Core of the

Embedded
System
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0 GENERAL PURPOSE &
DOMAIN SPECIFIC
1 PROCESSORs
-microprocessors, microcontrollers and DSPs
-RISC and CISC instruction
-Harvard and von Neumann architecture

0 APPLICATION SPECIFIC
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS(ASIC)
2
0 PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC
DEVICES(PLD)
3 0 Commercial off-the-shelf
Components (COTS)
4
Almost 80% of the embedded systems are
processor/ controller based. The processor
may be a
microprocessor or a microcontroller or a
digital signal processor, depending on the
domain and
application.
microprocessor
A Microprocessor is a silicon chip representing a central processing unit (CPU), which
is capable of performing arithmetic as well as logical operations. In general, the CPU contains the
Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), control unit and working registers. A microprocessor is a dependent
unit and it requires the combination of' other hardware like memory, timer unit, and interrupt controller,
etc., for proper functioning. etc., for proper functioning.

Microcontrollers
A Microcontroller is a highly integrated chip that contains a CPU, scratch pad RAM,
special and general purpose register arrays, on chip ROM/ FLASH memory for program
storage, timer
and interrupt control units and dedicated I/O ports. Microcontrollers can be considered as
a super set of
microprocessors. Since a microcontroller contains all the necessary functional blocks for
independent
working, they found greater place in the embedded domain in place of microprocessors.
Apart from this,
they are cheap, cost effective and are readily available in the market.
Digital signal processing
Digital Signal Processors are powerful special purpose 8/ 16/ 32 bit
microprocessors designed specifically to meet the computational demands and power constraints
of
today’s embedded audio, video, and communications applications.
Digital signal processors are 2 to 3 times faster than the general purpose microprocessors in
signal
processing applications. This is because of the architectural difference between the two. DSPs
implement algorithms in hardware which speeds up the execution,
RISC-Reduced Instruction Set Computing CISC-Complex ISC

Less number of instructions More number of instructions

Uses pipelining & increased execution speed No instruction pipelining

Orthogonal Instruction set(instruction type and Non-Orthogonal Instruction set

the addressing mode vary independently)

Operations on registers . Memory : load & Operations on registers or memory.

store

Large number of registers are available Limited number of registers are available

Need to write more code since instructions are Need to write less code since instructions are
simple complex

Harvard architecture Von-Neumann Harvard architecture

Harvard and von-neumann
architecture
Harvard Architecture Von-Neumann Architecture

Separate buses for instruction and Single Shared buses for instruction
data fetching and data fetching

Easier to pipeline , high Low performance

performance

Comparatively high cost cheaper

Program & data memory are stored Program & data memory are stored
at different places hence no in the same chip, hence their are
chances of accidental corruption of chances of accidental corruption of
program memory program memory
 application-specific
integrated circuit 
• An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is
an integrated circuit (IC) customized for a particular use,
rather than intended for general-purpose use.
• It integrates several functions into a single chip.
• Takes up very small area hence helps in designing smaller
system
• Reduced cost.
• NON RECURRING ENGINEERING CHARGE(NRE)
 Programmable
logic device
• A programmable logic device or PLD is
an electronic component used to build reconfigurable digital
circuits.
• Unlike a logic gate, which has a fixed function, a PLD has an
undefined function at the time of manufacture.
• Before the PLD can be used in a circuit it must be programmed,
that is, reconfigured.
• No NRE costs.
 Commercial Off-the-
Shelf Components
• A COTS product is one which is
used as ‘as-is’ .
• They provide easy integration &
inter-operability with existing
systems components.
• Generally designed/developed
around a processor.
• No operational & manufacturing
standards.
• Are like proprietary products , cannot
be used with some other product.
 Understanding the core concepts of embedded
systems is crucial for aspiring engineers looking
to build a strong foundation in this field. The
combination of hardware and software, real-time
performance requirements, task-specific design,
and integration of microprocessors and
microcontrollers are vital aspects that shape the
world of embedded systems.
Thank you!
BY,
Adnaan Khan,
Akshar KH,
Bhuvan MH