Microprocessor Systems: –

A Brief Run Down

 At the high end of the scale

Processor: Intel Pentium 4

Frequency: 3.2GHz
Power consumption: 103 W
max.*
Process: 90nm
*Intel document no. 300561-002
At the low end of the scale

Processor can consume no more

than 250-300mW

Embedded Devices
Where are the embedded devices?
 Computer Technology  Dramatic
° Processor Change
• 2X in speed every 1.5 years;
100X performance in last decade
° Memory
• DRAM capacity: 2X / 2 years; 64X size in last
decade
• Cost per bit: improves about 25% per year
° Disk
• capacity: > 2X in size every 1.0 years
• Cost per bit: improves about 100% per year
• 250X size in last decade
 Computer Technology  Dramatic
Change!
° State-of-the-art PC when you graduate:
(at least…)
• Processor clock speed: 5000 MegaHertz
(5.0 GigaHertz)
• Memory capacity: 4000 MegaBytes
(4.0 GigaBytes)
• Disk capacity: 2000 GigaBytes
(2.0 TeraBytes)
• New units! Mega => Giga, Giga => Tera

(Kilo, Mega, Giga, Tera, Peta, Exa, Zetta, Yotta = 1024)

Kilo, Mega, etc. are incorrect Terminologies!
 Challenges

° Post PC Era will be driven

by 2 technologies:
1) Mobile Consumer Devices
• e.g., successor to
cell phone, PDA,
wearable computers

2) Massive I/O interfacing v/s RAW

computational power
 Programming Levels of
Representation
temp = v[k];
High Level Language v[k] = v[k+1];
Program (e.g., C)
v[k+1] = temp;
Compiler ldr r0 , [r2, #0]
Assembly Language ldr r1 , [r2, #4]
Program (e.g. ARM)
str r1 , [r2, #0]
Assembler str r0 , [r2, #4]
1110 0101 1001 0010 0000 0000 0000 0000
Machine Language 1110 0101 1001 0010 0000 0000 0000 0100
Program (ARM) 1110 0101 1000 0010 0001 0000 0000 0000
1110 0101 1000 0010 0001 0000 0000 0100
Machine Interpretation

Control Signal ALUOP[0:3] <= InstReg[9:11] & MASK

Specification
°
°
 SOC (System on a Chip) Example

°
5 Classic Components of a Computer
Network/Bus

Processor Processor
Input Input
Control Control
Memory Memory

Datapath Output Output Datapath

An Expanded View of the Memory Systems

Processor

Control
Hard disk
(Virtual
Main
Memory)
Memory
Cache
Register

2nd Cache
Datapath

Speed: Fastest Slowest

Size: Smallest Biggest
Cost: Highest Lowest

•Cache is handled by hardware

•Virtual memory is handled by and Operating System
•Programmer sees only one memory and the registers
 Fetch Decode Execute Cycle
Obtain instruction from program storage
Instruction
Fetch
Processor
Instruction Determine required actions Input
Control
Decode Memory

Operand Locate and obtain operand data

Datapath Output
Fetch

Execute Compute result value or status

ALU Registers
Result Deposit results in storage for later use
Store

Next
Determine successor instruction
Instruction
 A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO
EMBEDDED SYSTEM

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.13 Saeid Nooshabadi

 TOPICS TO COVER

° DEFINITION

° KEY FEATURES

° DESIGN ISSUES/CHALLENGES

° TOOLS OF THE TRADE

° FUTURE DIRECTION
EELC2041 lec01-Intro.14 Saeid Nooshabadi
 WHAT IS AN EMBEDDED SYSTEM

° An embedded system is an applied computer system,

as distinguished from other types of computer
systems
° Embedded systems are embedded within another
sophisticated (electronic) system, which could be
any system for any kind of application. The ES do not
directly interact with the environment/users.
° An embedded system is a very special computer
system designed to perform a dedicated function.
° An embedded system is a computer system with
higher quality and reliability requirements than
general- purpose computer systems.

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.15 Saeid Nooshabadi

 DEFINITION (Continued)

° A very special (often tailor made) computer

system put inside any Engineering product
to make the final product more:
• Reliable
• Accurate/Precise
• Feature reach

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.16 Saeid Nooshabadi

 KEY FEATURES
OF AN EMBEDDED SYSTEM

° Real Time in nature (RTOS)

° Employs very specific types of components. Specific in terms of
• Quantity (Memory)
• Available Feature (DVS, Watch Dog Timer)
• Operating System (Application commands the OS)

° Developed in an environment which is totally different from the

actual.
° Power Requirement, Size & Cost are considered with great detail
along with the application.
° Highly focused on Application, Business Plan and Cost. Selects
Hardware, Software components and Design Process based on
A,B & C.

