Embedded Systems Architecture programming and design--Chapter 1 Summary

• The embeded system is a sophisticated system consisting of several hardware and software componets,and its design may be serveral times more complex than that of a PC and the programs running on a PC.
• The embeded system processor can be a general-purpose processor chosen from number of families of processors,microcontrollers,embedded processors and digital signal processors(DSPs).Alternatively, an application specific instruction processor(ASIP)may be designed for specific application on a VLSI chip.An ASSP may be additionally used for fast hardwired implementation of a certain part of a certain part of the embeded software.A sophisticated embedded system may use multiprocessor unit also.
• Embedded system embedded (locates)a software image in the ROM. The image mostly consists of the following:(i)Boot up Program.(ii)Initialization data(iii)Strings for an initial screendisplay or system state.(iv)Programs for the multiple tasks that the system performs.(v)RTOS kernel.
•  The embedded system needs a power source and controlled and optimized power-dissipation from the total energy requirement for given hardware and software.The charge pump provides a power-supply-less system in certain embedded system.
• The embedded system needs clock and reset circuits. Use of clock manager is a recent innovation.
• The embded system needs interfaces:IO ports,serial UART and other pots to accept inputs and to send outputs by interacting with the peripherals,display units,keypad or keyboard.
• The embedded system may need bus controllers for networking its buses with other systems.
• The embedded system needs timers and a watchdog timer for the system clock and for realtime program scheduling and control.
• The embedded system needs an interrupt controlling unit.
• The embedded system may need ADC for taking analog input from one or multiple sourcesIt needs DAC using PWM for sending analog putput to motors,speaker,sound systems,etc.
• The embedded system may need an LED or LCD display units,keypad and keyboard,pulse dialer,modem,transmitter,multiplexers and demultiplexers.
• Embedded software is usually made in the high-level languages C or C++ or JAva with certain features added,enabled or disabledfor programming .'C' and C++ also facilitates the incorporation assembly language codes.
• The embedded system most often needs a real-time operating system for real-time programming and scheduling,device drivers,device management and multitasking.
• There are a number of software tools needed in the development and design phase of an embedded system.
• There are a large number of applications and products that employ embedded systems.
• A VLSI chip can embed IPs for the specific applications ,besides the ASIP or a GPP core.A system-on-chip is the latest concept in embedded systems,for example, a mobile phone. A contact-less smart card is one such application.