Q. Explain the associated Design matrices for embedded systems.

Ans:

i) Power Dissipation: For many systems power consumption is an important feature. The battery needs to be recharged less frequently if power dissipation is small.

ii) Performance: Instruction’s execution time in the system measures performance. Smaller execution time means higher performance.

iii) Process deadlines: There are number of processes in the system. They have deadlines within which each of them have to complete the computations and give the result.

iv) User interfaces: These include keyboard GUIs and VUIs.

v) Size: Size of system measured in terms of physical space required, RAM in KB and internal memory in MB or GB and number of million logic gates in hardware.

vi) Engineering cost: (one time non-recurring cost) Engineering cost is the initial cost of developing. Also the cost involved in debugging and testing hardware and software.

vii) Manufacturing cost: (recurring cost) This includes the cost of manufacturing each unit.

viii) Flexibility: Flexibility in design enables development of different versions of a product and advanced versions later on, without any significant engineering cost.

ix) Prototype development time: Time taken is days or months for developing the prototype and in-house testing of system functionalities.

x) Time to market: Time taken in days or months after prototype development to put a product for users and consumers is the time taken for marketing.

xi) System and user safety: System safety comes into picture during accidental fall from hand or theft. User safety comes while using the product.

xii) Maintenance: Maintenance means changeability and addition to the system i.e adding or updating software, data and hardware.