CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION

M. Jiménez, R. Palomera, & I. Couvertier

INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Lecture

Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430 Slides
Series

© M. Jiménez et al. 2014

 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

OUTLINE

Embedded Systems: History and Overview

Structure of an Embedded

Classification of Embedded Systems

The Life Cycle of Embedded Designs

Design Constraints

© 2014 by M. Jiménez, R. Palomera, & I. Couvertier Chapter 1: 2

 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

• Early Forms of
Embedded Systems
1.1 EMBEDDED • Birth and Evolution
of Modern
SYSTEMS: HISTORY & Embedded Systems

OVERVIEW • Contemporary
Embedded Systems

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

WHAT IS AN EMBEDDED SYSTEM?

Definition
 An electronic systems containing tightly coupled hardware
and software components

Characteristics
 Perform a single function
 Form part of a larger system
 Not intended to be independently programmable by the user
 Are expected to work with minimal or no human interaction
 Reactive, real-time operation
 Tightly constrained

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

EARLY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

 Early Computers  First Embedded System

 Similar to an ESYS  The Apollo Guidance
 Single functioned Computer (AGC)
 Not user programmable  Guidance & Navigation
 Unlike today’s ESYS  CPU + MEM + I/O
 Large and power thirsty  Low-power mode
 Not integrated  AGC Assembly Programmed

Fig. 1.1: Control panel and paper tape transport Fig. 1.2: AGC user interface module
view of a Colossus Mark II computer (Public (Public photo EC96-43408-1 by NASA)
image by the British Public Record Office, London)
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

MODERN EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

Born with the Microprocessor

 TMS1000: The first microcontroller
 Intel 4004: The first commercial microprocessor
 US Navy CADC: High-performance embedded system

Fig. 1.3: Die microphotograph (left) Fig. 1.4: Die microphotograph (left) and
packaged part for the TMS1000 (Courtesy packaged part for the Intel 4004
of Texas Instruments, Inc.) (Courtesy of Intel Corporation)

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

TODAY’S MCU MARKET

 Plenty of Vendors  Plenty of Sizes

 TI (MSP430)  4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, and 64-bit
 Microchip (PIC)  CISC Vs. RISC
 Intel (8051, 80x86)  Harvard Vs. vonNeumann
 Freescale (HC11, HC08)  Wide Market
 ARM Limited (ARM7)  Over 6 Billion chips per year
 Atmel (ATmega)  Over $50 billion sales

Fig. 1.5: Estimates of processor

market distribution (Source:
Embedded Systems Design —
www.embedded.com)

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

CONTEMPORARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

 System Components
 Power management
 Video processing
 Audio processing
 Communications
 User interfaces
 Dedicated ASICs
 Memory management
 Storage

 Multi-embedding
 Most components are
embedded system by
themselves
 System integration
Fig. 1.6 Generic multi-function media player.
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

• Hardware
Components
1.2 STRUCTURE OF AN • Software
EMBEDDED SYSTEM Components

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

EMBEDDED SYSTEM STRUCTURE

 Hardware Components:
Electronics Infrastructure
 CPU
 Memory
 I/O Subsystem

 Software Components:
System Functionality
 Firmware
 Operating System
 Application Programs

Fig. 1.7: General view of an embedded system

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

HARDWARE COMPONENTS

 Central Processing Unit

 Registers, ALU, CU

 Memory
 Program Memory
 Data Memory

 I/O Devices
 Communication ports
 User Interfaces
 Sensors & actuators
 Diagnostics support
 System controllers
 Power management
 Specialized ASICs Fig. 1.8: Hardware elements in an embedded system

