inf203 - Embedded Systems I (Complete module description)

• Basics of technical computer science
• Computer Engineering

This module provides an introduction to the design of digital embedded systems.
Professional competence
The students:

• name functional and non-functional requirements to specify embedded systems
• discuss design space and associated embedded systems design methods
• name control and feedback control systems' core concepts
• characterise the fundamental digital signal processing algorithms

Methodological competence
The students:

• design and develop embedded feedback control systems with modelling tools
• implement an embedded hardware-/software system according to a given specification
• analyze various specification languages according to different properties

Social competence
The students:

• implement solutions to given problems in teams
• present results of computer science problems to groups
• organize themselves as a team to solve a larger problem using project management methods

Self-competence
The students:

• acknowledge the limits of their ability to cope with pressure during the implementation process of systems
• solve excercises self-responsibly

Embedded systems support complex feedback problems, control problems and data processing tasks. They have an important value creation potential for telecommunications, production management, transport and electronics. The functionality of embedded systems is realised by the integration of processors, special hardware and software. The embedded systems design is influenced by the heterogeneity of system architectures, the complexity of systems and technical and economic requirements. This module gives an overview of embedded systems and their design. The process of digital signals is especially important for telecommunications and multimedia. For this purpose, the module introduces digital signal processing algorithms. The principles of feedback control are introduced by exemplary transport applications. Subsequently, the module provides the specifications and language characteristics of the embedded system design. For this purpose, graphical data-flow modelling languages (for instance Simulink) and control-flow specifications (for instance State Charts) are presented. The module closes with the concepts of possible architectures and communication models. Hands-on exercises with the tools Matlab/Simulink/StateFlow support the module contents.

Slides and:

• Harel, D.: STATECHARTS: A Visual Formalism for Complex Systems. Science of Computer Programming, 8, North-Holland, 1987, page(231-274)
• Harel D.: Naamad, A. The STATEMATE Semantics of Statecharts. ACM Trans. Software Engineering Methods, Oct 1996
• Harel, D.; Politi, M.: Modeling Reactive Systems with Statecharts: The Statemate Approach
• Josef Hoffmann: Matlab und Simulink: Beispielorientierte Einführung in die Simulation dynamischer Systeme, Addison-Wesley, 1998, ISBN 3-8273-1077-6
• Staunstrup, J., Wolf, W. (eds.): Hardware/Software Co-Design: Principles and Practice. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1997, ISBN 0-7923-8013-4, chapters 1, 2, (3), 4, 6, (7), (8-10)
• U. Reimers. Digitale Fernsehtechnik. 2. Aufl., Springer, 1997, ISBN 3-540-60945-8

Secundary literature: 

• Debardelaben, J.A.; Gadient, A.J.: Incorporating Cost Modeling in Embedded-System Design. IEEE Design & Test, vol 13, no. 3, 1997
• De Micheli, G.; Sami, M.: Hardware-Software Co-Design. Kluwer, 1996, ISBN 0-7923-3883-9
• Gajski, D.; Vahid, F.; Narayan, S.; Gong, J.: Specification and Design of Embedded Systems. Prentice Hall, 1994, ISBN 0-13-150731-1
• T. Painter, A. Spanias. Perceptual Coding of Digital Audio. Proceedings of the IEEE, vol 88, no 4, April 2000.
• U. Freyer. DVB Digitales Fernsehen. Verlag Technik, 1997, ISBN 3-341-01192-7
• B. Friedrichs. Kanalcodierung: Grundlagen und Anwendungen in modernen Kommunikationssystemen. Springer, 1995, ISBN 3-540-58232-0
• G.C. Clark. Error-correction coding for digital communications. 3rd printing, Plenum Press, 1988, ISBN 0-306-40615-2
• Artikelserie zum MPEG-2-Standard 3/94 10/94 und das Tutorial "Digitale Bildcodierung" 1/92 1/93, beides in "Fernseh- und Kinotechnik" (BIS: Z elt ZA 1536)

This module is compulsory for students who are specialising in "Eingebettete Systeme und Mikrorobotik". Associaltes with the modules:
In the module "Eingebettete Systeme II" additonal relevant topics such as design processes, HW/SW-Partitioning, High-Level-Synthesis and Hardware discription languages are discussed. The modules Eingebettete Systeme I und II offer cross-references to the module "Rechnerarchitektur", "Realzeitbetriebssysteme" and semantic orientated modules of theoretical computer science. It is possible to enhance the knowledge of embedded systems design by attending the modules "System Level Design" and "Low energy System Design".

At the end of the semester

Written or oral exam