Embedded Systems

Development

Andy Mehta
November 23, 2009
What are Embedded Systems
• They are Embedded ‘in’
• They are not desktops
• Not mainframes or mini’s
• Automotive- engine, doors, mirrors
• A heating furnace controller- Thermostat
• A mobile phone
• Medical device
• DSP based systems
• Avionics
 Why Use Embedded Systems
• User functionality – portability
• User convenience, comfort - HVAC, Auto,
Appliances, GPS, TV remote, DVR, iPod
• Low power and safety – iron, coffee maker, LED
Lighting
• Commercial/industrial applications
• Complex features to be simplified
• Replace electro-mechanical systems
• Cost reduction
• Quality improvement
 An Embedded System

Microcontroller
Inputs Outputs
(uC)
An Embedded Control System

Inputs
Microcontroller
Outputs
(uC)

Feedback
Microcontroller Manufacturers
• ARM – Advanced RISC Machines
• Atmel
• Cypress- programmable blocks
• Freescale Semiconductor- uC, DSP
• Intel- 8051/8052 cores
• Microchip
• NEC
• Renasas
• Sharp
• ST Microelectronics
• Texas Instruments- uC, DSP
• Many others
 Microcontrollers Spectrum
• $0.15 - $0.20 Far Eastern parts
• A 4-bit 4-pin $0.35 ST part
• Musical gift card uC
• 8-bit 8K flash,1K RAM, 16-I/O
• 8-Bit, 256K flash, 32K RAM, 64-I/O
• 32-Bit, 2M Flash, 64K RAM, TPU
• A high end $50 Marvell processor –
GbE, USB HS

• DSPs
A Low End Microcontroller

Flash
256 x 12

Clock I/O
Microchip (3)
Reset PIC10F200
Watch Input (1)
Dog

RAM
16 Bytes
 PIC10F200 Microcontroller
• 33 12-bit wide instructions
• 2-level deep stack
• 4MHz precision internal clock
• Sleep mode – 100nA
• Internal pull-ups
• 3 Input/Output – direct LED drive
• 8-bit Timer – programmable prescaler
• Options – Comparator, memory
• $0.34/3K, $0.59/1
Microcontroller Functionality
• Core processor - Voltages
• Memory – Flash, RAM, EEPROM, FRAM,
DDR2
• Input/Output – interface voltage
• Timers
• Interrupts
• Serial Communication- SPI, I2C, UART
• USB, CAN-BUS, IR, SD-Cards
• Analog – A/D, DAC, Comparator, Op-amp
A Typical Microcontroller

RAM Flash EEPROM

Clock I/O

Reset Core

Power Timers

Comm Analog
 Power-On Reset Modules
• Internal reset
• Internal and/or external reset
• Programmable threshold voltage
• Programmable duration
• Programmable Osc startup time
• Brown-out condition - programmable
• Hysteresis
• Watchdog timer
Battery Powered Applications
• Sleep mode
• Currents down to 20nA
• All kinds of modes available
• Reduced clock frequencies
• Core options
• Selective peripherals sleep mode
• Wake up modes – clocks, timers, interrupts
• Watchdog timer
A Typical Microcontroller

RAM Flash EEPROM

Clock I/O

Reset Core

Power Timers

Comm Analog
A High End Microcontroller

JTAG NEXUS

2MB Flash 64KB SRAM

64-Ch DMA

32K Cache

32-Ch TPU
Freescale
DSP

(2)
32-Bit MMU
MPC5554

CAN Bus A/D 64-Ch

PLL
(3) 40-Ch I/O

32-Bit External Bus

 Freescale MPC5554 uC
• 132MHz, 416-Pin Plastic BGA
• ECC Flash, SRAM
• Interrupt controller – 286 prioritized leves
• PLL – frequency modulated for EMI
Applications
• Engine control
• Avionics
• Turbine control
Microcontroller Selection Criterion
• Speed of operation, complexity – 8/16/32 Bits
• Cost – HW/SW tradeoffs
• Power consumption - TI, Microchip, Freescale
• Memory Size – Flash, RAM, EEPROM
• # of I/O
• Analog – A/D, DAC, Comparator, Op-amp
• Serial Communication- SPI, I2C, USB, IR, GbE
• Product Family
• Development tools
• Timers – input capture, output compare
• Environmental conditions
 Marvell 88F6281
DDR2 Flash
Ctlr Ctlr

