CHAPTER_1

Definition:

An embedded system is a system designed to perform

one or a limited set of function using hardware and
software.

Embedded system is a special unit - meaning that it will

have a processor and associated software.

Application Domain of Embedded Systems:

i) Consumer electronics: Cameras, music players, TVs, DVD

players, microwave ovens, washing machines, refrigerators and
remote controls.
ii) Household appliances/home security systems:
Airconditioners, intruders and fire alarm systems.
iii) Automobile controls: Anti-lock braking system, engine and
transmission control, door and wiper control, etc.
iv) Handheld devices: Mobile phones, PDAs, MP3 players,
digicams, etc.
v) Medical equipments: Scanners, ECG and EEG units, testing
and monitoring equipments.
vi) Banking: ATMs, currency counters, etc.
vii) Computer peripherals: Printers, scanners, webcams, etc.
viii) Networking: Routers, switches, hubs, etc.
ix) Factories: Control, automation, instrumentation and alarm
systems. xi) Aviation: Airplane controls, guidance and
instrumentation systems.
xii) Military: Control and monitoring of military equipments.
xiii) Robotics: Used in factories, household and hobby-related
activities.
xiii) Toys

Desirable Features and General Characteristics of Embedded

Systems

i) It should have one or a small set of functions which it is

expected to perform efficiently.
ii) It should be designed for low-power dissipation, because many
systems are battery powered.
iii) It has limited memory and limited number of peripherals.
iv) Applications are not meant to be alterable by the user.
v) Many of them are not accessible directly, that is, they may be
part of the control unit of a larger system, so no interference in
operation is possible.
vi) They need to be highly reliable.
vii) Many of them need to operate with time constraints.

Why a PC is not considered to be an embedded system?

i) The PC has a large application set, from word processing and

computation to communications, printing, scanning and many
more.
 ii) Low power consideration is a good idea, but that is not the
guiding principle in its design.
iii) Memory is available in various forms: RAM, ROM and
secondary memory devices like the hard disk, CDROMs and the
like. More memory can be added if the user desires.
iv) Since the PC is used for various applications, more
applications can be added as and when needed.
v) The PC can be accessed by input devices like the keyboard,
mouse, modem, etc.
vi) Like any other system, the PC also needs to be reliable, but
since it is unlikely to be the part of a very critical system, it can
afford to fail once in a while (not a very good idea, though
because PCs are used in critical monitoring applications
sometimes).
vii) The applications on the PC need to be fast for better
performance, but usually there is no time criticality involved.
vii) The applications on the PC need to be fast for better
performance, but usually there is no time criticality involved.

Note:
Advanced mobile phones, PDAs, etc. can be included in the list of
‘embedded systems
The design of such handheld devices is similar to that of
embedded systems, where processor power, memory, size, are
limited, and timing is critical, even though the applications may
resemble that of a PC.
As such, such devices can also be thought of as embedded
systems.

Model of an Embedded System:

An embedded system consists of a processor, sensors, actuators
and memory.

Microprocessor vs Microcontroller

S.NoMicroprocessor Microcontroller

1 Microprocessor acts as a heart of Microcontroller acts as a heart of

computer system. embedded system.

2 t is a processor in which memory and t is a controlling device in which

/O output component is connected memory and I/O output component is
externally. present internally.

3 Since memory and I/O output is to be Since on chip memory and I/O output
connected externally. Therefore the component is available. Therefore the
circuit is more complex. circuit is less complex.
4 t cannot be used in compact system. t can be used in compact system.
Therefore microprocessor is inefficient. Therefore microcontroller is more
efficient.

5 Microprocessor has less number of Microcontroller has more number of

registers. Therefore most of the registers. Therefore a program is easier
operations are memory based. o write.

6 A microprocessor having a zero status A microcontroller has no zero flag.

lag.

7 t is mainly used in personal computers. t is mainly used in washing machines,

air conditioners etc.

