Embedded system design

Characteristics of embedded systems

1. Task-Specific Functionality:

Embedded systems are designed to perform a dedicated function or a set of specific functions.

Unlike general-purpose computers, they are not meant to handle a wide range of tasks.

Examples include the control system of a washing machine, a car's engine management system, or a
navigation system in a drone.

2. Real-Time Operation:

Many embedded systems must respond to events in real-time, meaning they need to react within
strict time constraints.

This is crucial for applications where timing is critical, such as controlling an aircraft's flight control
surfaces or managing a robotic arm.

Real-time systems often utilize Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) to manage tasks and ensure
timely responses.

3. Resource Constraints:

Embedded systems often operate under strict limitations on resources like processing power,
memory, and energy consumption.

This is especially true for systems that are battery-powered or designed for compact devices.

Designers need to optimize for efficiency and minimize resource usage.

4. Reliability and Stability:

Embedded systems are often required to operate reliably in harsh environments and under
demanding conditions.

They need to be robust and dependable, as failures can have serious consequences.

This includes factors like temperature tolerance, resistance to vibration, and protection against dust
and moisture.

5. Compact Size:

Many embedded systems are designed to be small and lightweight, fitting into the overall product
they control.

This is particularly important for portable devices, wearable technology, and devices with limited
space.

6. Efficient Software and Firmware:

Embedded systems rely on specialized software, often referred to as firmware, that is tightly
integrated with the hardware.

This firmware is designed to perform the specific functions of the embedded system efficiently and
reliably.
7. Interfacing Capabilities:

Embedded systems need to interact with the physical world through sensors and actuators.

This includes devices that measure physical quantities like temperature, pressure, or light, and
devices that can control physical systems, like motors, valves, or displays.

8. Cost Sensitivity:

Embedded systems are often designed with cost considerations in mind.

The cost of components, manufacturing, and software development needs to be carefully managed
to ensure the final product is affordable.

Implementing Embedded systems

Embedded systems can be implemented using general-purpose processors, customized processors,

Here's a breakdown of the different approaches:

1. General-Purpose Processors (GPPs):

Microcontrollers:

These are widely used in embedded systems due to their integration of processor, memory, and
peripherals on a single chip.

Examples:

ARM Cortex-M series, PIC microcontrollers.

Pros:

Relatively low cost, readily available, and support a wide range of programming languages and
development tools.

Cons:

May not be the most efficient for highly specific tasks, as they are designed for general-purpose
computing.

2. Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs):

Description:

ASICs are designed and manufactured for a specific application, offering optimal performance and
power efficiency.

Examples:

Specialized processors for image processing, audio codecs, or network communication.

High performance, low power consumption, and small size for dedicated tasks.

Cons:

High development cost, long design cycle, and limited flexibility (not easily reconfigurable for other
tasks).

3. Application-Specific Instruction-Set Processors (ASIPs):

Description:

ASIPs are custom processors where the instruction set is tailored to a specific application or domain.

Examples:

Processors with specialized instructions for digital signal processing (DSP) or cryptography.

Pros:

Strike a balance between performance and flexibility, offering better efficiency than GPPs for specific
tasks while remaining more adaptable than ASICs.

Cons:

Requires specialized knowledge for design and implementation, potentially higher development cost
than GPPs, and may not be as optimized as ASICs.

Classification of embedded system

Lower end

Middle level

Higher end

Innovative

Well known-usual

Key design challenges in embedded system design

Embedded system design presents several key challenges, including resource constraints, real-time
performance demands, security vulnerabilities, and the need for efficient power management.
Balancing these factors with cost and time-to-market pressures adds further complexity.

Key Design Challenges:

Resource Constraints:

Embedded systems often operate with limited processing power, memory (RAM and storage), and
bandwidth. This necessitates careful resource management and optimization of both hardware and
software.

Real-Time Performance:
Many embedded applications require deterministic responses and low latency, particularly in safety-
critical systems like automotive or industrial control. Ensuring timely execution of tasks under tight
deadlines is a major challenge.

Security:

Embedded systems, especially those connected to the internet (IoT), are vulnerable to security
breaches. Protecting data, preventing unauthorized access, and ensuring secure communication are
critical concerns.

Power Consumption:

Battery-powered devices and systems with strict power budgets require energy-efficient designs.
Balancing performance with low power consumption is a major design consideration.