USB 2.0
HS PCI-E
Sheeva Core
1.2 GHz
MPEG 2xTDM
Audio

2xGbE
2xSATA
MAC
Embedded Systems Development
Embedded Systems Development
• System development
• Electronics
• PCB Layout
• Software
• Mechanical
• Product qualification
• DFM – design for manufacturability
 System Development
• Architecture
• Complexity- MIPS required
• Sub-systems interface - Master/slave
• Communication - Networking protocols
• Power budget
• HW/SW tradeoffs
• uC selection
• System tests – regulatory agencies
 Electronics Development
• Design specs
• Design for testability
• uC and components selection
• Worst case analyses
• Schematics – CAD tools, Design rule checks
• Simulations
• Proof of concept, Prototyping
• Design validation
• Product qualification
 Electronics Development Tools
• Schematic capture- Orcad, PADS, Cadence, Mentor
• Analog simulation- pSpice, LTSpice
• Logic Simulation- Orcad, Cadence, Mentor
• VHDL, Verilog

• Worst case analyses- simulations

• Proof of concept, Prototyping- PALs, FPGAs
• DFMEA- UL, agencies approval
• Reliability predictions - MTBF
 ASICs & Programmable Logic
• Application Specific ICs
• PAL, PLD, FPGA- uCs with PLDs
• Gate Arrays
• Standard Cells
• Custom ICs
• Languages- VHDL, Verilog
• Functional simulation
• Timing simulations
• Floor planning
• Back-annotation
 PCB Layout
• CAD tools- Orcad, Protel, PADS, Allegro, Mentor
• Netlist
• # of layers
• Mechanical outline
• 3D fit
• Noise considerations- diff-pair, impedance-matching
• Thermal considerations
• DRC
• Gerber output
• Fabrication
 Real Time
Software Development
 Software Development
• Specs
• Architecture
• SW Design
• Languages – ‘C’, C++, Assembly
• OS’
• Simulations
• Tools – compilers, assemblers, programmers, emulators
• Real time aspects - ISRs
• SW/HW tradeoffs
• System integration
 Real Time Software Development
• Timers

• Interrupts

• Tasks

• Priorities
 Real Time Software
External External
Event Event

Timer 1 Timer n

Micro-
Prioritized Inputs
I/O Controller
Interrupts
Core SW

Task 1

Task 2

Task n
 Real Time Software Development
• Interrupts – ISRs
• ‘C’ v/s Assembly
• Timers – input capture and output compare
• Tasks and priorities
• RTOS’
• Worst case analysis
 Software Development - Tools
• Programmers- development, in-circuit, field

• Emulators- JTAG
• Simulators
• Assemblers
• Compilers
• Linkers
• Loaders
• CASE tools
• Version control
Case Studies
Mobile Phone User Interface
Touch
Screen

Freescale
Radio
68HC05

Power
Battery
Freescale LCD Graphics
Keypad
Dragonball Driver LCD
Inputs
68328
Micro-
Phone

Speaker
 Mobile Phone Development
• 3.5 Months total development time
• Development involved
– HW
– SW- menus, address book
– GUI – electronic ink capture
– Plastics industrial design, proto tooling
– Fonts
– Phone made and received calls
• Project successfully completed
 Postal Mail Sorting Device
Power
Supply

Postal Optical Optical Flash

Mail Freescale
Encoder Isolation RAM
Pieces 68HCxx
PLD

RS232

PC
Application
 Mail Sorter Development
• 6 Months total development time
• Industrial robustness
• Development involved
– HW
– SW- timers
• Project successfully completed
• Product went to production
 eBook

Rechargeable
Battery

PCMCIA
PC/104 Xilinx Graphics
Pentium Video FPGA LCD
Touch Processor
Screen
 eBook
• 6 Months total development time
• Proof of concept
• Development involved
– HW
– FPGA for orthogonal rotation of image
– SW- PC Application
– Industrial design- leather bound covers
• Project successfully completed
• Idea was discarded by the customer
 1GHz Fibre Channel PCI Card
• 3 Months total HW development time
• SAN Storage Area Networking
• 1GHz Fibre Channel Bus
• LSI Logic FC controller
• Technician did the Orcad PCB Layout
• Windows Driver development
 1GHz Fibre Channel PCI Card

Fibre
LSI Logic FC Channel
PCI Bus
Controller Transceiver Bus
Q&A Session
The End.