CS244-Introduction to

Embedded Systems and

Ubiquitous Computing
Instructor: Eli Bozorgzadeh
Computer Science Department
UC Irvine
Winter 2010
Introduction to Embedded Systems
 Suggested Textbooks:
 Embedded System Design, by F. Vahid and Givargis,
Wiley, 2002
 Embedded System Design, by P. Marwedel, Kluwer
Academic, 2003
 Embedded System Design, by Gajski, Abdi, and et. al.,
Springer, 2008
 Other sources
 Lecture notes
 handouts

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Course outline
 Lectures
 Tue-Thu: 9:30-11:00 a.m.
 DBH 130
 Office hours: email me first to make sure I am available!
 Grading policy:
 25%: homework
 25%: Paper presentation
 Each of you presents a paper assigned to you, assignment: around
week 4 and presentation around week 8-9.
 30%: embedded system Example project (week 6-10)
 20%: Exam (late midterm, week 8-9)

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Outline
 What are embedded systems?
 Embedded System Components
 Hardware/software
 Embedded System applications
 Model, languages and tools
 Hardware/software co-design and synthesis
 Reconfigurable Computing
 Real time Operating systems

Copyrighted Material adapted from slides by Peter Marwedel, Frank Vahid,

Tony Givargis, Dan Gajski, and Nikil Dutt
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 What’s an Embedded System?
 Embedded systems =
 information processing systems
embedded into a larger product
 Two types of computing
 Desktop – produced millions/year
 Embedded – billions/year
 Non-Embedded Systems
 PCs, servers, and notebooks
 The future of computing!
 Automobiles, entertainment,
communication, aviation, handheld
devices, military and medical
equipments.

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Embedded Systems
 Devices other than desktop PCs, servers, and
notebooks
 Electricity running through
 Perform something intelligent
 Hardware/software which form a component of a
larger system, but are concealed from user
 Computers camouflaged as non-computers
 The future of computing!

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An Example Embedded System
Digital Camera Block Diagram

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ES: Simplified Block Diagram

actuators

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 Course Outline
Hardware Components
Hardware

si gn )
Concept HW/SW De ut, …
Specification Partitioning Layo
,
e s is
yn th
( S

De
sig
Estimation - (C
om n
pil
Exploration a ti
on
, …)

Software Components Software

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Validation and Evaluation (area, power, performance, …)
Components of Embedded Systems
 Analog Components
 Sensors, Actuators, Controllers, …
 Digital Components
Hardware
 Processor, Coprocessors
 Memories
 Controllers, Buses
 Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC)
 Converters – A2D, D2A, …
 Software
 Application Programs Software
 Exception Handlers

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Hardware Components
 Hardware Components of Embedded
Systems- an example
Memory Controllers Interface

Software
(Application Programs)

Coprocessors Processor

ASIC
Converters

Analog Winter 2010- CS 244

Digital Analog
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Processors
 What is a processor?
 Artifact that computes (runs algorithms)
 Controller and data-path
 General-purpose (GP) processors:
 Variety of computation tasks
 Functional flexibility and low cost at high volumes (maybe)
 Slow and power hungry
 Single-purpose (SP) processors (or ASIC)
 One particular computation task
 Fast and power efficient
 Functional inflexibility and high cost at low volumes (maybe)

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GP/SP Processor Architecture

Status
Data
Input

Data-Path Controller

Control
Data
Output
Control
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General-purpose processors
 Programmable device used in a Controller Datapath
variety of applications Control Register
 Also known as “microprocessor” logic and file
State
 Features register
General
 Program memory IR PC ALU
 General datapath with large register file
and general ALU Program Data
 User benefits memory memory
 Low time-to-market and NRE costs Assembly code
for:
 High flexibility
total = 0
 Examples for i =1 to …

 Pentium, Athlon, PowerPC

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Application-specific IS processors
(ASIPs)
Programmable processor optimized for a
particular class of applications having common Controller Datapath
characteristics Control Registers
 Compromise between general-purpose and logic and
ASIC (custom hardware) State
register
 Features Custom
ALU
 Program memory
IR PC
 Optimized datapath
Data
 Special functional units
Program memory
 Benefits memory
 Some flexibility, good performance, size and Assembly code
power for:

 Examples total = 0
for i =1 to …
 DSPs, Video Signal Processors, Network

Processors,..

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Application-Specific ICs (ASICs)
 Digital circuit designed to execute Controller Datapath

exactly one program Control

logic
index

 coprocessor, hardware accelerator total

State
 Features register +

 Contains only the components needed

Data
to execute a single program memory
 No program memory
 Benefits
 Fast
 Low power
 Small size

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 Application Specific Circuits (ASIC)
Custom-designed circuits
necessary if ultimate speed or
energy efficiency is the goal
and large numbers can be sold.
Approach suffers from long
design times and high costs.

