ECE3196

Embedded System Design

Trimester 2, 2013/2014
Chapter 1:
Overview of Embedded System
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ECE3196 Chapter 1
Overview of Embedded System
Definition of embedded system
Application areas
Characteristics of embedded system
Challenges of embedded system
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Definition
Definition of embedded system
Embedded system is a combination of hardware and
software (computer system), designed to perform specific
function(s).
Question:
Name a few embedded system products that you use
frequently.
Can a notebook or smartphone be consider as a part of an
embedded system?
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Overview
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Execution environment
I/O
Memory
Processor
I/O
Timer
Microcontroller
System
Overview of a simple embedded system
Overview
Embedded systems and ubiquitous computing
Not all embedded systems have all of the characteristics of
embedded system.
Most of the characteristics of embedded system can be found
in ubiquitous computing. The key goal of ubiquitous
computing is to make information available anytime,
anywhere.
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Influence of embedded system in ubiquitous computing
Application Areas
Application areas (samples)
Automotive
Air travel industry
Telecommunication & networking
Games
Medical & healthcare
Security
Consumer electronics
Buildings
Robotics
Wearable technology
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Application Areas
Automotive industry
Engine control
Body electronics
- Air conditioning
- Automatic lighting
Driver information systems
-GPS
-Dashboard display
- Audio/video control
- Lane departure warning
Chassis
-Breaking system
-Electronic power
steering
Safety
-Airbags
-TPMS
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Application Areas
Input interface Output interface
Weight
sensor
Warning
lamp
Interconnection network
Block diagram of an airbag system
Processor ROM RAM
Acceleration
sensors
Airbag
squibs
Buckle
switch
Application Areas
Air travel industry
Flight control systems
Pilot information
systems
Anti-collision
system
Air traffic control
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Application Areas
Input interface
Output interface
Altimeter
Visual
indicator
Interconnection network
Block diagram of an auto-pilot system
Processor ROM RAM
Acceleration
sensors
Various
servos
Pressure
sensor
Activation
keys
GPS
Audio
indicator
Elevator
Aileron
Rudder
Flap
Engine
control
Speed
brake
Landing
gear
Application Areas
Telecommunication & networking
Mobile phone
Server
Smart phone
GPS
Tablets
Base station
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Application Areas
Input interface Output interface
Keypad &
buttons
LCD
display
Interconnection network
Block diagram of a simple mobile phone
Processor ROM RAM
Speaker
Microphone
Receiver
Transmitter
Application Areas
Games
Hardrive
Wireless controller
Sensor
Console
3D screen Sensors Controller
Memory
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Application Areas
Input interface Output interface
Depth
sensor
Input keys
Television
Interconnection network
Block diagram of a touchless play station
Processor ROM RAM
Application Areas
Medical & healthcare
Medical imaging
Artificial eye
Pedometer
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Application Areas
Microcontroller
Input interface Output interface
Inertial
sensor
Interconnection network
Block diagram of a pedometer
LCD
display
Buzzer
Input
buttons
Backlight
Application Areas
Authentication
Military applications
Security
Missile launcher
Submarine
Intelligent pen Door security
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Application Areas
Input interface Output interface
Input keys
Fingerprint
reader
Magnetic
door lock
Alarm
Interconnection network
Block diagram of a door security system
Processor ROM RAM
Application Areas
Consumerelectronics
Television
Washing machine
Camera
Computer
Microwave oven
Sewing
machine
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Application Areas
Microcontroller
Input interface Output interface
Input keys Door open
Magnetron
Display
Fan
Light
Speaker
Interconnection network
Block diagram of a microwave oven
Application Areas
Smart buildings
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Application Areas
Processor ROM RAM
Input interface Output interface
Input switch Door open
Lighting
brightness
Interconnection network
Block diagram of energy efficient lighting
Light sensor Motion sensor
Home Energy Manager
LCD display
Application Areas
Process control
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Application Areas
Microcontroller
Input interface Output interface
Sensor 1 Input keys
Valve 1
Interconnection network
Block diagram of a fluid mixture system
Sensor 2 Sensor 3
Station controller
Valve 2
Valve 2
LCD
display
Application Areas
Robotics
Domestic
Rehabilitation
Companion
Delivery
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Application Areas
Processor ROM RAM
Input interface Output interface
Camera
Interconnection network
Block diagram of a companion robot
Actuators Speaker
Proximity
sensor
Modem
Switches
Lights
Application Areas
Wearable technology
Smart watch
Google glass
Mind
control
Virtual
touchscreen
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Application Areas
Processor ROM RAM
Input interface Output interface
Camera
Interconnection network
Block diagram of a virtual touchscreen
Mini
projector
Buzzer Input keys
Modem
Characteristics of Embedded Systems
Dependable
Efficient
Dedicated
Real-time constraint
Connected to the environment
Hybrid system
Reactive
Characteristics
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Dependable:
Reliability R(t) =Reliability is the probability that a system
will not fail at time t.
Maintainability M(d) =Maintainability is the probability that
a failing system can be repaired within a certain time-frame.
Availability: Availability is the probability that the system is
available.
Safety: No harm to be caused by a failing system.
Security: Confidential data remains confidential and that
authentic communication is guaranteed.
Characteristics
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t
t
1st phase 2nd phase 3rd phase
Typical behavior of hardware systems ("bathtub curve").
Commonly use characterize reliability of a system
Characteristics
Reliability
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Characteristics
Hardware Reliability
The probabilitythat a component fails some time in the
interval [0,t] is assumed to the PDF of the component
lifetime at time, t.
Widelyused model for PDF of the component lifetime is
given by
F(t) =1 exp(-t)
A system can consist of more than one component.
Let R
i
(t) be the reliability of component C
i
over time interval
[0,t] and F
i
(t) be the probability that C
i
fails at the same time
interval. Hence,
R
i
(t) =1 F
i
(t)
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Characteristics
Hardware Reliability examples
Assumptions:
Fault latency is zero
Anyfailure is permanent and any faulty processor is
immediately identified and disconnected from the system,
never repaired and reconnected.
Failures are all independent
Example 1: Series-connected
System fails if anyof the component fails
R(t) = R
i
(t)
C
1
C
2
C
3
N
i=0
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Characteristics
Example 1: Parallel-connected
System fails if all of the component fails
R(t) =1 - (1 - R
i
(t))
C
1
C
2
C
3
N
i=0
operational
faulty
MTTF MTTR
MTBF
t
MTTF =mean time to failure
MTTR=mean time to repair
(average over repair times using distribution M(d))
MTBF=mean time between failures =MTTF +MTTR
MTBF
MTTF
) ( lim

