Unit-II

Characteristics of Embedded Systems

• ES posses certain specific characteristics and are
unique to each embedded systems
• Important characteristics are
1. Application and domain specific
2. Reactive and real time
3. Operates in harsh environments
4. Distributed
5. Small size and weight
6. Power concerns
1. Application and domain specific
• Each ES having certain functions to perform.
• Developed to do intended functions only.
• Can not be used for any other purpose
• Ex: You can not replace embedded control unit
of microwave oven with airconditioner
embedded control unit.
• Ex: you can not replace telecom Embedded
with any other consumer electronics domain.
 2. Reactive and real time
• ES are constant interaction with the real world through sensors and
user defined I/P devices.
• Any changes in real world captured by the sensors in real time and
control algorithm reacts in designed manner to bring o/p variables
in desired level
• The event may be periodic or unpredicted one.
• If unpredicted the device must capture events without missing
them.
• ES produces changes in O/P in response to the changes in i/p.
referred as reactive system.
• Real time system means timing behavior system should be
deterministic : ES should response in known amount of time.
• RTS should not miss any deadlines for tasks or operations.
• Ex: flight control system, antilock brake system(ABS).
3. Operates in harsh environments
• Not necessary all ES should be deployed (moved or kept) in
controlled environments.
• Environment may be dusty, high temp. or subject to vibrations and
shock.
• Systems placed in such areas should be capable to withstand all
these adverse operating system
• The design should take care of the operating conditions where the
system going to implement
• Ex: if system is installed in high.temp zone then all components
used in system should be high temp.grade
• Proper shock absorption techniques should be provided to systems
• Power supply fluctuations, corrosion and component aging, etc
factors that need to be taken into consideration for ES to work in
harsh environment.
 4. Distributed
• Distributed means that ES may be part of larger systems.
• Many numbers of such distributed ES from a single large embedded
control unit.
• Ex: vending machine contains a card reader vending unit (for pre-
paid vending systems).
• Each of them are independent embedded units but they work
together to perform overall vending function.
• Ex: ATM contains card reader embedded unit, transaction unit,
currency counter, printer unit. We can visualize independent
Embedded unit but they work together to achieve a common goal.
• Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is a system of
software and hardware elements that allows industrial
organizations to: Control industrial processes locally or at remote
locations. Monitor, gather, and process real-time data.
 5. Small size and weight
• Product aesthetics (a set of principles underlying the
work of a particular artist or artistic movement) is an
important factor in choosing a product.
• For ex: when you plan to buy a new mobile phone, may
make a comparative study on the pros and corns of the
products available in market.
• The product aesthetics (beauty) will be one of the
deciding factors to choose a product (size, weight,
shape, style, etc)
• Most of the application demands small sized and low
weight products.
 6. Power concerns
• Power management important factor to be considered
in designing ES.
• Designed in such a way to minimize the heat
dissipation by the system
• The production of high amount of heat demands
cooling requirements like cooling fans which in turn
occupies additional space and make the system bulky.
• low power components are available.
• Power management is critical constraint in battery
operated application.
• The more the power consumption the less is the
battery life.
 Quality attributes of ES
• Operational quality attributes
1. Response
2. Throughput
3. Reliability
4. Maintainability
5. Security
6. Safety
 1. Response
• Measure of quickness of the system
• How fast system is tracking changes in i/p
variables
• Most of ES demands fast response which
should be almost real time
• Ex: comparing response flight control
application with electronic toy
 2. Throughput
• Deals with efficiency of system
• Rate of production or operation of a defined
process over a stated period of time.
• Ex: in terms of card reader, throughput means
how many transactions the reader can perform in
a minute or hour or in a day.
• Benchmark can be a set of performance criteria
that product is expected to meet standard
product that can be used for comparing other
products of the same product line.
 3. Reliability
• Reliability is a measure of how much percentage you
rely upon the proper functioning of the system .
• Mean Time between failures and Mean Time To
Repair are terms used in defining system reliability.
• Mean Time between failures can be defined as
the average time the system is functioning before a
failure occurs.
• Mean time to repair can be defined as the average
time the system has spent in repairs.
 4. Maintainability
• Maintainability deals with support and maintenance to the end
user or a client in case of technical issues and product
failures or on the basis of a routine system checkup

• It can be classified into two types :-

1. Scheduled or Periodic Maintenance
• This is the maintenance that is required regularly after a
periodic time interval.
Example :
• Periodic Cleaning of Air Conditioners
• Refilling of printer cartridges.

