Chapter 13

Embedded Systems
Embedded Systems
Characteristics of Embedded Operating
Systems

Embedded System
A combination of hardware and software
designed to perform a dedicated function
Often, embedded systems are part of a
larger system or product,
e.g., antilock braking system in a car

Embedded systems are tightly coupled to

their environment imposes real-time
constraints by the need to interact with the
environment
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Examples of
Embedded Devices

Differences from
typical computer
A variety of interfaces
enable the system to measure, manipulate, and
interact with the external environment
human interface may be as simple as a flashing light
or as complicated as real-time robotic vision

Use of a diagnostic port for diagnosing the

system
Use of special purpose hardware to increase
performance or safety
Fixed-function or application-specific software
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Roadmap
Embedded Systems
Characteristics of Embedded Operating
Systems

Characteristics of
Embedded OS
Using a general-purpose OS for an
embedded system may not be possible
constraint of memory space
constraint of power consumption
real-time requirements

Special-purpose OS designed for the

embedded system environment is
commonly used.
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Characteristics of
Embedded OS
Real-time operation
correctness of computation depends, in part,
on the time at which result is delivered

Reactive operation
needs to consider worst-case conditions in
execution in order to respond to external
events that do not occur at predictable
intervals
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Characteristics of
Embedded OS
Configurability
supports flexible configuration so that only the
functionality needed for a specific application
and hardware suite is provided
e.g., allows to select only the necessary OS
modules to load

I/O device flexibility

handles devices by using special tasks instead
of integrating their drives into the OS kernel
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Characteristics of
Embedded OS
Streamlined protection mechanisms
requires limited protection because tested
software can be assumed to be reliable
e.g., I/O instructions need not be privileged
instructions that trap to OS tasks can
directly perform their own I/O
no use of an OS service call avoid
overhead for saving and restoring the task
context
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Characteristics of
Embedded OS
Direct use of interrupts
permits user process to use interrupts directly
no need to go through OS interrupt service
routines
have efficient control over a variety of devices

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Developing an
Embedded OS
Two general approaches
Take an existing OS and adapt it for
embedded purposes
Design a purpose-built OS solely for
embedded use

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Adapting an
Existing OS
Examples include Windows, Linux
familiar interfaces facilitate portability
slower and less predictable than special
purpose embedded OS
not optimized for real-time and embedded
applications require considerable
modification to achieve adequate performance
optimizes for the average case rather than the worst
case for scheduling
assigns resources on demand
ignores semantic information about an application
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Adapting an
Existing OS
Need to add
real-time capability
streamlining operation
other specialized and necessary functionality
for the given device

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Purpose-Built
Embedded OS
Most OS are designed from the ground up
for embedded applications
Typical characteristics include:
Has thread switch (fast and lightweight)
Real time scheduling policy
Small size
Responds to external interrupts quickly (<10 s)
Minimizes intervals during which interrupts are
disabled
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Purpose-Built
Embedded OS
Typical characteristics include:
Provides fixed or variable sized partitions for
memory management and the ability to lock
code and data in memory
Provides special sequential files that can
accumulate data at a fast rate

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Purpose-Built
Embedded OS
To deal with timing constraints, the kernel:
provides bounded execution time for
primitives
maintains a real-time clock
provides for special alarms and timeouts
supports real-time queuing disciplines, e.g.,
EDF (earliest deadline first)
provides primitives to delay processing and to
suspend/resume execution
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