Embedded System

Embedded Systems:
An Embedded System is an integrated system which is formed as an
combination of computer hardware and software for a specific function. It can
be said as a dedicated computer system which has been developed for some
particular reason. But it is not our traditional computer system or general
purpose computers, these are the Embedded systems which may work
independently or attached to a larger system to work on few specific functions.
These embedded systems can work without human intervention or with a little
human intervention.

What makes a device an embedded system?

Characteristics:
Embedded systems are designed to do a specific task, unlike general-purpose
computers.
It does not look like a computer - there may not be a full monitor or a keyboard.
Many embedded systems must be able to do things in real-time - in a short
amount of time (almost instantly from a human view).
Many embedded systems must be very safe and reliable, especially for medical
devices or avionics controlling airplanes.
Starts very quickly. People don't want to wait a minute or two for their car to
start or emergency equipment to start.
It may use a special operating system (or sometimes a very small home-made
OS) that helps meet these requirements called a real-time operating system, or
RTOS.

TOPIC: ROUTER
A router is a computer whose software and hardware are designed to move
data between computer networks. Routers make sure traffic between
computers goes where it needs to go. They do this by choosing the shortest
path between the computers using a complicated system of rules called routing
protocols.
Routers generally contain a specialized operating system, RAM, NVRAM, flash
memory, and one or more processors, as well as two or more network
interfaces. They come in a variety of sizes from something you could hold in
your hand to something too large for one person to lift.
it’s simply a computer system designed to carry out a limited number of tasks,
meaning their hardware and software is far more specific than that of a PC.
Four components of a router:
Input ports. The input port performs several functions. It performs the physical
layer functionality (shown in light blue in Figure 4.6-1) of terminating an
incoming physical link to a router. It performs the data link layer functionality
(shown in dark blue) needed to interoperate with the data link layer
functionality (see Chapter 5) on the other side of the incoming link. It also
performs a lookup and forwarding function (shown in red) so that a datagram
forwarded into the switching fabric of the router emerges at the appropriate
output port. Control packets (e.g., packets carrying routing protocol
information such as RIP, OSPF or IGMP) are forwarded from the input port to
the routing processor. In practice, multiple ports are often gathered together
on a single line card within a router.
Switching fabric. The switching fabric connects the router's input ports to its
output ports. This switching fabric is completely contained with the router - a
network inside of a network router!
Output ports. An output port stores the datagrams that have been forwarded
to it through the switching fabric, and then transmits the datagrams on the
outgoing link. The output port thus performs the reverse data link and physical
layer functionality as the input port.
Routing processor. The routing processor executes the routing protocols (e.g.,
the protocols we studied in section 4.4), maintains the routing tables, and
performs network management functions (see chapter 8), within the router.
Since we cover these topics elsewhere in this book, we defer discussion of these
topics to elsewhere.

Working and Purpose:

A router connects devices within a network by forwarding data packets
between them. This data can be sent between devices, or from devices to the
internet. The router does this by assigning a local IP address to each of the
devices on the network. This ensures that the data packets end up in the right
place, rather than getting lost within the network.
Routers connect a modem—like a fiber, cable, or DSL modem—to other devices
to allow communication between those devices and the internet. Most routers,
including wireless routers, usually feature several network ports to connect
numerous devices to the internet simultaneously.
A router typically connects physically, using a network cable, to the modem via
the internet or WAN port and then physically, again through a network cable,
to the network interface card in whatever wired network devices you have. A
wireless router can connect using various wireless standards to devices that
also support the particular standard used.

Imagine this data as a courier package---it needs a delivery address so that it

ends up at the right recipient. Your local computer network is like a suburban
road---just knowing this location within the world at large (i.e. the World Wide
Web) isn't enough.
The package could easily end up at the wrong house with limited information.
Thus, the router makes sure that each location (device) has a unique number so
that the package goes the right address.
If you need to return the data to the sender, or send out your own package,
your router does this job too. While it handles each packet individually, it does
this so quickly that it feels instantaneous---even when multiple devices send out
data at once.
A router essentially acts as a gateway between two networks. It has two main
purposes. First, it makes sure data is directed to the correct destination, such as
an email being sent to the correct Internet provider and recipient. Second, the
router prevents data from going where it is not permitted, such as a large file
being distributed to all machines on a network and crippling network
performance.
Types based on behaviour:
Routers are also often distinguished on the basis of the network in which they
operate.
A router in a local area network (LAN) of a single organisation is called an
interior router.
A router that is operated in the Internet backbone is described as exterior
router.
While a router that connects a LAN with the Internet or a wide area network
(WAN) is called a border router, or gateway router.
Types based on specific purpose:
There are several types of routers in the market.
Broadband Routers.
Wireless Routers.
Core Routers.
Edge Router.

Based on its behaviour:

Real Time Embedded System:

A subcategory of Embedded Systems is the Real Time Embedded Systems. A

Real Time Embedded System is a type of computer system with timing
constraints i.e. a system which responds to external events or input stimuli in a
timely fashion (within finite and specified time).
Further this Real-Time Embedded System is divided into two types i.e.
Soft Real Time Embedded Systems:
In these types of embedded systems time/deadline is not so strictly followed. If
deadline of the task is passed (means the system didn’t give result in the
defined time) still result or output is accepted.
Even if the response isn’t delivered in the deadline (but delivered in acceptable
limit), the result won’t be catastrophic or failure in the system but will cost a
delay in propagation.
Examples for Soft Real Time Systems are Set top boxes, DVD Players, Weather
Monitoring Systems etc.
Hard Real-Time Embedded Systems:
In these types of embedded systems time/deadline of task is strictly followed.
Task must be completed in between time frame (defined time interval)
otherwise result/output may not be accepted.
A Hard Real Time System must produce accurate responses to the events within
specified time period. If either of them are not achieved i.e. if the response isn’t
accurate or if the response isn’t delivered in right time, the result will be
extremely catastrophic, like loss of life.
Examples for Hard Real Time Systems are Flight Control Systems, Missile
Guidance Systems, Weapons Defense System, etc.
Characteristics of a Real Time Embedded System:
There are two important characteristics of any real time embedded system.
They are:
The Real Time Embedded System must generate correct computational
responses to the events (functional constraints) and
The responses or results must be produced within a predefined time (timing
constraints).
Router does contineously perform it task based on real time so it is Real Time
System.
It classified as soft real time and hard real time system based on where it is
used.
Based on Performance and micro-controller:
it is divided into 3 types as follows:
Small Scale Embedded Systems :
Small Scale Embedded Systems are designed using an 8-bit or 16-bit micro-
controller. They can be powered by a battery. The processor uses very
less/limited resources of memory and processing speed. Mainly these systems
does not act as an independent system they act as any component of computer
system but they did not compute and dedicated for a specific task.
Medium Scale Embedded Systems :
Medium Scale Embedded Systems are designed using an 16-bit or 32-bit micro-
controller. These medium Scale Embedded Systems are faster than that of small
Scale Embedded Systems. Integration of hardware and software is complex in
these systems. Java, C, C++ are the programming languages are used to
develop medium scale embedded systems. Different type of software tools like
compiler, debugger, simulator etc are used to develop these type of systems.
Sophisticated or Complex Embedded Systems :
Sophisticated or Complex Embedded Systems are designed using multiple 32-bit
or 64-bit micro-controller. These systems are developed to perform large scale
complex functions. These systems have high hardware and software
complexities. We use both hardware and software components to design final
systems or hardware products.
Routers can be Sophisticated or Complex Embedded Systems are designed
using multiple 32-bit or 64-bit micro-controller.
Routers are computer systems equipped with bootware stored in a non-
volatile memory (usually FLASH or EEPROM – Electrically Erasable
Programmable Read -Only Memory) used to initialize hardware and boot the
operating system.
Routers, use embedded bootloaders. This software boots the processor (and
surrounding devices) and loads the operating system in the memory. The
latter is normally found compressed, together with the bootload, in flash.
Aside from this, typical PC features (such as Power On Self Tests) are also
added. The main advantage of embedded bootloaders is they occupy little
space and boot far more quickly than the average Basic Input Output system
BIOS (PC).