2. Maintenance to unexpected failure

• This involves the maintenance due to a sudden breakdown in the
functioning of the system.
• Example:
1. Air conditioner not powering on
2. Printer not taking paper in spite of a full paper stack
 5. Security
• Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability are three
corner stones of information security.
• Confidentiality deals with protection data from
unauthorized disclosure.
• Integrity gives protection from unauthorized
modification.
• Availability gives protection from unauthorized user
• Certain Embedded systems have to make sure they
conform to the security measures.
• Ex. An Electronic Safety Deposit Locker can be used
only with a pin number like a password.
 6. Safety

• Safety deals with the possible damage that can

happen to the operating person and environment
due to the breakdown of an embedded system or
due to the emission of hazardous materials from the
embedded products.
• A safety analysis is a must in product
engineering to evaluate the anticipated damage
and determine the best course of action to bring
down the consequence of damages to an acceptable
level.
 Non operational quality attributes

• Testability and debug-ability

• Evolvability
• Portability
• Time to prototype and market
• Per unit and total cost
 Testability and debug-ability
• It deals with how easily one can test his/her design,
application and by which mean he/she can test it.
• In hardware testing the peripherals and total hardware
function in designed manner
• Firmware testing is functioning in expected way
• Debug-ability is means of debugging the product as such for
figuring out the probable sources that create unexpected
behavior in the total system
• Learning and propagating various debugging techniques
reduces bug count and increases code quality. ... Reset
software coding expectations and get better results for
embedded systems development. ... Learning and propagating
various debugging techniques reduces bug count during
development ...
 Evolvability

• For embedded system, the qualitative

attribute “Evolvability”refer to ease with
which the embedded product can be modified
to take advantage of new firmware or
hardware technology.
• Ex: in future the system able to support any
new application or H/W
 Portability
• Portability is measured of “system
Independence”.
• An embedded product can be called portable
if it is capable of performing its operation as it
is intended to do in various environments
irrespective of different processor or
controller and embedded operating systems
• Ex: software or application designed should
perform in different environments irrespective
of platforms(processor/controller) or OS.
 Time to prototype and market

• Time to Market is the time elapsed between the

conceptualization of a product and time at which the product
is ready for selling or use Product prototyping help in reducing
time to market.
• Prototyping is an informal kind of rapid product development
in which important feature of the under consider are develop.
• In order to shorten the time to prototype, make use of all
possible option like use of redy made components which are
available.
 Per unit and total cost

• Cost is an important factor which needs to be carefully

monitored. Proper market study and cost benefit analysis
should be carried out before taking decision on the per unit
cost of the embedded product.
• When the product is introduced in the market, for the initial
period the sales and revenue will be low. There won’t be much
competition when the product sales and revenue increase.
• During the maturing phase, the growth will be steady and
revenue reaches highest point and at retirement time there
will be a drop in sales volume.
• Top loading: Top loading washing machines, as stated, usually have a
larger washing basin. This means that you can put more clothes into the
unit at one time and run larger loads of laundry. In addition to various
water temperatures and spin cycles, you will typically expect to use this
washing machine to take care of large quantities of laundry without much
trouble.
• Front loading : Front loading washers have a loading hole located to the
front and lower on the unit than a top loading washer would. If anyone in
your household has trouble bending over, it may be difficult for them to
use a front loading unit
• Spinning: to rotate or cause to rotate rapidly, as on an axis. to draw out
and twist
• Rinsing: wash (something) with clean water to remove soap, detergent,
dirt, or impurities.
 Automotive
• Automotive embedded systems are one where electronics take control
over mechanical systems.
• Ex: simple mirror and wiper control,
complex air bag controller and antilock braking system
• Built around MC or DSPs or a hybrid of two generally known as Electronic
Control Units(ECU)
• In ordinary vehicles the number of embedded controller 20-40
• High end 75-100
• ECU:
• high-speed ECU
• Low-speed ECU
• Automotive communication buses
• Controller area network Bus (CAN)
• Local interconnect network(LIN)
• Media oriented system transport (MOST) Bus
 Key players of the automotive embedded market

Silicon providers: xilinx, atmel, maxim/dallas,

NXP, texas, fujitsu, infleneon, NEC
Tools and platform providers: ENEA,
mathworks, keil s/w, lauterbach, ARTiSAN,
microsoft
Solution providers: bosch automotive, DENSO,
infosys, delphi