tt
W
W. W
Wolf
lf and
dP
P. M
Marwedel.
d l
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Computer Engineering
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Communicating Embedded Systems

Example: BTnodes
complete platform including OS
especially suited for pervasive computing applications
Sensor
Actuator

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BTnode Platform
Data
Interfaces

Microprocessor
and
d Memory
M
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Communication via
Bluetooth
Transceiver

generic platform
for ad
ad-hoc
hoc
computing
complete
platform
including OS
especially suited
for pervasive
computing
applications

2nd Radio
Batteries
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Computer Engineering
and Networks Laboratory

Communicating Embedded Systems

sensor networks (civil engineering, buildings, environmental
monitoring traffic
monitoring,
traffic, emergency situations)
smart products, wearable/ubiquitous computing
MICS

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Computer Engineering
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Communicating Embedded Systems

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Computer Engineering
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PermaSense Project
Univ. Zurich, Univ. Basel, ETH
Zurich

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Computer Engineering
and Networks Laboratory

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Computer Engineering
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Hardware

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Computer Engineering
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Computer Engineering
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Real-Time
Real
Time Actuating and Sensing
seismic/resistivity tomography

actuation and
sensing
i

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Development in ES Exercise
Linux
GNU GCC
AVR libc
Eclipse

BTNut OS
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Computer Engineering
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Contents of Course
1. Embedded Systems Introduction
2. Software Introduction

7. System Components

10. Models

3. Real-Time Models

8. Communication

11 Architect
11.
Architecture
re
Synthesis

4 Periodic/Aperiodic Tasks
4.

9. Low Power Design

5. Resource Sharing
6. Real-Time OS
12. Model Based Design

Software and
Programming

Processing and
Communication

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Hardware
Computer Engineering
and Networks Laboratory

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Contents of Course
1. Embedded Systems Introduction
2. Software Introduction

7. System Components

10. Models

3. Real-Time Models

8. Communication

11 Architect
11.
Architecture
re
Synthesis

4 Periodic/Aperiodic Tasks
4.

9. Low Power Design

5. Resource Sharing
6. Real-Time OS
12. Model Based Design

Software and
Programming
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Processing and
Communication
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Hardware
Computer Engineering
and Networks Laboratory

Embedded Systems
Embedded systems (ES) = information processing
systems
t
embedded
b dd d into
i t a larger
l
product
d t
Examples:
p

Main reason for buying is not information processing

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Computer Engineering
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Embedded Systems
external process
human interface

sensors, actuators

embedded
e
bedded system
syste

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Examples of Embedded Systems

Car as an integrated control-, communication and information
system.
t

gear box

information

ABS

motor control
climate control
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Examples of Embedded Systems

Consumer electronics, for example MP3 Audio, digital camera, home
electronics,
l t i
.

user interface
processor

sensors
actuators
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Examples of Embedded Systems

Production systems

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Computer Engineering
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Examples of Embedded Systems

Information systems, for example wireless communication (mobile
phone,
h
Wi
Wireless
l
LAN
LAN, ),
) end-user
d
equipment,
i
t router,
t

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Computer Engineering
and Networks Laboratory

Characteristics of Embedded Systems (1)

Must be dependable:
Reliability: R(t) = probability of system working correctly
provided that is was working at t=0
Maintainability: M(d) = probability of system working
correctly d time units after error occurred.
Availability: probability of system working at time t
Safety: no harm to be caused
y confidential and authentic communication
Security:
Even perfectly designed systems can fail if the assumptions
about the workload and possible errors turn out to be wrong.
Making the system dependable must not be an after-thought, it
must be considered from the very beginning
beginning.
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Characteristics of Embedded Systems (2)

Must be efficient:

Energy efficient
Code-size
Code
size efficient (especially for systems on a chip)
Run-time efficient
g efficient
Weight
Cost efficient

Dedicated towards a certain application: Knowledge about

behavior at design time can be used to minimize resources
and
d tto maximize
i i robustness.
b t
Dedicated user interface (no mouse, keyboard and screen).
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Characteristics of Embedded Systems (3)

Many ES must meet real-time constraints:
A real-time system must react to stimuli from the controlled
object (or the operator) within the time interval dictated by the
environment.
environment
For real-time systems, right answers arriving too late (or even
too early)
y) are wrong.
g
A real-time constraint is called hard, if not meeting that
constraint could result in a catastrophe [Kopetz, 1997].
All other
th titime-constraints
t i t are called
ll d soft.
ft
A guaranteed system response has to be explained without
statistical arguments
arguments.
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Characteristics of Embedded Systems (4)

Frequently connected to physical environment through
sensors and actuators,
Hybrid systems (analog + digital parts).
Typically, ES are reactive systems:
A reactive system is one which is in continual interaction
pace determined by
y
with is environment and executes at a p
that environment [Berg, 1995]
Behavior depends on input and current state.
automata model often appropriate,
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Comparison
Embedded Systems

General Purpose Computing

Few applications that are

known at design-time.
Not programmable by end
user.
Fixed run-time requirements
( dditi
(additional
l computing
ti power
not useful).
Criteria:
cost
power consumption
predictability

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Broad class of applications.

Programmable by end user
user.
Faster is better.

Criteria:
cost
average speed

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To Outside W
T
World

Typical
Typical Architecture
Peripheral Bus

DEBUG Port
Non-volatile memory
EPROM, FLASH, DISK
Hybrid

FPGA
PAL

Microprocessor
4, 8, 16, 32, 4 bit bus
CISC, RISC, DSP
Integrated peripherals
Debug/Test
D b /T t Port
P t
Caches
Pipeline
Multiprocessing Systems

Custom Devices
ASIC

Volatile Memory
DRAM, SRAM

Standard Devices
I/O Ports
Peripheral Controllers

Hybrid

Communication Devices
Ethernet

System Clocks
Software
Application Code
Driver Code / BIOS
Real Time Operating System
User Interface
Communications Protocol Stacks
C, C++, Assembly Language, ADA
Legacy Code
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RTC circuitry
System
S t
clocks
l k
Integrated in uC
Imported/Exported

RS-232
SCSI
Centronics
Proprietary

Microprocessor Bus
Custom
PCI
VME
PC-102

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Future of Embedded Systems

Embedded Systems overtook market of PCs.
Ubiquitous and pervasive computing:
Information anytime, anywhere; building ambient intelligence
i t our environment;
into
i
t internet
i t
t off things:
thi

Wearable computers
Smart
Smart Labels
Labels on consumer products
Intelligent buildings
Environmental Monitoring
Traffic control and communicating automobiles

Embedded systems provide the basic technology

technology.

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Project Examples
wearable computer

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Project Examples
The Obvious Choice -The Smart Home and Network Appliances

Dense network of
sensor and monitor nodes
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Security
Environment monitoring and control
Object tagging
Identification
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Trends
Higher degree of integration

Microprocessor, microcontroller
memory + processor + I/O-units + (wireless) communication
S
System-on-chip
(S C)
(SoC)
Multiprocessor Systems on a Chip (MPSoC)

S ft
Software
increasing
i
i (amount
(
t and
d complexity).
l it )
Hardware/software co
co-design
design gets increasing importance
importance.
Low power constraints (portable or unattended devices).
Communicating embedded systems, very often wireless.
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