t A A
t
Characteristics
Availability
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Dependable
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.
Characteristics
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Efficient
Energy efficient
Code-size efficient
(especially for systems on a chip)
Run-time efficient
Weight efficient
Cost efficient
Dedicatedtowards a certain application
Knowledge about behavior at design time can be used to
minimize resources and to maximize robustness
Dedicateduser interface
Characteristics
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Real-time constraints
A real-time system must react to stimuli from the
controlled object (or the operator) within the time
interval dictatedby the environment.
For real-time systems, right answers arriving too late
are wrong.
HardES vs. SoftES
A real-time constraint is called hard, if not meeting
that constraint could result in a catastrophe[Kopetz,
1997].
All other time-constraints are called soft.
Characteristics
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Frequently connected to physical environmentthrough
sensors and actuators.
Hybrid systems
(analog +digital parts).
Embedded systems are reactive systems typically:
A reactive system is one which is in continual interaction with
its environment and executes at a pace determined by that
environment [Berg, 1995]
Characteristics
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Challenges for Embedded Hardware
Lack of flexibility(changing standards).
Mask cost for specialized HW becomes very expensive.
Competitive market: Fast improvement in products capability
to satisfy the consumer.
Shrinking in size.
Speed.
Human-machine interface.
Power consumption.
On-chip memory.
Challenges
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Challenges for implementation in software
If embedded systems will be implemented mostly in
software, then why dont we just use what software
engineers have come up with?
Challenges
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Challenges for implementation in software
Exponential increase in software complexity
-Increase in code size
In some areas code size is doubling every 9 months [ST
Microelectronics, Medea Workshop, Fall 2003]
-Software development course. (license, expertise, training)
... >70% of the development cost for complex systems such as
automotive electronics and communication systems are due
to software development
[A. Sangiovanni-Vincentelli, 1999]
Challenges
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Challenges for implementation in software
Dynamic environments- For a typical embedded system, it
is in continual interaction with its environment and executes
at a pace determined by that environment.
Capture the required behaviour!- it is not a trivial task to
capture the required behavior of the software from the
problem to be solved. Wrong assumption about the problem
may lead to wrong specifications.
Efficient translation of specifications into implementations!
Challenges
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Challenges for implementation in software
Validate specifications- Even if the specifications are
correct, we still face the problem of validating and
translating the specifications into efficient implementations.
As most of the embedded systems are real-time system,
embedded software developers also face the problems of
how to verify that the developed system meets real-time
requirement.
It is not easy to ensure that the testing procedures will not
violate the timing constraints.
Challenges
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It is not sufficient to consider ES (Embedded System)
just as a special case of software engineering
CS
EE
EE (Electrical and Electronics) knowledge must be available, walls
between EE and CS (Computer Science) must be torn down
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Challenges
Other Challenges
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Open systems Many people are given access to technology and
are encouraged to tinker and enhance it. Software innovation rely
on large number of tinkering programmers.
Internet access Popularity matters.
Net neutrality Latency sensitive vs. latency insensitive traffic
Privacy The sum of human knowledge can be available at our
fingertips via Internet connected devices.
Successful commercialization At macro scale, new technologies
are ultimately funded via the displacement of existing technology
that they render obsolete.
Energy Supply vs. demand
... the New York Times has
estimated that the average
American comes into contact with
about 60 micro-processors every
day.... [Camposano, 1996]
...By 2013, the number of devices
connected to the internet will
reach one trillion up from 500
million in 2007. Weve heading into
Internet of Things.
[Cisco CTO Padmasree Warrior,
2010]
We may not see them but they are all around us.
We depend on them more than we realized it.
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Importance of Embedded System
ECE3196 Chapter 1
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References:
1. Peter Marwedel, "Embedded System Design", Springer, 2
nd
edition, 2011.
2. Daniel D. Gajski et.al, Embedded System Design, Modeling, Synthesis
and Verification, Springer, 2009.
3. Carl Hamacher et. Al, Computer Organization and Embedded System,
McGraw Hill International Edition 6
th
edition, 2012
4. Peter Barry and Patrick Crowley, Modern Embedded Computing
Designing Connected, Pervasive, Media-Rich System, Morgan
Kaufmann, 2012.
5. Graham Leedhamand Kian-TianSeow, Embedded Real-Time Systems:
Introductory Concepts and Tools, Person Prentice Hall, 2005.
6. Various internet sources.