Getting Started with

Zephyr RTOS

Jacob Beningo Mohammed Billoo

www.embeddedonlineconference.com
 Simplifying Concepts, Delivering Success℠ 2

THE SPEAKER Beningo Embedded Group

CEO & Founder
Focus: Embedded Software Consulting and Training

Specializes in the design of real-time,

microcontroller based embedded software.

Blogs for Embedded.com, DesignNews.com, etc,

focused on embedded system design techniques
and challenges.
Visit www.beningo.com to learn more …

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0 Session Goals

“Without a defined path, every path is aimless”

- Unknown
 AGENDA

Introducing The Zephyr

1 Project 4 “Hello World!” Example

2 Zephyr RTOS Fundamentals 5 Advanced Topics

3 Zephyr Application Model 6 Going Further

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1 Introducing the Zephyr Project
 Introducing the Zephyr Project
An open-source RTOS (Apache 2.0)

• Linux Foundation supported

• Built with safety and security in mind
• Lightweight kernel with supporting services
• Connectivity stacks like Wi-Fi, BLE, USB, MQTT, etc
• Developer Friendly
• Logging, tracing, built-in-shell, Windows/Linux/macOS
• Ships with SBOMs (Software Bill of Materials)
• Supports more than 500 boards

Additional Resources: Zephyr Project Overview Document

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 Introducing the Zephyr Project
Zephyr RTOS Architecture

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 Introducing the Zephyr Project
Zephyr APIs

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 Introducing the Zephyr Project
POSIX API’s

POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface for Unix) is a set

of standards that define the API (Application Programming
Interface) for Unix-like operating systems

API Set Description / Use

pthread_create() Create a thread
pthread_mutex_lock() Lock a shared resource
pthread_cond_wait() Wait on a condition
sem_post() Give a semaphore token
open() Open a file
etc Other POSIX APIs

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 Introducing the Zephyr Project
Zephyr Kernel APIs

API Set Description / Use

Threads Creating, scheduling, and deleting independent
executable threads of instructions
Scheduling Idle, sleep, yield
Workqueue Threads Uses a dedicated thread to process work items in
a first in, first out manner
Interrupts Multi-level interrupt handling
Semaphores Implements a traditional counting semaphore.
Mutexes Implements a traditional reentrant mutex
Events Implements traditional events

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 2 Zephyr RTOS Fundamentals

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 Zephyr RTOS Fundamentals
Tasks, Threads, and Processes

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 Zephyr RTOS Fundamentals
Thread States

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 Zephyr RTOS Fundamentals
Thread Creation

#define MY_STACK_SIZE (500U)

TBD
•#define MY_PRIORITY (5U)

extern void Thread_LedBlinky(void *, void *, void *);

K_THREAD_STACK_DEFINE(my_stack_area, MY_STACK_SIZE);

Stack Definitions
struct k_thread my_thread_data;

k_tid_t my_tid = k_thread_create(&my_thread_data, my_stack_area,

K_THREAD_STACK_SIZEOF(my_stack_area),

my_entry_point, NULL, NULL, NULL,

MY_PRIORITY, 0, K_NO_WAIT);

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 Zephyr RTOS Fundamentals
Thread Creation

K_THREAD_DEFINE(name, stack_size, entry, p1, p2, p3, prio,

options, delay)
#define MY_STACK_SIZE (500U)
#define MY_PRIORITY (5U)

extern void Thread_LedBlinky(void *, void *, void *);

K_THREAD_DEFINE(my_tid, // Name of the thread (not dev defined!)

MY_STACK_SIZE, // Stack size in bytes
Thread_LedBlinky, // Thread Entry Function
NULL, NULL, NULL, // Custom parameters
MY_PRIORITY, // Thread Priority
0, // Thread Options
0); // Start scheduling delay

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 Zephyr RTOS Fundamentals
Semaphores

A semaphore is used to synchronize application behavior between

• An ISR and a task
• One task to another task
• Occasionally are used to protect a shared resource but this is not their
primary purpose (Not Recommended)

