This document provides an introduction to embedded systems, including: - An embedded system is a microprocessor-based system that controls or monitors equipment functions and runs fixed applications. Examples include avionics, automobiles, and telecom. - Embedded systems contain a CPU, memory, I/O controllers, and interfaces like serial, LAN, USB. The CPU can be a microprocessor, microcontroller, or integrated processor. - Development involves a host-target environment, with tools on the host and cross-compilers to produce code for the target system. A debug monitor on the target aids downloading and debugging code.

1. INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
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2. Interlogicx manufactures and supply development Boards and design tools
for rapid product development which include Embedded Microcontroller
boards, FPGA Boards, CPLD Units, DSP Development Boards, Device
Programmers and Interface modules. Interlogicx is one of the
pioneers who provide total custom solutions in the field of Embedded
systems design and VLSI Engineering in India
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Interlogicx - India

3. INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
An embedded system is a microprocessor based system that is built to control or monitor
the functions of equipment, machinery or plant
Unlike a PC, embedded system is not designed to be programmed by an end user.
Embedded system always runs a fixed application
There are wide range of applications for embedded systems. Following are few examples
 Aerospace/Avionics
 Military
 Automobile
 Home Appliances / Home entertainment
 Telecom
 Instrumentation
 Computer peripherals

4. INSIDE EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
CPU
I/O controller
chips
Memory chips
Serial Interface
Digital I/O
Analog I/O
LAN Interface
USB Interface

5. CPU’s
CPUs can be classified into three groups
Microprocessors, Micro controllers, and Integrated processors
Any CPU can be studied by knowing following features of CPU
Clock speed, Address bus size, Data bus size, Register size
Register set, Instruction set, Address spaces, Endian type
Interrupt support, DMA support
Instruction and Data cache
Floating point support
Memory management
Protection features (user/supervisor modes)

6. TYPES OF MEMORY’S
The semiconductor memory can be classified into two types
 Volatile Memory
 Non-volatile memory
Volatile memory
 Static RAM
 Dynamic RAM
Non-volatile memory
 ROM
 EPROM
 EEPROM
 FLASH
 Battery backup RAM

7. I/O INTERFACE
In an embedded system I/O interfaces are responsible for controlling or monitoring
the functionality. Following are the typical interfaces found in an embedded system
Digital Interface
Digital input and output lines
Analog interface
Analog input and output channels
Serial interface
RS-232, RS-422, RS-485
LAN Interface
USB interface
Display Interface
LCD

8. Agility Flexibility RelevanceDEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

9. HOST - TARGET DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
 The distinguishing feature of embedded software development is host-target development
environment
 All the development tools like Editors, compilers and linkers are available on the host machine
 Typical host machines are Windows and Linux workstations where the above development tools are
available
 Application programs will be written on the host, get compiled, linked and get the executable file
 Target systems are the ones where compiled and linked code is executed
 Target systems being a microprocessor based boards does not offer any development environment
themselves, so an host machine is required

10. CROSS COMPILERS
 Another distinguishing feature of embedded software development is cross
compilers
 Cross compilers are the ones, which runs on a machine based on one type of CPU
and produces a machine instructions for a different kind of CPU

11. DOWNLOADING/UPGRADING
Downloading is the process of loading the executable image prepared on the host system
on to a target board
There are various methods to download the code to a target machine. They are:
 Serial ports
 EPROM/FLASH
 Ethernet
 Across a common Bus
 USB

12. DEBUG MONITOR
 Debug monitor is a software that resides in a ROM or EPROM of a target board during the
development process
 When a target board is powered on, the debug monitor program runs and provides facilities for
downloading and debugging the application program
 The debug features provided by the debug monitor are very low level ones
 Once application program is debugged and ready, then the debug monitor could be replaced by the
application program, so that whenever system is powered on, application program runs directly
 In some cases both debug monitor and application program will reside in the ROM. First control
goes to debug monitor which will pass control to the application program

13. DEBUGGING
Two types of debugging is possible
Target based debugging
In target based debugging the target resident debug monitor commands are used for the
debugging
This debugging can be done only assembly level
No symbolic information is available at the target
Host based debugging
In host based debugging, sophisticated debugger will run on the host. This host based
debugger establishes connection with the target based debugger and provides source
level debugging capability with symbolic information

14. DEBUG MONITOR COMMANDS
Following are the typical commands of debug monitor
 Display memory, Modify memory, Disassemble memory, Fill memory, Search
Memory, Move memory
 Display registers, Modify registers
 Display I/O locations, Modify I/O locations
 Download application program, Pass control to the application program, Single
stepping the assembly instructions
 Set break points, Display break points, Clear break point

15. END TO END SOLUTION PROVIDER
rajanikanth.uppara@interlogicx.org
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