Updated June 9, 2023
Introduction to Embedded Control Systems
An Embedded System is defined as the system that is placed in another system. It is defined as a group of a system that is used to design some particular task. In the embedded system the software system is placed in a hardware system for some particular task. The embedded system can be categorized as a microcontroller-based system that can be used to serve any particular type of operation. The embedded system can be independent or can reside in another large system.
What is Embedded Control Systems?
The embedded system is a type of system that is very powerful, fast, and small size in nature so that it can easily fix in other systems and perform their task. The embedded system can be categorized as a computer system but they do not perform the operations performed by computer systems. The embedded systems can be used in mobile phones, medical devices, or any other manufacturing equipment. Various types of operations and functions can perform by embedded systems and used to control smaller parts of a larger system. The embedded system is generally a combination of software and hardware system and other components parts so that a particular operation can be executed.
For example, in-car the brake system can act as an embedded system. But when the embedded system is designed the functions cannot be changed once it is designed on another hand in a computer system this functionality of replacing components and software is possible. From the embedded system one single function or multiple functions can be performed but once it is designing the functionality cannot be changed for the embedded systems. The microprocessor is the key component of an embedded system.
There are various three components in the fitted system. These are described below:
- Hardware: The hardware is the component that contains physical entities like microcontrollers and microprocessors.
- Application software: The application software used to control the functions of the system
- RTOS: The Real-time operating system control application software and helps the processor to execute the process that helps in controlling the latency of the device. The process execution can be scheduled using the embedded system and the execution can be controlled by this system.
The embedded system can be used to execute an operation or can help in executing tasks in a repetitive manner. For example- in the pager system the embedded system is used. The embedded system can easily be fit in single-chip and consumes very little power compared to other systems. The functions can be executed very fast and take no time in executing the functions. The embedded system has a memory like ROM and does not require any kind of second memory in it. In an embedded system, the hardware system is used to control the security and performance of the device and the software system issued to control flexibility and other features of the system.
Why we need Embedded Control Systems?
The embedded system is widely used in designing the system having different functions that are cheap rate devices compared to computer systems. Using embedded systems in a larger system can reduce the overall cost of system and functionality can be performed easily by the system. The embedded systems are also preferred because as the power consumption of this system is very less compared to the general-purpose system, the size limitations are not there for embedded systems, and performance is much better compared to other systems. The embedded systems act as a perfect solution for designing the system that can use less power, cheap cost, reliable performance, and can serve several functions.
Importance of Embedded Control Systems
The embedded system can easily fit in the large system that can be used to control the other devices in the system. The power consumption of embedded systems us very less that helps to reduce the device cost and enhance the importance of the use of embedded systems. The modern type of embedded system uses the micro-controllers in it. The specific task can be controlled by the embedded systems that help to reduce the device cost and design a device that is low in cost and can generate reliable output from the device.
In current times, almost every device contains the embedded system in it like in digital watches, washing machines, scanner, security system, ATM, cellular phone traffic lights, and many more systems. The embedded system is a very important system for any large system and has limitless use in this technological world and can be easily fit in any type of new system or product. The embedded system is also considered as part of IoT (internet of things) so that data can be transfer easily having less human involvement in this process.
The embedded system is mostly preferred because it can be customized easily as per user requirements, it consumes very less power, the cost of the system is very low and performance can be enhanced by several folds. Great advantage brings some drawbacks also as the embedded system requires high development and skills in designing the system. All the microprocessors developed in the current time are mostly used in the embedded system. For any type of integrated circuit, the embedded system act as the heart of the system as all operation are controlled by the embedded system.
The embedded system is different from micro-controllers as the micro-controller has a different architecture that requires RAM, flash memory to control the system but in an embedded system, the external memory is not required and helps to control the system. The embedded system has certain limitations as the bug cannot be identified in the embedded system. But the developers using the embedded system for developing several applications and can rely on embedded systems for the performance. And the embedded system has a certain importance in the current technological world as almost every device is using the embedded system to perform any specific task.
Conclusion
The embedded system is the type of system used in every type of device. The embedded system can easily fit in any device, small in size, great performance consumes less power, and cheap in rate. All these constraints make the embedded system popular and preferable for the developers to use in the applications.
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