Embedded systems The Past Present and the Future

The Past Present and The Future

Srikanth KS

IT professional

Definitions � An embedded system is a computer system with a

dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electrical system, often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts.

� A simpler definition: A small remote controlled toy, electronic control units in automobiles, aircraft and space shuttles.

� Even simpler: Anything which does not have a desktop computer or a laptop computer and used for a specific purpose and does contain a microcontroller

Real Time System

� Does it mean a Really Fast System?

� Does it mean that the correctness is a function of time?

� Mathematically Correctness = f(time)

� Is too early bad and too late also bad?

� Are missed dead lines sometimes not acceptable where as its ok some other times?

� Everything in the world is a real time system where in some cases time t � ∞

So what is a real time system � A real time system reacts to a given stimulus within a

fixed time interval

� Too early is too bad and too late is also too bad.

� Its better not to do it rather than doing it late.

� Example if a missile is launched 10 seconds late, it will miss the target by 30km. Just to appreciate the missile, it takes a parabolic trajectory and follows the laws of nature..

Soft Real time system v/s Hard Real

time system � In a hard real time system, a delay in response can be

really catastrophic and timing is very critical.

� On the other hand a soft real time is quite soft on time.

Embedded v/s Non embedded

Why embedded systems � A computer has a processor which is

general purpose. A processor can be used to run a specific operating system which in turn can host a set of services

� A processor is used in cases where we want to do something general and generic. On the other hand a controller is used for a specific application like controlling the motion of a toy car.

� Imagine a toy car that has a huge computer connected to it to control its motion! Will any one buy it?

The Past

Evolution of embedded systems � Year 1833: Michael Faraday describes the "extraordinary case" of his

discovery of electrical conduction increasing with temperature in silver sulphide crystals

� Year 1874: In the first written description of a semiconductor diode, Ferdinand Braun notes that current flows freely in only one direction at the contact between a metal point and a galena crystal.

� Year 1959: Robert Noyce builds on Jean Hoerni's planar process to patent a monolithic integrated circuit structure that can be manufactured in high volume.

� Year 1974: First general purpose Microprocessor family is announced. It was introduced by a company called Integrated Electronics for a Japanese customer called Busicon. The Japanese customer declined to purchase the chipsets manufactured by Intel. This was later sold by Intel as the first 4 bit processor (Intel 4004)

Evolution of Embedded systems

Where we are heading

Challenges in Embedded Design � In the past most of the systems were driven by

mechanical valves or discrete electronics

� A humble tape recorder which can play for 40 minutes has been replaced by a tiny MP3 player which can play continuously for 12 to 14 hours

The present

Becoming slaves to software � With evolution, the processors are getting cheaper . Many

vendors are providing board support packages and cross compilers

� Free code is available all over the web � Features are increasing day by day. � A mobile phone has changed from a simple connectivity device

to a Make Up Kit � A space mission now has an operating system running and a load

of application programs � Recently a plastic part was printed in space by sending the

drawings to the NASA space station � Heart valves are printed using 3D printers due to non availability

of cadaver donors

How big our code base is

From hundreds to millions

Extremely complex code base leads

to 1. Mariner Bugs Out (1962) Cost: $18.5 million Disaster: The Mariner 1 rocket with a space probe headed for Venus diverted from its intended flight path shortly after launch. Mission Control destroyed the rocket 293 seconds after lift-off.

2. World War III… Almost (1983) Cost: Nearly all of humanity Disaster: The Soviet early warning system falsely indicated the United States had launched five ballistic missiles. Fortunately the Soviet duty officer had a “funny feeling in my gut” and reasoned if the U.S. was really attacking they would launch more than five missiles, so he reported the apparent attack as a false alarm. Cause: A bug in the Soviet software failed to filter out false missile detections caused by sunlight reflecting off cloud-tops.

Bugs continued � Setting the date to 1-Jan-1970 bricks your iPhone

� AT&T Lines Go Dead (1990) � Cost: 75 million phone calls missed, 200 thousand airline reservations lost � Disaster: A single switch at one of AT&T’s 114 switching centres suffered a minor mechanical

problem and shut down the centre. When the centre came back up, it sent a message to other switching centres, which in turn caused them to shut down and brought down the entire AT&T network for 9 hours.

� Cause: A single line of buggy code in a complex software upgrade implemented to speed up calling caused a ripple effect that shut down the network.

� Ariane Rocket Goes Boom (1996) � Cost: $500 million � Disaster: Ariane 5, Europe’s newest unmanned rocket, was intentionally destroyed seconds after

launch on its maiden flight. Also destroyed was its cargo of four scientific satellites to study how the Earth’s magnetic field interacts with solar winds.

� Cause: Shutdown occurred when the guidance computer tried to convert the sideways rocket velocity from 64-bits to a 16-bit format. The number was too big, and an overflow error resulted. When the guidance system shut down, control passed to an identical redundant unit, which also failed because it was running the same algorithm

Need of the hour � Development practices : Embedded software systems

poses an extraordinary challenge to the software engineers due to their complexity functionality represented by states and events; real-time behaviour of events and expected actions; combined software/hardware systems equipped with distributed software, computers, sensors, and actuators; high demands on availability, safety, information security, and interoperability; and long-lived systems in which embedded software is expected to work reliably.

The Evolution of programming

languages � Predominantly around 70-80% people use ‘C’ as a

preferred programming language for embedded systems

� OOP like ‘C++’ and ‘JAVA’ are becoming a new

trend in terms of model based design, for example ASCET (SD)

Design inspection and verification � With increasing complexity, verification and

validation are playing a major role in embedded software lifecycle.

� Many players are venturing into this new market

� Evolution of Orthogonal defect classification

Defect patterns

Risk reduction strategies

New challenge Cyber Era � Most of the devices are now capable of

intercommunicating.

� The security requirements for a huge base of connected devices are distinct on account of low memory foot print, low power consumption, constrained middleware etc.

� Embedded security is a new differentiator for embedded devices.

In vehicle communication – A study

Cyber attacks and its threats � Embedded security is a new differentiated skill in

embedded system.

� Embedded Encryption: Standard symmetric key encryption algorithms like AES , public private key pair using RSA encryption

Types of Cyber attacks

The Future

The future � The Internet of Things is a new thing happening in

the industry

� What is it after all?

� In simple terms it is a connection of edge devices to the internet

� The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical objects—devices, vehicles, buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enables these objects to collect and exchange data.

IoT

IoT at home

Why IoT is a big thing

Where we are heading

About the author Srikanth KS completed his MS from BITS Pilani specialized in software systems .He works in a multi national company as a software engineer responsible for design and development of embedded software. He has been in this industry since 15 years. He has been a part of the journey by working with 8051 microcontrollers and is currently working on 32 bit processors. He has a passion to teach engineering students and to provide them the knowledge that they seldom get in their colleges. All his posts can be found at http://www.slideshare.net/SrikanthKS2 The Author thanks Hari KA for providing a platform http://www.primedin.in/ which can be used for presenting online lectures

Credits � The Author would like to thank all authors who have

contributed directly or indirectly in the preparation of this slide show.

� All information has been taken from the public domain and the author thanks all of them for providing the information.

References � https://en.wikipedia.org : Terms and Definitions

� Trends and Implications in Embedded Systems Development : A TCS White paper

� Real-Time & Embedded Systems Past, Present, and Future : Dr. Doug Locke

� EMBEDDED SOFTWARE: FACTS, FIGURES AND FUTURE Published by the IEEE Computer Society 0018-9162/09/$25.00 © 2009 IEEE

� ASCET–SD – Model based design the present and the future