What Is an Embedded System?
If you ask a dozen engineers to define embedded system, you'll get a dozen different answers. Most embedded systems perform specific tasks. Let's assume that the simplest embedded system contains input and output capability, as well as control logic. This system performs some type of functionality, based on its configuration. Using these criteria, a discrete logic circuit that contains a 74123 counter that implements control logic with a state machine could be considered an embedded system. You might add that this system needs to be programmable, via software, and stored in the system firmware. This new definition for an embedded system consists of input/output (I/O) and control logic stored in system firmware. A desktop ...
Get Embedded Linux®: Hardware, Software, and Interfacing now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