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

SOFTWARE COMPONENTS

 System Tasks
 Actions making use of
system resources

 System Kernel
 Manages system resources
 Coordinates task services

 Services
 Routines performing specific
tasks

Fig. 1.9: Software structure in an

embedded system
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

1.3 A CLASSIFICATION • Small

OF EMBEDDED • Distributed

SYSTEMS • High-performance

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

A CLASSIFICATION OF EMBEDDED

 Small  High-performance
 MCU-based, low component  Dedicated board-level
count hardware
 Large volume  Task intensive, RTOS-based
 Single tasked  Low-volume, high cost
 Low-cost, maintenance free  High maintenance

 Distributed
 Multi-chip, board-level
 Multi-tasked
 Medium volume & cost
 Maintainable, upgradeable
Fig. 1.10 A classification of embedded systems

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

• Birth
• Design
1.4 THE LIFE CYCLE OF • Growth

EMBEDDED DESIGNS • Maturity

• Decline

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

EMBEDDED DESIGN LIFE CYCLE

 Birth
 Need & opportunity
 Specifications
 Design
 Proof-of-concept
 Manufacturing design
 Growth
 Production & deployment
 Maturity
 Maintenance & upgrade
 Decline Fig. 1.11: Life cycle of an embedded design
 System disposal
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

DESIGN ENDURANCE

Embedded Design Goal

 Design must successfully complete all pertinent stages
 Not all designs go through all stages

Plan for Each Stage

 Designer’s vision and planning needed for success
 Good designs do not happen by chance

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

• Functionality
• Cost
• Performance
1.5 DESIGN • Power and Energy

CONSTRAINTS • Time-to-Market
• Reliability and
Maintainability

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

DESIGN CONSTRAINTS
 Functionality
 System ability to perform the function it was designed for (REQ)
 Cost
 Amount of resources needed to conceive, design, and produce an
embedded system
 Performance
 System ability to perform its function in time.
 Affected by both HW & SW factors
 Size
 Physical space taken by a system solution.
 Power and Energy
 Energy required by a system to perform its function.
 Time to Market
 The time it takes from system conception to deployment.
 Maintainability
 System ability to be kept functional during its mature life.
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

FUNCTIONALIT Y (1/2)

 Functional verification is a
difficult task
 Can consume up to 70% of
development time
 Verification Methods
 Simulation Techniques MSP430 FET Tool
Courtesy of Texas Instruments Inc.
 Behavioral (HDL-based)
 Logic (Circuit Modeling)
 Processor (Software)
 JTAG Debugger
 Hardware supported through
dedicated ports
 Used also for testing
(boundary scan test) PIC In-circuit Debugger
 Cost effective Courtesy of Microchip Corporation

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

FUNCTIONALIT Y (2/2)

 In-Circuit Emulators
 Replace MCU in target
system
 A powerful debugger
 Expensive
 ROM Monitors
 Monitor functions in ROM 68HC11 In-circuit Emulator
 Status sent via serial port Courtesy of Nohau Systems

ICE Test Pod

Courtesy of Signum Systems

8051 In-circuit Emulator 8086 In-circuit Emulator

Courtesy of Signum Systems Courtesy of Nohau Systems

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

SYSTEM COST

 The cost of a given Volume (V) of units:

CT  NRE  ( RP V ) 
CT NRE
UC    RP
V V
 NRE = Non-Recurrent Engineering costs (Fixed)
 Investment to complete all design aspects
 Very large and independent of volume in CT
 Include man-hours, infrastructure, and R&D
 RP = Recurrent Production costs (Variable)
 Expenses in producing each unit of a given volume
 Small but affected by V in CT
 Include components, boards, packages, and testing

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

COTS-BASED NRE COSTS

 Commercial off-the-shelf
parts-based design
 Traditional methodology for
Embedded Systems
 Minimizes Hardware costs
 Increases design &
verification costs

 NREs in UC are diluted by

a large production volume

 Balance between
technology choice and
Fig. 1.12 Embedded systems design
production volume flow model based on COTS parts

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

PERFORMANCE: HW FACTORS

Clock Frequency
 System clock speed: not an absolute performance metric
Architecture
 Determines how clock cycles are used
Component Speed
 Response time and access time
Handshaking
 Signalization required to complete a transaction
Low-power Modes
 Wake-up times might affect application speed
High speed is expensive!!!
 Use it wisely
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

