The Embedded System Design Process: Wolf Text - Chapter 1.3
The Embedded System Design Process: Wolf Text - Chapter 1.3
The Embedded System Design Process: Wolf Text - Chapter 1.3
Process
Wolf Text - Chapter 1.3
Design methodologies
A procedure for designing a system.
Understanding your methodology helps you ensure you
didn’t skip anything.
Compilers, software engineering tools, computer-aided
design (CAD) tools, etc., can be used to:
help automate methodology steps;
keep track of the methodology itself.
Design methodologies for complex
embedded systems?
Levels of design abstraction
Requirements What does the customer want?
name
purpose
inputs
outputs
functions
performance
manufacturing cost
power
physical size/weight
Example: GPS moving map
Moving map obtains
position from GPS, paints
map from local database. I-78
Scotch Road
lat: 40 13 lon: 32 19
GPS moving map requirements
Functionality: For automotive use. Show major roads
and landmarks.
User interface: At least 400 x 600 pixel screen. Three
buttons max. Pop-up menu.
Performance: Map should scroll smoothly. No more
than 1 sec power-up. Lock onto GPS within 15 seconds.
Cost: $200 street price.
Physical size/weight: Should fit in dashboard.
Power consumption: Current draw comparable to
CD player.
GPS moving map requirements form
name GPS moving map
purpose consumer-grade
moving map for driving
inputs power button, two
control buttons
outputs back-lit LCD 400 X 600
functions 5-receiver GPS; three
resolutions; displays
current lat/lon
performance updates screen within
0.25 sec of movement
manufacturing cost $100 cost-of-goods-
sold
power 100 mW
physical size/weight no more than 2” X 6”,
12 oz.
Specification
A more precise description of the system:
“What will the system do?” (functions, data, etc.)
should not imply a particular architecture;
provides input to the architecture design process.
May include functional and non-functional elements.
May be “executable” or may be in mathematical form for
proofs.
Often developed with tools, such as UML
user
map interface
database
GPS moving map hardware architecture
memory
panel I/O
GPS moving map software architecture
user
timer
interface
Designing hardware and software
components
Must spend time architecting the system before you start
coding or designing circuits.
Some components are ready-made, some can be
modified from existing designs, others must be designed
from scratch.
System integration
Put together the components.
Many bugs appear only at this stage.
Interfaces must be well designed
Have a plan for integrating components to uncover bugs
quickly, test as much functionality as early as possible.
Test to each specification
Challenges, etc.
Does it really work?
Is the specification correct?
Does the implementation meet the spec?
How do we test for real-time characteristics?
How do we test on real data?
How do we work on the system?
Observability, controllability?
What is our development platform?
Summary
Embedded systems are all around us.
Chip designers are now system designers.
Must deal with hardware and software.
Today’s applications are complex.
Reference implementations must be optimized, extended.
Platforms present challenges for:
Hardware designers---characterization, optimization.
Software designers---performance/power evaluation,
debugging.
Design methodologies help us manage the design process
and complexity.