Embedded Operating Systems

and Linux

Amir Hossein Payberah

payberah@gmail.com

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Agenda
➲ Embedded Systems
➲ Real Time Systems
➲ Who Are The Players?
➲ Linux As An Embedded OS
➲ Kernel 2.4 vs. 2.6
➲ Applications And Products
➲ The Embedded OS Market

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Embedded Systems

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What is an Embedded OS?
➲ An "embedded system" is any computer sys-
tem or computing device that performs a ded-
icated function or is designed for use with a
specific embedded software application.

➲ Embedded systems may use a ROM-based op-

erating system or they may use a disk-based
system, like a PC. But an embedded system is
not usable as a general purpose computers or
devices.

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What makes a good Embedded OS?

➲ Modular
➲ Scalable
➲ Configurable
➲ Small footprint
➲ Device drivers
➲ etc, etc, etc...

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Real Time Systems

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 What is Real Time?

“A real time system is one in which the correct-

ness of the computations not only depends
upon the logical correctness of the computation
but also upon the time at which the result is
produced. If the timing constraints of the sys-
tem are not met, system failure is said to have
occurred.”

Donald Gillies

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 What is Real Time?

“Real time in operating systems:

The ability of the operating system to provide

a required level of service in a bounded re-
sponse time.”

POSIX Standard 1003.1

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Hard vs. Soft Real Time

➲ Hard
● Absolute deadlines that must be met
● Example: Braking system controller

➲ Soft
● Time tolerance within which an event can
occur
● Example: Multimedia streaming

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What makes a good Real Time OS?

➲ Multi-threaded and pre-emptible

➲ Thread priority has to exist
➲ Must support predictable thread synchron-
ization mechanisms
➲ A system of priority inheritance must exist

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Who are the players

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Who are the Embedded OS
players?

➲ Wind River Systems

● VxWorks
● pSOS

➲ QNX Software Systems

● QNX

➲ Green Hills Software

● Integrity

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Who are the Embedded OS
players?

➲ Mentor Graphics
● VRTX

➲ Palm Computing
● PalmOS

➲ Symbian
● SymbianOS

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Who are the Embedded OS
players?

➲ Windows
● Embedded NT/XP
● “Real-time” control

● Windows CE (CE.NET)
● Internet devices

● Pocket PC 2002
● Handheld PC’s and PDA’s

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Linux as an Embedded
and Real Time system

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GNU History

➲ In 1983
➲ Richard Stallman
➲ It is free
● free means freedom
➲ GNU's Not Unix

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Linux History

➲ In 1991
➲ Linus Torvalds
➲ Based on Minix
➲ GNU/Linux

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What’s so special about Linux?
➲ Multiple choices vs. sole source
➲ Source code freely available
➲ Robust and reliable
➲ Modular, configurable, scalable
➲ Superb support for networking and Internet
➲ No runtime licenses
➲ Large pool of skilled developers

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What’s so special about Linux?

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What’s special about Open Source?

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Commercial Embedded Linux
➲ AMIRIX Embedded Linux
● Derived from Debian

➲ Coollogic Coollinux
● Combines Linux and Java for Internet apps

➲ Coventive Xlinux
● Kernel can be as small as 143KB

➲ Esfia RedBlue Linux

● 400K, designed for wireless apps

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Commercial Embedded Linux
➲ KYZO Pizza Box Linux
● SAMBA based file, print, CD server

➲ Lineo Embedix
● Supports real time and high availability apps

➲ LynuxWorks BlueCat
● General purpose embedded solution

➲ MontaVista Linux
● General purpose embedded solution

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Commercial Embedded Linux
➲ Neoware NeoLinux
● Red Hat derived for information appliances

➲ PalmPalm Tynux
● Internet appliance and multimedia

➲ Red Hat Embedded Linux

● General purpose embedded solution

➲ RedSonic Red-Ice Linux

● Runs from DiskonChip or CompactFlash

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Commercial Embedded Linux
➲ RidgeRun DSP Linux
● For multimedia, wireless, RT on DSP

➲ TimeSys Linux GPL

● Low latency enhanced kernel

➲ Tuxia TASTE
● Distro targets Internet appliances

➲ Vital Systems vLinux

● For ARM based embedded apps

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Open Source Embedded Linux
➲ Embedded Debian Project
● Convert Debian to an embedded OS

➲ ETLinux
● It is small, modular, flexible and complete

➲ uCLinux
● For microprocessors that don’t have MM

➲ uLinux (muLinux)
● Distro fits on a single floppy

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Commercial Real Time Linux

➲ FSMLabs
● Open RT Linux

➲ Lineo
● Embedix Realtime

➲ LynuxWorks
● BlueCat RT

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Commercial Real Time Linux

➲ MontaVista Software
● Real Time Extensions

➲ REDSonic
● REDICE Linux

➲ TimeSys
● Linux/Real-Time

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Open Source Real Time Linux
➲ RT Linux
● “Hard” Real Time Application Interface

➲ RTAI
● “Hard” Real Time Application Interface

➲ KURT
● Event schedules with 10us resolution

➲ Linux-SRT
● For soft real time apps like multimedia

➲ Qlinux
● Provides Quality of Service guarantees

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Commercial or Open Source Linux

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What makes them different?

➲ Which of Linux utilities are included

➲ What modules or utilities added
➲ What kernel patches and modifications are
provided
➲ How the installation, configuration, main-
tenance, and upgrade process is managed.

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How to create Embedded Linux?

➲ Leaving out modules you don't need

➲ Changing configuration

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How to create Embedded Linux?