Figures of Merit for an Embedded System:

Embedded system design is usually aimed to achieve the

following objectives:
i) Low-power dissipation:
○ Many embedded devices are battery powered, and
hence low-power dissipation is an important fi gure of
merit
○ It is important to keep power dissipation low to avoid
excessive heating
○ the first step in this is achieved by choosing an MCU
with low power features
○ ARM MCU is very popular because of its ‘low power’
feature
○ Peripherals like displays, motors, relays, etc. should
also be chosen with the same consideration
ii) Small physical size
 ○ Many embedded systems are handheld devices, and
others are allotted only small spaces within large
systems
○ The trend is to choose an MCU with most of the
peripheral controllers inside the chip itself—thus the
PCB is very small, with very few extra chips
○ There is also the trend in chip design to focus on ‘small
dies’.
iii) Small code size
○ Th e system code, after testing and debugging, is to be
embedded as firmware, and it is best if it fits inside the
(fl ash) ROM of the MCU
○ Th us, the code size is to be minimized, as on-chip
ROM is expensive and a scarce resource.
○ If the code size is large, external memory will have to
be added, which will defeat the very purpose of using
an MCU
○ If an operating system is being used for the system, its
‘footprint’ should be small
iv) High speed of response
○ As a general case, we would like systems to respond
fast.
○ For an embedded MCU, fast response implies high
clock frequency—but the higher the clock frequency,
higher will be the power dissipation
○ So the trick is not to choose an unnecessarily high
clock frequency unless the application needs it.
v) Real Time response:
 ○ If an operation is stipulated to have to be completed
within a deadline, the system must be able to produce
the result within this time frame
○ If not, it becomes either a useless system or a system
with low performance quotient.

Classification of MCUs:

i) 4-bit MCUs:
● Some applications deal with very little computation, and in
that case 4 bits of data could be sufficient.
● Simple toys and applications which use just switch inputs
and directly perform actuation don’t need to handle large
volumes of data.
ii) 8-bit MCUs:
● The highest volumes of MCUs used are the ones with
8-bit data buses.
● For moderately complex operations, this is sufficient
● Eg: 8051 family
iii) 16-bit MCUs:
● There are a few 16-bit MCUs like Intel’s 8096, 80196,
some versions of PIC, etc.
● MSP 430 (manufactured by Texas Instruments) is a new
16-bit series, which has very low-power dissipation, and
can compete effectively in the new embedded market,
which is very particular about power dissipation.
iv) 32-bit MCUs:
● ‘ARM’ is the most popular 32-bit MCU in use today;
● it is used in complex applications requiring low power,
high speed and good computing capability.
 ● The 32-bit MCUs are the ones used in image and video
applications and thus find use in the latest mobile phones,
IPods, PDAs, etc

ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit

● This is an IC in which complex functional blocks are
integrated to make it a complete application. Th e IC is
designed from basics, after defining its application.

What is an ASIP?
● ASIP stands for ‘Application Specific Instruction Set
Processor’.
● It is a processor whose instructions set is tailor-made for
a specific application, like graphics, for example

FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array)

● It is a programmable hardware— that is, reconfigurable
even while it is part of a circuit.
● Here the device density is very high.
● In this, a number of logic cells are interconnected—the
logic cells as well as interconnects are programamable
using hardware description languages and synthesis tools

DSP Processors
● Used for applications like signal processing where floating
point operations and complex arithmetic operations are
involved
● Where real-time processing of speech, image, video, etc.
are involved, they perform superbly.
 ● Texas Instruments is the leader in the design of DSP
processors
● For many applications, the current trend is to have a
general purpose core and a DSP core on the same chip,
so that tasks can be partitioned

Note: The first microcontroller is TMS 1000

What are the challenges in this field now?

○ The three Ps of innovation frequently highlighted are
‘Price, Performance and Power’.
○ This obviously means that performance needs to be
increased, but keeping power dissipation and price as
low as possible.

To address the challenges just mentioned, various trends are

being adopted.
● Multi-core processors
● Embedded and real-time operating systems
● Newer areas of deployment of embedded devices: