Book Image

Architecting High-Performance Embedded Systems

By : Jim Ledin
4 (1)
Book Image

Architecting High-Performance Embedded Systems

4 (1)
By: Jim Ledin

Overview of this book

Modern digital devices used in homes, cars, and wearables contain highly sophisticated computing capabilities composed of embedded systems that generate, receive, and process digital data streams at rates up to multiple gigabits per second. This book will show you how to use Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and high-speed digital circuit design to create your own cutting-edge digital systems. Architecting High-Performance Embedded Systems takes you through the fundamental concepts of embedded systems, including real-time operation and the Internet of Things (IoT), and the architecture and capabilities of the latest generation of FPGAs. Using powerful free tools for FPGA design and electronic circuit design, you’ll learn how to design, build, test, and debug high-performance FPGA-based IoT devices. The book will also help you get up to speed with embedded system design, circuit design, hardware construction, firmware development, and debugging to produce a high-performance embedded device – a network-based digital oscilloscope. You’ll explore techniques such as designing four-layer printed circuit boards with high-speed differential signal pairs and assembling the board using surface-mount components. By the end of the book, you’ll have a solid understanding of the concepts underlying embedded systems and FPGAs and will be able to design and construct your own sophisticated digital devices.
Table of Contents (15 chapters)
1
Section 1: Fundamentals of High-Performance Embedded Systems
5
Section 2: Designing and Constructing High-Performance Embedded Systems
10
Section 3: Implementing and Testing Real-Time Firmware

Summary

This chapter described the methods RTOSes use to ensure real-time responses to inputs. Key features available in common RTOSes were introduced, along with some challenges that commonly arise when implementing multitasking real-time applications. The chapter concluded with a listing of the key features of some popular open source and commercial RTOS implementations.

Having completed this chapter, you now understand what it means for a system to operate in real time and understand the key attributes a real-time embedded system must exhibit. You understand the RTOS features that embedded systems rely upon, as well as some challenges that frequently occur in real-time embedded system designs. You are also familiar with the key features of several popular RTOS implementations.

The next chapter introduces the concepts involved in the design of real-time embedded systems using FPGAs and works through a simple FPGA application example.