What is embedded system

An embedded system is a
combination of computer software
and hardware which is either fixed
in capability or programmable.
 Comparision
General Purpose Computing
System Embedded System
• A system which is a • A system which is a
combination of generic combination of special
purpose hardware and
hardware & General embedded OS for executing a
Purpose Computing System specific set of application
for executing a variety of • May or may not contain an
application operating system for
functioning
• Contain a General Purpose
• The firmware of embedded
Operating System(GPOS)
system is preprogrammed and
• Applications are it is non- alterable by the user
programmable by user end
Cont..
General Purpose Computing System
• Performance is key deciding
factor in the selection of the
system
• Less/not at all tailored towards
reduced operating power
requirement options for different
levels of power management
• Response requirements are not
time-critical
• Need not be deterministic in
execution behaviour
Embedded System
• Application specific requirement
(like power requirement,memory
usage etc) are key deciding factor
• Highly tailored to take advantage
of power saving mode supported
by hardware & operating system
• The response time requirement is
highly time-critical in some
application
• Execution behaviour is
deterministic for certain types of
ES like “Hard Real Time” system
 History of Embedded system

• In 1960, embdded system was first used for developing Apollo

Guidance System by Charles Stark Draper at MIT.
• In 1965, Autonetics, developed the D-17B, the computer used in
the Minuteman missile guidance system.
• In 1968, the first embedded system for a vehicle was released.
• Texas Instruments developed the first microcontroller in 1971.
• In 1987, the first embedded OS, VxWorks, was released by Wind
River.
• Microsoft's Windows embedded CE in 1996.
• By the late 1990s, the first embedded Linux system appeared.
• The embedded market reach $140 billion in 2013.
• Analysts are projecting an Embedded market larger than $40 billion
by 2030.
Classification of embedded system
• Based on generation
• Complexity and performance requirements
• Based on deterministic behaviour
• Based on triggering
Classification based on Generation
• First generation
• 8-bit microprocessor like 8085, z80 etc
• Simple in hardware circuits with firmware developed in
assembly code
• Eg: digital telephone keypads, stepper motor control unit etc
• Second Generation
• 16-bit microprocessor & 8/16-bit microcontrollers
• Contain Embedded Operating system for operation
• Eg: data acquisition systems, SCADA
 Cont….
• Third Generation
• 32 bit processor & 62 bit microcontrollers for their design
• Specific processors/controllers like DSP,ASIC’s
• Fourth generation
• SoC,Reconfigurable processors and multicore processors
• Use of high performance real time embedded operating system for their
functioning.
• Eg:smart phones,mobile internet services etc
Classification based on Complexity and
performance
• Small Scale Embedded system
Simple in application needs & where performance
requirement are not time critical.
Based on low performance & low cost
microprocessor/microcontroller
may or may not contain embedded OS for functioning
• Medium Scale Embedded system
Slightly complex in hardware & software requirement
based on medium performance & low cost
microprocessor/microcontroller/DSPs.
contain embedded OS for functioning
 Cont….
• Large Scale Embedded system/ Complex
system
• Highly complex in hardware & software requirement
• based on High performance 32/64 bit RISC processor/controller.
• Complex embedded system contain high performance Real time
operating system (RTOs) for task scheduling, prioritization and
management.
Major Application
 Purpose of Embedded System
1. Data Collection/ Storage/
Representation:
• Data collection performs acquisition of
data from the external world
• Data collection is done for
storage,analysis,manupulation &
transmission
• Term data refers to all kind of
information ie text,voice, image,
electrical signals & any other
measurable quantities.
• Eg:Digital camera for image
capturing/storage/ display
2. Data communication system
•Data communication system contains application
ranging from satellite communication systems to
simple home networking system.

•Examples : wireless modules like Bluetooth,zigbee,

WiFi , GPRS etc

•Examples : wireline modules like RS232,USB,TCP/IP

etc

3. Data (Signal)Processing
•Any data (voice,speech,image,video) collected by embedded system may be used for
various kinds of data processing.
•Example: Digital hearing aid
 4. Monitoring
•Embedded System designed for monitoring purpose.

•Examples : ECG : Used for monitoring health of patients

•Examples : CRO ,multimeters, logic analyzers : Used in Control &
instrumentation applications

5. Control
•Embedded System with control functionalities impose control over some variables
according to changes in input variables.
•Examples: Sensors and actuators