Why are embedded systems so popular? What makes a smart choice? The answer to this is its characteristics. Choosing an embedded system for a desired operation is a tedious but for sure job. Look towards the quality attributes that the embedded system possess. After analyzing the attributes make sure you pick a suitable system.This a look towards the characteristics of embedded systems.

1. Embedded Systems
Characterstics

2. Contents
• Introduction
• Characteristics of Embedded Systems

3. Introduction
• The chapter gives a brief idea about the characteristics of
an embedded system.

4. Characteristics of Embedded system
1. Application and Domain Specific
2. Reactive and Real time
3. Operation in harsh environment
4. Distributed
5. Small size and weight
6. Power concern

5. Characteristics: Application and Domain Specific
APPLICATION SPECIFIC
• Designed for a specific purpose
only.
• e.g Washing machine
DOMAIN SPECIFIC
• Certain embedded systems are
specific to a domain
• e.g Hearing aid(Domain:Signal
Processing)

6. Characteristics:Reactive and Real time
• Designed to react to the
events occuring in the
environment.
• Use of sensors and
actuators.
• No deadlines for the task.
• e.g. Air conditioner

7. Characteristics:Operation in harsh envrionment
• Designed to operate in harsh environments like-
-High temperature of deserts.
-Very low temperature of the mountains
-Extreme rains, etc.

8. Characteristics:Distributed
• Part of a larger system and
thus form components of a
distributed system.
• Components are independent
of each other but have to
work together.
• e.g. Car

9. Characteristics:Small Size and Weight
• Compact in size and has
light weight.
• More popular than one that
is bulky and heavy.
• e.g.Currently available cell
phones.

10. Characteristics:Power concerns
• Power utilization and heat
dissipation of any embedded
system be low.
• More heat is dissipated-
additional heat sink or
cooling fan installed.
• More power is required-high
power battery accomodated.

11. Quality Attributes of Embedded System
• Attributes that together form the deciding factor about the
quality of an embedded system.
• There are two types of qaulity attributes:
1. Operational quality attributes
2. Non operational attributes

12. Quality Attributes: Operational
• Related to operation of an Embedded system.
1. Response
2. Throughput
3. Reliability
4. Maintainability
5. Security
6. Safety

13. Response
Response
• Quickness
• Key factor in real-time
embedded system.

14. Throughput
Throughput
• Efficiency
• Rate of production/process
of a defined process over a
period of time.
• Measured in terms of
“Benchmark”
• e.g. Card reader
throughput=No.of
transactions done in specific
period of time.

15. Reliability
Reliability
• How much percentage can you
• rely on proper functioning.
• Mean time between failures and mean time between repair.
The average time the system
is functioning before a failure
occurs.
The average time the system
has spent in repairs.

16. Maintainability
Maintainability
• Maintenance to the end
user.
1. Scheduled/Periodic 2. Maintenance to unexpected failure

17. Security
Protection from
unauthorized user.
Protection data from
unauthorized disclosure.
Protection from
unauthorized
modification.

18. 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.
• It is a must to evaluate the
anticipated damage and
determine the best course
of action to bring down the
consequence of damages to
an acceptable level.

19. Summary
• We know how to choose an
embedded system based on
its characteristics.