B.

Tech III Year II Sem Department of Information Technology

INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
UNIT – I: INTRODUCTION TO EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
S.NO. QUESTIONS MARKS CO PO BTL
a) Define “Time-to-market”. 2 1 1 1
What is the quality attribute “Portability” in the embedded system
b) 3 1 1 1
1. design context?
Explain the various purposes of embedded systems with illustrative
c) 10 1 2 2
examples.
a) List the characteristics of an embedded system. 2 1 1 1
How an embedded system is different from a general purpose
b) 3 1 2 2
computer.
2. Describe the major application areas of embedded systems with the
c) 5 1 2 2
examples in each area.
d) Compare application-specific and domain-specific embedded system. 5 1 1 1
a) Define Embedded System. 2 1 1 1
b) What is mean time between failure and mean time to repair terms? 3 1 1 1
3. Explain Quality Attribute in the embedded system development
c) context? What are the different Quality Attributes to be considered in 10 1 2 2
an embedded system design?
a) Give few examples of embedded systems. 2 1 1 1
b) What are the data processing and monitoring systems 3 1 1 1
What is non-operational quality attribute? Explain the important non-
4. c) operational quality attributes to be considered in any embedded 5 1 2 2
system design.
Explain the classification of embedded systems based on different
d) 5 1 2 2
criteria in detail and give an example for each.
a) What are large scale embedded systems 2 1 1 1
b) What are data collection/storage embedded systems 3 1 1 1
What is operational quality attribute? Explain the important
5. c) operational quality attributes to be considered in any embedded 5 1 2 2
system design.
d) Explain about the history of Embedded Systems. 5 1 2 2
a) What is throughput 2 1 1 1
b) What is testability and debug-ability 3 1 1 1
6. c) Describe the characteristics of an embedded system in detail. 5 1 2 2
Compare an embedded system and a general purpose computer in
d) 5 1 2 2
detail.
Discuss the generational changes and evolvements of embedded
a) 5 1 2 2
system
7. Write the classification history of embedded systems based on
b) 5 1 2 2
applications.
Explain the quality attribute Portability and Reliability in embedded
a) 5 1 2 2
system design context.
8. Explain the quality attribute Throughput in the embedded system
b) 5 1 2 2
design context.

Vikas Kumar Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Dept. of ECE, VITS

 UNIT – II: THE TYPICAL EMBEDDED SYSTEM
S.NO. QUESTIONS MARKS CO PO BTL
a) Define microcontroller. 2 2 1 1
Differentiate between general purpose processor and application
b) 3 2 1 1
1. specific instruction processor.
Write about the different General Purpose and Domain Specific
c) 10 2 2 2
Processors used in Embedded applications.
a) What is the use of reset circuit in an embedded system? 2 2 1 1
b) Write a short note on COTS. 3 2 2 1
Discuss the application of a sensor and actuator in embedded
2. c) 5 2 2 2
system
Explain the reset circuit and the brown-out protection circuit used
d) 5 2 1 3
in embedded design
a) What is actuator? 2 2 1 1
b) Briefly explain Brown-out protection circuit. 3 2 1 1
3. Describe about the Communication interface requirement and
c) discuss the On-board and external communication Interfaces used 10 2 2 2
in embedded applications.
a) State the basic difference between the SRAM and DRAM 2 2 1 1
b) Explain the I/O types in the world of embedded systems 3 2 1 2
4. Mention about embedded processors and processor types used
c) 5 2 2 2
in embedded systems.
d) Describe about the memory selection for embedded systems. 5 2 2 2
a) What is the role of ASIC in Embedded System design? 2 2 1 1
What is the difference between real time clock and watchdog
b) 3 2 1 1
5. time.
What is a sensor? Explain its role in embedded system design.
c) 10 2 2 3
Illustrate with examples.
a) State the basic difference between the RAM and ROM 2 2 1 1
b) What are the considerations for processor selection? 3 2 1 1
Explain about the different types of memory used in embedded
6. c) 5 2 2 2
system applications
Conclude about Wifi and Zigbee external communication
d) 5 2 2 1
interfaces.
a) What is COTS? Explain its functions. 5 2 2 2
7. Explain about the onboard and external communication interfaces
b) 5 2 2 2
in ES.
Write a short note on the oscillator unit and the real time clock in
a) 5 2 2 2
ES.
8. Interpret memory allocation and memory management
b) 5 2 2 3
strategies for embedded systems.

Vikas Kumar Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Dept. of ECE, VITS

 UNIT – III: EMBEDDED FIRMWARE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
S.NO. QUESTIONS MARKS CO PO BTL
a) What is firmware? 2 3 1 1
List the various methods available for developing the embedded
b) 3 3 1 1
firmware.
1. c) What are the merits and drawbacks of „recursion’? 5 3 2 1
Explain the limitation and drawbacks of „Assembly Language‟
d) 5 3 1 2
based embedded firmware design.
a) What is a linker? 2 3 1 1
b) What is super loop approach? 3 3 2 1
What are pseudo-ops? What is the use of it in assembly
2. c) 5 3 2 2
language programming
List and explain the advantages of assembly language based
d) 5 3 1 2
embedded firmware development.
a) What is a macro in embedded C programming? 2 3 1 1
b) Explain the format of assembly language instruction. 3 3 1 2
3. Explain the structure in embedded C programming context.
c) 10 3 2 2
Explain the significance of structure over normal variables
What is the significance of NULL pointer in embedded C
a) 2 3 1 1
programming?
What is Interrupt Vector address and Interrupt Service routine
b) 3 3 1 1
(ISR)?
4. Explain the difference between super loop based and OS based
c) 5 3 2 2
embedded firmware design
Conclude any one of the embedded firmware design approaches
d) 5 3 2 2
in detail.
a) List few embedded firmware development languages. 2 3 1 1
b) Explain the library function malloc() and calloc(). 3 3 1 1
5. Discuss the Embedded Firmware design approaches and
c) development languages used for driving applications in real 10 3 2 2
practice.
a) What are pre processor directives in Embedded C? 2 3 1 1
b) What is a „reentrant’ function? 3 3 1 1
6. What is the need of an embedded firmware? Briefly explain the
c) 5 3 2 2
embedded firmware development languages.
d) Explain the concepts of C versus embedded C? 5 3 2 2

Vikas Kumar Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Dept. of ECE, VITS

 UNIT – IV: RTOS BASED EMBEDDED SYSTEM DESIGN
S.NO. QUESTIONS MARKS CO PO BTL
a) What is an Operating system? What are its primary functions? 2 4 1 1
b) How multiple threads of a process co-operate? 3 4 1 1
1. c) Explain the concept of Real Time operating system. 5 4 2 2
d) Explain about the Multiprocessing and Multitasking. 5 4 1 2
a) What are the considerations to choose an RTOS? 2 4 1 1
b) What is the function of timer in RTOS? 3 4 2 1
Explain Task communication issues and Task synchronization
2. c) 5 4 2 2
techniques.
Explain message passing technique for inter process
d) 5 4 1 2
communication in detail.
a) What is context switching? 2 4 1 1
b) What is process life cycle? 3 4 1 1
3. Describe how the different Tasks, Processes and Threads are
c) 10 4 2 2
handled by an embedded operating system.
a) What is a thread in operating systems context? 2 4 1 1
b) Explain the terms context saving and context retrieval? 3 4 1 1
4. c) What is task control block (TCB)? Explain the structure of TCB 5 4 2 2
Compare multi tasking and multi processing approaches with
d) 5 4 2 2
their types.
a) What is semaphore? 2 4 1 1
What is the difference between user level and kernel level
5. b) 3 4 1 1
thread?
c) Explain about the function of Semaphore in RTOS 10 4 2 2
a) Define Coffman conditions. 2 4 1 1
b) What is inter process communication? 3 4 1 1
6. Explain the different multitasking models in the operating
c) 5 4 2 2
system context.
d) Explain the concept of Shared memory in task communication. 5 4 2 2
Write the basic design principles when using an RTOS to
7. a) 10 4 2 1
design of sample RTOS
a) Explain about message queues and mail boxes with neat sketch 5 4 2 2
8. b) Explain the task communication techniques. 5 4 2 2

Vikas Kumar Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Dept. of ECE, VITS

 UNIT – V: INTEGRATION AND TESTING OF EMBEDDED HARDWARE AND FIRMWARE
AND
THE EMBEDDED SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
S.NO. QUESTIONS MARKS CO PO BTL
a) What is a decompiler? 2 5 1 1
b) What are the advantages of simulator based debugging? 3 5 1 1
Explain various elements of an embedded system development
1. c) 5 5 2 2
environment.
Describe the role of simulator and emulator in the embedded
d) 5 5 1 2
system development.
a) What is a Map file? 2 5 1 1
b) What is a Monitor Program? 3 5 2 1
Explain the firmware embedding process for OS based
2. c) 5 5 2 2
embedded products.
What is the difference between In System Programming (ISP)
d) 5 5 1 1
and In-Application Programming (IAP)?
a) What is a List file? 2 5 1 1
b) What are the limitations of simulator based debugging? 3 5 1 1
3. Write a note on the Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
c) and explain the role of IDE for embedded software 10 5 2 2
development.
a) What is a HEX file? 2 5 1 1
b) What is ROM emulation? 3 5 1 1
4. c) Explain the major drawbacks of out-of-circuit programming 5 5 2 1
d) Explain Boundary Scan based hardware debugging in detail. 5 5 2 2
a) What is an Object file? 2 5 1 2
What is the difference between an assembler and a
b) 3 5 1 1
disassembler?
5. Write short notes on:
c) i. Translation Tools 5 5 2 2
ii. Debugging Tools
d) Explain In Circuit Emulator (ICE) based debugging in detail. 5 5 1 2
a) What is a simulator? 2 5 1 1
State the difference between Intel HEX and Motorola HEX file
b) 3 5 1 1
formats.
6. c) Explain On Chip Debugging (OCD). 5 5 2 2
What are the different files generated during the cross-
d) 5 5 2 2
compilation of an embedded C file? Explain them in detail.
Mention about the Simulators, Emulators and Debugging used in
7. a) 10 5 2 2
Embedded System.
Explain the different techniques for embedding the firmware
a) 5 5 2 2
8. into the target board for non-OS based embedded system.
b) What is the difference between a simulator and an emulator? 5 5 1 2

Vikas Kumar Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Dept. of ECE, VITS