➲ Linux is not a real-time operating system

● The kernel disables interrupts
● The kernel is not suitably preemptible
➲ Using the dual-kernel system
● A general purpose (non-real-time) OS runs as a
task under a real-time kernel.
● The general purpose OS provides functions such
as disk read/write, LAN/communications,
serial/parallel I/O, system initialization, memory
management, etc.
● The real-time kernel handles real-world event
processing.
➲ Modifying the Linux kernel
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Linux kernel architecture

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Providing Real Time Service within Linux

➲ Preemption improvement
➲ Interrupt abstraction

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Preemption improvement

➲ Modifying the Linux kernel code to reduce

the amount of time that the kernel spends
in non-preemptible sections of code.

➲ It is used to implement soft real time sys-

tems.

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Preemption improvement

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 Interrupt abstraction
➲ The entire kernel is made preemptible by hav-
ing a separate hardware-handling layer.
➲ This hardware abstraction layer has complete control
over the hardware interrupts, and simulates the inter-
rupts up to the Linux kernel in a way that allows the ker-
nel to run unmodified on the real-time scheduler.
➲ This system is often described as a micro-kernel
system.
● where the full Linux kernel runs as the lowest priority
task alongside real-time tasks in the system on top of
the real-time scheduler.
➲ It is used to implement hard real time systems.

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Interrupt abstraction

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 RTLinux and RTAI
➲ Interrupt abstraction
➲ Hard real time
➲ Real time tasks are operating in kernel space
➲ Real-time tasks are written to the API of RTLinux or RTAI,
not to the Linux API.
➲ RTAI offers an alternative to kernel-space operation, in
the form of LXRT.
● LXRT supports the same API as RTAI, but via tasks that run
in user-space.
➲ The recent announcement of RTLinux V3.0 pre-7 also in-
troduces user-space real-time in RTLinux.
● In this model, a function in user address space may be ac-
tivated by an interrupt or timer.

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 MontaVista and TimeSys
➲ Preemption improvement
➲ Hard real time
➲ They use preemtible kernel
● This preemption cannot be done safely at arbitrary
places in the kernel code (critical sections).
➲ They alter the spin-lock calls to additionally
prevent preemption.
➲ They use separate real time kernels.
● Interrupt abstraction
● MontaVista uses RTLinux
● TimeSys uses RTAI

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Kernel 2.4 vs. 2.6

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Linux Kernel 2.4 vs. 2.6

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Device Drivers and Loadable Kernel Modules

➲ The Linux 2.6 kernel introduces a new, unified framework for

device drivers.
➲ The new driver model provides a framework for full and com-
plete support for device Plug and Play and power manage-
ment by defining the interfaces that these subsystems can
use when communicating with individual drivers.
➲ The new driver framework provides a much cleaner separation
of responsibilities between buses and drivers.
➲ The 2.6 Linux kernel also introduces the sysfs filesystem to
provide a hierarchical view of each system's device tree.
➲ The 2.6 Linux kernel also introduces a new naming convention
for loadable kernel modules, using the .ko extension (kernel
object) rather than the standard .o (object) extension used for
loadable kernel modules in all previous stable releases of the
Linux kernel.

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Verifying and updating critical packages

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Real Time Linux Alternatives

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Applications
and
Products
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What’s It Being Used For?
➲ Control and Monitoring Applications
➲ Industrial Controllers
➲ TV Set Top Boxes (TiVO)
➲ Handheld PDA’s
➲ Automobile Computers
➲ Telecomm and Networking Hardware
➲ Other uses...

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Cyclades TS-100 (Console Server)

➲ Netlinos OS
➲ Dual 50MHz PowerPC
➲ 16MB SDRAM 4MB Flash
➲ Ethernet/Serial/RS485

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Sixnet VersaTRAK IPm (Remote Terminal Unit)

➲ Embedded Linux
➲ PowerPC CPU
➲ 16MB DRAM 16MB Flash
➲ Serial & Ethernet Ports

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Sharp Zaurus

➲ Lineo Embedix
➲ 206 MHz StrongARM
➲ 64 MB DRAM 16MB Flash
➲ 3.5” display (320x240) 64K
colors
➲ Opera browser & Qtopia
➲ QT/Embedded GUI

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Cell and Web Phones

Telepong
Mobile Phone

Aplio/PRO
GITWiT IP Phone
Mobile Phone

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TiVO Set Top Box

➲ Home grown port of Embedded Linux

➲ 54MHz PowerPC
➲ Multi GB hard disk

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Axis 2120 Network Camera

➲ uCLinux
➲ Built-in Ethernet port
➲ 100 MHz ETRAX CPU
➲ 16 MB RAM

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Humanoid Robots

➲ Univ. of Tokyo
➲ Dual Pentium CPU
➲ RT-Linux
➲ Height: 53 inches
➲ Weight: 121 lbs

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Humanoid Robots

➲ Fujitsu
➲ RT-Linux
➲ Height: 48 cm
➲ Weight: 6 kg

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The Embedded
OS Market
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What CPU's will it run on?

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Which OS for Embedded System (2005)

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The Choice Factor (2005)

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Growth of Embedded Linux

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Conclusion

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Conclusion

Embedded System
Linux as a
good solution

Real Time System

RTLinux MontaVista
and and
RTAI TimeSys

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Resources
➲ LinuxDevices.com
http://www.linuxdevices.com/

➲ Embedded Linux Consortium

http://www.embedded-linux.org

➲ All Linux Devices

http://alllinuxdevices.com/

➲ Embedded Linux StarGate

http://linux-embedded.com/

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Questions

Comments
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