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.17 Saeid Nooshabadi

 Embedded Systems and their Markets
Market Embedded Device

Automotive Ignition System, Engine Control, Brake

System

Consumer Electronics Digital Televisions, Set-Top Boxes, Kitchen

Appliances, Toys/Games, Telephones/Cell
Phones/Pagers, Cameras

Industrial Control Robotics, Process and Manufacturing

Controls

Medical Equipment ECG Machine, Dialysis Machines, Cardiac

Monitors

Office Automation Fax Machine, Photocopier, Printers,

Scanners, UPS

Networking ( Spl. Application) Routers, Hubs

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.18 Saeid Nooshabadi
 A Very Special Application

A FOOTBALL

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.19 Saeid Nooshabadi

 DESIGN ISSUES/CHALLENGES
° CRYSTAL CLEAR PRODUCT SPECIFICATION TO BE DECIDED/GIVEN AND BE
ADHERED TO. THIS INCLUDES H/W AS WELL AS S/W COMPONENTS (PROCESS
TIME).

° SELECTION OF THE PROCESSOR:

• GENERAL PURPOSE ; MICRO PROCESSORS
• APP. SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION SET (ASIP); DSP,N/W PROCESSORS, MICRO
CONTROLLER
• APP. SPECIFIC INTERATED CIRCUIT (ASIC)

° CODE SIZE (COMPACT CODE) – IN RELATION WITH THE PROCESSOR USED.

° LANGUAGE USED:
• ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE ( USEFUL BUT TIME CONSUMING & ERROR
PRONE)
• HIGH LEVEL LANGUAGE (REQUIRES COMPLICATED AND COSTLY TOOLS
AND COMPILER)
• BALANCED DECISSION TO BE TAKEN LOOKING INTO DEVELOPMENT
COST, AVAILABLE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND TIME TO MARKET

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.20 Saeid Nooshabadi

° DIVISION BETWEEN HARDWARE & SOFTWARE COMPONENTS
 DESIGN ISSUES/CHALLENGES (CONT..)

° POWER REQUIREMENT – ONE MAJOR ISSUE IN THIS WORLD

OF MOBILE DEVICES.

° SIZE SPECIFICATION – THIS MAY BE VERY IMPORTANT IN

SOME CRITICAL APPLICATION.

° RELIABILITY – AND COST TO BE INCURRED FOR THAT

(REDUNDANT SYSTEM). VERY APPLICATION SPECIFIC ISSUE.

° BUSINESS PLAN

° DESIGN ENVIRONMENT
• (HOST PROCESSOR / TARGET PROCESSOR)

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.21 Saeid Nooshabadi

 TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Embedded System Life Cycle

Requirement
Analysis

Specification

S/W Architecture
Architectural
Design
H/W Architecture

Component Design

Integration

Top Down Model

Testing Saeid Nooshabadi
EELC2041 lec01-Intro.22
 TOOLS OF THE TRADE
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT TOOL CHAIN FOR EMBEDDED SYSTEM

PRE PROCESSOR
SOURCE
DEVELOPER EDITOR OR
PROG.
MACRO PROCESSOR

CODE TARGET EXPANDED

FOR PROGRAMMER OUTPUT SOURCE CODE
TARGET

OBJECT COMPILER
LOADER EXE FILE LINKER FILE OR ASSEMBLER

ALL THE COMPONENTS MENTIONED IN

RECTANGULAR BOXES – ARE SYSTEM
SOFTWARE Saeid Nooshabadi
EELC2041 lec01-Intro.23
 TOOLS OF THE TRADE
DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT ; HOST & TARGET

C /C++ ASSEMBLY
LANG

CROSS COMPILER CROSS ASSEMBLER

OBJ 1 OBJ n

LOCATOR
THE
ENLARGED
CODE
COMPONENTS
ARE PARTS OF
THE HOST TARGET PROGRAMMER OUT PUT
SYSTEM
EELC2041 lec01-Intro.24 Saeid Nooshabadi
 FUTURE DIRECTIONS
° More and more embedded systems will be full systems
on a single chip (SoC). This implies that the software
and hardware designs will merge.

° As systems on chip become more complex, software

distributed over multiple processors and running over
different memory spaces will become common

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.25 Saeid Nooshabadi

 FUTURE DIRECTIONS….
° Embedded systems will be developed in unusual
applications. Products will be powered and accessed by
RF beams. This will lead to convergence in our real life..

° Existing applications will become far more sophisticated

with standardized user interfaces – such as web
interfaces with XML.

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.26 Saeid Nooshabadi

 FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR
DEVELOPERS

° More and more multi-disciplinary expertise will be

required. For example – biology-chemistry-electronics
and VLSI for bio-sensors.

° Fields of micro-processors, VLSI, communications etc.

would merge for developing embedded systems.

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.27 Saeid Nooshabadi

 °GOOD LUCK
WITH THIS
COURSE

EELC2041 lec01-Intro.28 Saeid Nooshabadi