What are Embedded Systems?

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

INTRODUCTION:

Computing systems are everywhere. It is probably no surprise that millions of computing system are built every year, destined for desktop computers, laptops, servers etc.

What may be surprising is that there are billions of computing systems built for a single purpose; they are embedded within larger electronic devices, performing single function and often going completely unrecognized by the user. These are called EMBEDDED SYSTEMS.

Embedded System

In simple technical language, embedded systems are a combination of software and hardware designed to perform a particular task and having all processing powers of the computers.

Embedded systems are involved almost in every part of modern life, which includes pagers, cell phones, microwave ovans, televisions, CD and DVD players, video games, remote controls, fax machines and digital cameras. In modern automobiles they contains almost 65 embedded microprocessors such tasks as antilock breaking, engine control, climate control, fax machines, audio system control and air bag deployment.

The first embedded system was built for the toys with built in automatic answering. And now its applications include camcorders, microwave oven, modems, and cell phones etc.

Embedded systems have several common characteristics that distinguish such systems from other computing systems.

1.)                Single functioned

2.)                Tightly constrained

3.)                Reactive and real time.

4.)                 

TYPES OF EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

There are basically four general types of embedded systems which are as follows:

1.) General Computing

2.) Control Systems

3.) Signal Processing

4.) Communication and Networking

GENERAL COMPUTING:

In this the applications are similar to that of desktop    computers. But it is in an embedded package. The examples for this type of embedded system are video games, set- top boxes, wearable computers, automatic tellers etc.

CONTROL SYSTEMS:

This type of embedded system consists of closed- loop feedback control of real- time system. The examples for this type of embedded system are vehicle engines, chemical processes, nuclear power, flight control etc.

SIGNAL PROCESSING:

This includes computations involving large data streams and the examples for this type consists radar, sonar, video compression.

COMMUNICATION & NETWORKING:

This type includes the switching and information transmission. The examples for this type include telephone system, internet etc.