// Define a semaphore void consumer_thread(void){

struct k_sem my_sem; ...
k_sem_init(&my_sem, 0, 10);
if (k_sem_take(&my_sem, K_MSEC(50)) != 0) {
// Define a semaphore with macro printk("Input data not available!");
K_SEM_DEFINE(my_sem, 0, 1); } else { . . .
}
// Semaphore Operations
...
k_sem_give(&my_sem);
}
k_sem_take(&my_sem, K_MSEC(50)

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 Zephyr RTOS Fundamentals
Mutexes

A mutex is used to gain access to a shared resource such as

• A memory location
• A common peripheral like a UART

// Define a mutex void consumer_thread(void){

struct k_mutex my_mutex; ...
k_mutex_init(&my_mutex);
if (k_mutex_lock(&my_mutex, K_MSEC(50)) != 0) {
// Define a mutex with a macro printk(”Accessing Shared Data!");
K_MUTEX_DEFINE(my_mutex); } else {

// Mutex Operations
printk(”Cannot lock Shared Data!");

k_mutex_lock(&my_mutex, K_FOREVER);
}

k_mutex_unlock(&my_mutex); ...
}

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 3 Introducing The Zephyr Project
RTOS

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 THE SPEAKER • Embedded Software
mab@mab-labs.com Consultant

• Design Work
• Medical Devices
• Scientific Instruments
• LIDAR
• Custom ASIC
• FPGA

• Expertise
• Zephyr
• Yocto/Embedded Linux
/mab-embedded • Qt
@mabembedded

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 The Zephyr Project RTOS

Self-contained

• Use “West” to download everything

• Support for:
• CPUs
• Boards
• Bootloader
• Subsystems
• Peripherals

• Drivers are vetted

• Thriving open-source community with maintainers

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 Getting Started
https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Developm
ent-tools/nrf-connect-for-desktop
nRF Connect For Desktop

• An application that sets up a complete

Zephyr development environment
• Manages West

• VS Code Plugins!
• Create new project
§ Based on example
• Open existing project
• Configure Zephyr
• Build and debug project

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 nRF Connect For Desktop

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 nRF Connect SDK

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 nRF Connect SDK

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 nRF Connect SDK

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 Application Organization

Will review application

organization later

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 Zephyr Organization

External libraries

RTOS

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 Zephyr Organization

Third party FATFS library

(included with Zephyr)

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 Zephyr Organization

Interface from Zephyr to

FATFS library

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 Zephyr Organization

CPUs
Boards

Device drivers
CPUs

Core kernel Subsystem

Samples!!
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 4 Zephyr Application Model

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 Key Elements

C/C++
source files

Relies on
CMake

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 Project Configuration

Enables the GPIO

subsystem in Zephyr

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 Project Configuration

Configuration can be
exhaustive!

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 Performing a Build

First need to create a configuration

• Specify
• Target board
• Zephyr configuration
• “Devicetree Overlay”
§ Custom hardware connected to board

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 Performing a Build

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 Performing a Build

SUCCESS!!

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 Flashing and Testing Blinky

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 Debugging Blinky

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 Memory Reports

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 5 “Hello World!” Example

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 6 Advanced Topics

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 KConfig

Borrowed from Linux

• Used to configure Zephyr features

• Subsystems

• Similar to specifying macros in other RTOSes

• Can configure all features in RTOS
• Not just kernel options

• Configuration
• Can be file based
§ Usually “prj.conf”
• Or use GUI

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 KConfig

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 KConfig

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 Devicetree

Borrowed from Linux

• Used to configure hardware

• Pinmux
• Pinout
• Board peripherals

• Part of the build process

• Start with “top-level” device tree file (provided by vendor)
§ Contains references to other device tree files (e.g. pinout configuration)
• Can customize devicetree using “overlays”
§ Custom hardware

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 Devicetree Overlay

https://github.com/mabembedded/zephyr-sd-spi

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 Improving IoT Devices With Device Reliability Engineering

• Device Performance Monitoring

• Device Debugging

• Over-the-Air Updates

• Built-in to Zephyr!

• Can try sample under samples/debug/memfault

§ Works with nrf7002 WiFi development kit
§ https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-
hardware/nRF7002-DK
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7 Going Further
 Going Further
Interested in going deeper into Zephyr and RTOS development?
Here are some additional resources you may find helpful:

Register for $195 ($100 off) with coupon

code: ZEPHYR_WEB23

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 THANK YOU

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