227-0124-00L  Embedded Systems

SemesterSpring Semester 2018
LecturersL. Thiele
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish


AbstractAn embedded system is some combination of computer hardware and software, either fixed in capability or programmable, that is designed for a specific function or for specific functions within a larger system. The course covers theoretical and practical aspects of embedded system design and includes a series of lab sessions.
ObjectiveUnderstanding specific requirements and problems arising in embedded system applications.

Understanding architectures and components, their hardware-software interfaces, the memory architecture, communication between components, embedded operating systems, real-time scheduling theory, shared resources, low-power and low-energy design as well as hardware architecture synthesis.

Using the formal models and methods in embedded system design in practical applications using the programming language C, the operating system FreeRTOS, a commercial embedded system platform and the associated design environment.
ContentAn embedded system is some combination of computer hardware and software, either fixed in capability or programmable, that is designed for a specific function or for specific functions within a larger system. For example, they are part of industrial machines, agricultural and process industry devices, automobiles, medical equipment, cameras, household appliances, airplanes, sensor networks, internet-of-things, as well as mobile devices.

The focus of this lecture is on the design of embedded systems using formal models and methods as well as computer-based synthesis methods. Besides, the lecture is complemented by laboratory sessions where students learn to program in C, to base their design on the embedded operating systems FreeRTOS, to use a commercial embedded system platform including sensors, and to edit/debug via an integrated development environment.

Specifically the following topics will be covered in the course: Embedded system architectures and components, hardware-software interfaces and memory architecture, software design methodology, communication, embedded operating systems, real-time scheduling, shared resources, low-power and low-energy design, hardware architecture synthesis.

More information is available at Link .
Lecture notesThe following information will be available: Lecture material, publications, exercise sheets and laboratory documentation at Link .
LiteratureP. Marwedel: Embedded System Design, Springer, ISBN 978-3-319-56045-8, 2018.

G.C. Buttazzo: Hard Real-Time Computing Systems. Springer Verlag, ISBN 978-1-4614-0676-1, 2011.

Edward A. Lee and Sanjit A. Seshia: Introduction to Embedded Systems, A Cyber-Physical Systems Approach, Second Edition, MIT Press, ISBN 978-0-262-53381-2, 2017.

M. Wolf: Computers as Components – Principles of Embedded System Design. Morgan Kaufman Publishers, ISBN 978-0-128-05387-4, 2016.
Prerequisites / NoticePrerequisites: Basic knowledge in computer architectures and programming.