Essential Electronic Design Automation (EDA)

Embedded Systems

Sam:

Traditionally, they were applications with a computer embedded in the system but invisible to the user. Examples are car engine controllers or cell phones. Embedded system now refers to any system with fixed software on the chip. These systems include both real-time, critical applications, and non-critical, non-real-time applications. As processor speeds have steadily increased, more parts of the job can be done in software. If fixes are needed, software has the advantage of easy modification, compared to expensive IC changes. It is also easier to add features and upgrades in software. Embedded software (resident on the IC) is frequently used to achieve quick TTM.

Nora:

What do you mean by “real-time”?

Real Time

Sam:	Embedded ...