Embedded Operating Systems

1. An embedded system is a computer system that is implanted in and dedicated to the control of a
device.

Sometimes these embedded operating systems are called systems on a chip.

An embedded operating system (OS) is a specialized operating system designed for very specific

functions for controlling an electronic device. Basically, it is a controller that sits within a larger
system in order to perform its function.

Examples of an embedded operating system are

Calculator
Specifically, scientific calculators
Nowadays, calculators have a very high-performance processor and some are even
programmable. It is because of the embedded system, that these scientific calculators have
the ability to perform the complex mathematical functions and are advanced as compared
to simple calculators.

Cars
Cars usually rely on a CPU, and have embedded systems that manage the traction control
system, navigation, stability controls and the airbags.

Digital Camera

Cameras that we use today are smart and have a lot of features that were not present in
early cameras all because of embedded system used in them. Today images are stored and
processed in form of digital data. There is no need of film for storing images. This feature
easily converts into digital form, has increase storage capacity and easily transfers the
stored data.

Home Security System

Home security systems are used largely today. These systems have several features just as
checking for fire or gas leakages, and detecting if someone suspicious tries to enter the
house. The Embedded Operating Systems have the function for controlling such operations
like sensors that gives data and if something wrong happens then safety alarms get
activated.

Automated Teller Machine Or ATM

Is a computerized device for withdrawing money. This machine consists of a card reader
that is used to detect the card of the person and access important information through that
card.
 Through host computer, a network is established between a computer at Bank and ATM.
That’s how this embedded system works

Some of the more popular OSs for embedded systems are Windows Embedded and Proprietary Linux-
Based Systems.

Windows Embedded is a set of technologies that builds on the popularity of Microsoft’s

conventional Windows operating systems for personal computers. A Windows Embedded OS brings
the same kinds of interface design and functionality to a handheld device or other machine that
regular Windows operating systems bring to desktop and laptop computers.

Windows has evolved through many versions from Windows 2000 and Windows XP to recent
versions Windows 8 and 10.

Now, Microsoft is offering Windows Embedded operating systems for various other setups. One is
the Windows Embedded Handheld operating system for smartphones and other handheld devices.
Another Windows Embedded system gets installed in point of service (POS) hardware networks for
retailers. All of these designs bring Windows elements to new kinds of devices that are getting more
use in today’s tech world.

Proprietary Linux-Based Systems

Proprietary is an adjective that describes something owned by a specific company or individual. In

the computing world, proprietary is often used to describe software that is not open source or
freely licensed.

Linux is an operating system distributed under an open source license. 

Linux is one of the most popular and widely used operating system, and it is the backbone of
popular operating systems like Debian, Knoppix, Ubuntu, and Fedora. Being open-source, anyone
with programming knowledge can modify it.

It offers a free operating system. You do not have to shell hundreds of dollars to get the OS like
Windows!

Utility programs, commonly referred to as just "utilities," are software programs that add
functionality to your computer or help your computer perform better. These include antivirus,
backup, disk repair, file management, security, and networking programs. 

Hardware Utilities

Hardware utilities can be used to check the status of all parts of the PC,
including hard disks, memory, modems, speakers, and printers. Disk utilities
check the hard disk’s boot sector, file allocation tables, and directories and
analyze them to ensure that the hard disk is not damaged.

Security Utilities
Computer viruses and malware from the Internet and other sources can be a
nuisance and worse—sometimes completely disabling a computer. Antivirus
and anti-malware utilities can be used to constantly monitor and protect your computer from virus or other malware
Firewall software is another important security utility for protecting a computer
system. Firewall software filters incoming and outgoing packets, making sure
that neither hackers nor their tools are attacking the system. Symantec and McAfee are the most popular providers of
security software.

File-Compression Utilities
File-compression programs can reduce the amount of disk space required to
store a file or reduce the time it takes to transfer a file over the Internet.

A Zip file has a .zip extension, and its contents can be easily unzipped
to the original size. MP3 (Motion Pictures Experts Group-Layer 3) is a popular
file-compression format used to store, transfer, and play music and audio files,
such as podcasts—audio programs that can be downloaded from the Internet.

Spam-Filtering Utilities
Email software and services include spam-filtering utilities to assist users to avoid reeceiving unwanted email or
spam. Email filters identify spam by learning what the user considers spam and routing it to a junk mail folder.

Businesses often invest in additional software to ensure

better protection for enterprise-level email systems where spam containing
viruses is a serious threat. A variety of companies, including Google, offer spam-filtering software that can intercept
dangerousspam as it enters the corporate email system.

Network and Internet Utilities

A broad range of network- and systems-management utility software is available
to monitor hardware and network performance and trigger an alert
when a server is crashing or a network problem occurs.

Server and Mainframe Utilities

Other Utilities

Middleware
Middleware is software that provides messaging services that allow different
applications to communicate and exchange data.