Cost and Time-to-Market:

Embedded systems must be designed within specific cost targets and with quick turnaround times to
remain competitive. This often leads to trade-offs in design complexity and functionality.

Complexity and Integration:

Modern embedded systems integrate various hardware and software components, requiring careful
planning for integration and interoperability. Rising complexity also demands more sophisticated
design workflows.

Safety and Reliability:

In applications like medical devices or industrial control, safety and reliability are paramount.
Rigorous testing, fault tolerance, and robust design practices are essential.

Design Limitations:

Embedded systems often have physical limitations in terms of size, weight, and form factor, which
can restrict design choices. Balancing these constraints with performance requirements is a key
challenge.

Scalability and Flexibility:

Designing for scalability and future upgrades is important, especially in the context of evolving
technologies and market demands. Ensuring the system can adapt to changing requirements is
crucial.

Testing and Verification:

Rigorous testing and validation are essential to ensure the system meets all functional and
performance requirements. Specialized testing tools and techniques may be needed.

Firmware Development:

Developing efficient and reliable firmware is a core challenge, requiring expertise in hardware-
software interaction and low-level programming.

Component Selection:

Choosing the right components (microcontrollers, sensors, etc.) that meet performance, power, and
cost requirements is crucial.
Interoperability and Standardization:

Ensuring that embedded systems can communicate and work with other systems, often following
industry standards, is important for broader adoption and functionality.

Sample examples

A Drone system

Key design challenge

Low power

The power can be minimized by using effective motor drive circuits. The CPU can be distributed by
using dedicated processor for dedicated function. A separate processor for flight management and
separate one sensors/applications. The CPU can be made low power by using low voltage logic and
sleep logic. Memory access can be reduced by hardcoding the repeated motot control patterns

Fault tolerant

By having back up systems.

Safe flight landing algorithms

Transmit data to ground instead of storing.

A black box set up

Spare sensors

Spare motors

Light weight

Proper material selection

Board weight selection

Embedded system for heavy industries

1. Reliability and Safety:

Real-time performance:

industry operations require precise and timely responses from embedded systems, especially in
control and protection systems. Ensuring deterministic behavior and meeting strict timing
constraints is crucial to prevent accidents or disruptions.

Fault tolerance:

Embedded systems in industry must be designed to withstand failures and continue operation, or at
least gracefully shut down to prevent cascading failures. Redundancy, error detection, and fault-
tolerant architectures are often necessary.
Harsh environments:

industries often operate in extreme temperatures, humidity, and vibrations. Embedded systems
must be designed to withstand these conditions without degradation in performance or reliability.

2. Power and Resource Constraints:

Power consumption:

Embedded systems in industry may need to operate with limited power, especially in remote
locations or during grid outages. Minimizing power consumption is crucial for efficiency and
reliability.

Heat dissipation:

High-performance embedded systems can generate significant heat, which can be difficult to
manage in confined spaces or extreme environments. Effective heat dissipation strategies are
essential to prevent overheating and component damage.

3. Security:

Cybersecurity threats:

Industries are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks. Embedded systems must be designed with
robust security measures, including secure boot processes, encryption, and intrusion detection
systems.

Lack of standardization:

The lack of globally accepted standards for embedded system security can make it challenging to
develop and deploy secure systems.

4. Obsolescence and Maintainability:

Component availability:

Embedded systems often rely on specific hardware components that may become obsolete over
time. Managing component obsolescence and ensuring long-term availability is a significant
challenge.

Firmware updates and maintenance:

industry systems need to be updated and maintained over long lifecycles. Embedded systems need
to be designed for easy and secure firmware updates, while also considering the potential impact of
updates on system stability.

5. Testing and Validation:

Rigorous testing:

Due to the critical nature of industry operations, embedded systems must undergo extensive testing
and validation to ensure functionality, reliability, and safety.

Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation:

HIL simulation allows engineers to test embedded software under realistic operating conditions,
including various fault scenarios.
6. Development and Integration:

Restricted development environments:

Embedded systems often have limited development tools and environments compared to general-
purpose computing.

Integration with existing systems:

Embedded systems need to be integrated with existing infrastructure and protocols seamlessly.

Addressing these challenges requires a combination of careful design, robust hardware and
software, and a thorough testing and validation process. By carefully considering these factors,
engineers can develop reliable and secure embedded systems that meet the specific needs of power
plants