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GP vs. SP Processors
GP: ASIC:
 Programmable controller  Hardwired controller
 Control logic is stored in  No need for program memory
memory and cache
 Fetch/decode overhead  No fetch/decode overhead

 Highly general data-path  Highly tuned data-path

 Typical bit-width (8, 16, 32,  Custom bit-width
64)  Custom arithmetic/logic units
 Complete set of  Custom set of registers
arithmetic/logic units
 Large set of registers  Low NRE/sale-volume
 High NRE/sale-volume

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Storage
 What is a memory?
 Artifact that stores bits
 Storage fabric and access logic
 Write-ability
 Manner and speed a memory can be written
 Storage-permanence
 ability of memory to hold stored bits after they are
written
 Many different types of memories
 Flash, SRAM, DRAM, etc.
 Common to compose memories
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Write-ability
 Ranges of write ability
 High end
 Processor writes to memory simply and quickly
 E.g., RAM
 Middle range
 Processor writes to memory, but slower
 E.g., FLASH, EEPROM
 Lower range
 Special equipment, “programmer”, must be used to write to
memory
 E.g., EPROM, OTP ROM
 Low end
 Bits stored only during fabrication
 E.g., Mask-programmed ROM

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Storage-permanence
 Range of storage permanence
 High end
 Essentially never loses bits
 E.g., mask-programmed ROM
 Middle range
 Holds bits days/months/years after memory’s power source
turned off
 E.g., NVRAM
 Lower range
 Holds bits as long as power supplied to memory
 E.g., SRAM
 Low end
 Begins to lose bits almost immediately after written
 E.g., DRAM

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Memory Types

Mask-programmed ROM In-system programmable

Ideal
Storage-permanence

OTP ROM
EPROM EEPROM Flash
NVRAM
Nonvolatile

SRAM/DRAM

Write-ability

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Communication
 What is a bus?
 An artifact that transfers bits
 Wires, air, or fiber and interface logic
 Associated with a bus, we have:
 Connectivity scheme
 Serial Communication
 Parallel Communication
 Wireless Communication
 Protocol
 Ports
 Timing Diagrams
 Read and write cycles
 Arbitration scheme, error detection/correction, DMA, etc.

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Serial Communication
 A single wire used for data transfer
 One or more additional wires used for control
(but, some protocols may not use additional
control wires)
 Higher throughput for long distance
communication
 Often across processing node
 Lower cost in terms of wires (cable)
 E.g., USB, Ethernet, RS232, I2C, etc.

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Parallel Communication
 Multiple buses used for data transfer
 One or more additional wires used for control
 Higher throughput for short distance
communication
 Data misalignment problem
 Often used within a processing node
 Higher cost in terms of wires (cable)
 E.g., ISA, AMBA, PCI, etc.

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Wireless Communication
 Infrared (IR)
 Electronic wave frequencies just below visible light spectrum
 Diode emits infrared light to generate signal
 Infrared transistor detects signal, conducts when exposed to
infrared light
 Cheap to build
 Need line of sight, limited range
 Radio frequency (RF)
 Electromagnetic wave frequencies in radio spectrum
 Analog circuitry and antenna needed on both sides of
transmission
 Line of sight not needed, transmitter power determines range

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Peripherals
 Perform specific computation task
 Custom single-purpose processors
 Designed by us for a unique task
 Standard single-purpose processors
 “Off-the-shelf”
 pre-designed for a common task

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Timers
 Timers: measure
time intervals
Basic timer
 To generate timed
output events Clk
16-bit up counter 16 Cnt

 To measure input
events Top
 Top: max count Reset
reached
 Range and
resolution

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Counters
 Counter: like a
timer, but counts
pulses on a general Timer/counter

input signal rather Clk

2x1
mux
16-bit up
counter
16 Cnt

than clock Cnt_in Top

 e.g., count cars passing Reset
over a sensor Mode

 Can often configure

device as either a timer or
counter

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Watchdog Timer
 Must reset timer every X time unit, else timer
generates a signal
 Common use: detect failure, self-reset

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UART
 UART: Universal Asynchronous Receiver
Transmitter
 Takes parallel data and transmits serially
 Receives serial data and converts to parallel
 Parity: extra bit for simple error checking
 Start bit, stop bit
 Baud rate
 Signal changes per second
 Bit rate, sometimes different

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Pulse Width Modulator (PWM)
 Generates pulses with specific high/low
times
 Duty cycle: % time high
 Square wave: 50% duty cycle
 Common use: control average voltage
to electric device
 Simpler than DC-DC converter or digital-
analog converter
 DC motor speed, dimmer lights

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LCD
 Liquid Crystal Display
 N rows by M columns
 Controller build into
the LCD module
 Simple
microprocessor
interface using ports
 Software controlled

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Keypad

N1
N2
N3 k_pressed
N4

M1
M2
M3
M4 4
key_code key_code

keypad controller

N=4, M=4

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Stepper Motor Controller
 Stepper motor: rotates fixed number of
degrees when given a “step” signal
 In contrast, DC motor just rotates when power
applied, coasts to stop
 Rotation achieved by applying specific
voltage sequence to coils
 Controller greatly simplifies this

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Analog-to-Digital Converter
Vmax = 7.5V 1111 4 4
7.0V 1110
6.5V 1101 3 3

analog output (V)

analog input (V)
6.0V 1100
5.5V 1011
2 2
5.0V 1010
4.5V 1001
4.0V 1 1
1000
3.5V 0111
3.0V 0110 time time
t1 t2 t3 t4 t1 t2 t3 t4
2.5V 0101
2.0V 0100 0100 1000 0110 0101 0100 1000 0110 0101
1.5V 0011 Digital output Digital input
1.0V 0010
0.5V 0001
0V 0000

proportionality Analog to Digital Digital to Analog

(A/D) (D/A)

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Summary

 Hardware: Information Processing

 Processors
 Memories
 Communication
 Peripherals

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