PERFORMANCE: SW FACTORS

Algorithm Complexity
 Steps and resources needed to complete a task
Task Scheduling
 Affects waiting time in multitasking system
Inter-task Communication
 Time taken by tasks to exchange information
Level of Parallelism
 Software usage of system hardware resources

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

POWER & ENERGY (1/2)

Critical Parameter
 A long chain of design events depend on it
System reliability
 Stress, noise, and heat
Cooling Costs
 High power = lot of heat to remove
Power Supply Requirements
 Larger batteries of power supply
Size, Weight, and Form
 Mechanical system parameters affected by heat density

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

POWER & ENERGY (2/2)

Environmental Impact of Embedded Systems

 Average individual uses 60 microprocessors per day
 Household electronics accounts for 11% of all energy
consumed in the USA
 147,000,000,000 KWh (147TWh) per year
 Excludes digital TVs and 2%
12%
Analog TV

large appliances 4%
35%
PCs and Monitors

6% Cable, Satellite & Video

 Excludes industry, Audio Products

schools, hospitals, etc Telephone Devices

20%
 Trend continues to grow… Video Games

Is there a limit? 21%

Other

Household Energy Usage in the US (2006)

Fig. 1.13 Distribution of U.S. residential consumer electronics (CE) energy consumption in one
year (Source Consumer Electronics Association)
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

TIPS FOR LOW-POWER DESIGNS

Use low-power MCUs and Peripherals

 Activate CPU standby and sleep modes
 Let peripherals do the work while the CPU is off
Stop the Energy Waste
 Turn off unused peripherals
Write power efficient code
 Every wasted CPU cycle is energy
that will never come back
Use power management techniques
 Power and clock gating plus efficient
coding techniques

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

TIME-TO-MARKET (1/2)

Critical Constraint for Applications with a Narrow

Market Window (W)

Fig. 1.14 Typical revenue-time curve for embedded products, denoting the
time-to-market and market window
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

TIME-TO-MARKET (2/2)

A Moderate Market Entry Delay Could Cause a Large

Loss of Revenue
D3W  D 
Revenues ($)
L%  2
100%
2W
Peak on-time Revenue
R max
Loss of Revenue

(1-D/W)R max
Assume:
Delayed Revenues
• 2W = 24 months
• D = 4 months
Estimated Revenue
D Time (months)
Extended Time-to-market Loss:
System W
Conception Sales Life (2W)
• L% = 50%
Fig. 1.15 Linear revenue model with a delayed system deployment
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

MAINTAINABILIT Y
 Maintenance enables  Four maintenance
reliable system operation dimensions
throughout entire useful life  Corrective: Fixes faults
 Adaptive: Copes with a
 Relevance of maintenance changing environment
depends on application  Perfective: Adds enhancements
 Expected lifespan  Preventive: Anticipates events
 Application criticality

 Maintainability is a design
requirement
 Must be included among
system specifications

 Must consider both aspects:

 Hardware Maintenance
 Software Maintenance Fig. 1.16 The four actions supporting system
maintainability
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

HARDWARE MAINTENANCE ISSUES

Increased NREs
 Design overhead to support HW maintenance
Time-to-market Impact
 Additional development time
Increases Recurrent Cost
 More components in system
Component Obsolescence
 Limit system useful life span

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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE ISSUES

 Hardware Constraints
 Stringent HW constraints leave little room for support functions
 Cost of Verification
 Undiscovered software bugs become maintenance headaches
 Inadequate Code Documentation
 Meaningful and up-to-date
 Technology Changes
 Compatibility with tool newer versions
 Ripple Effect of Changes
 Identifying effect down the code
 Qualified Personnel
 Everybody wants to design
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 INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430

END OF CHAPTER 1 SLIDES

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