Embedded systems Flashcards
What are embedded systems?
Embedded systems are hardware and software designed for a very specific function, and only that, or to operate as a small part of a larger system.
They are built with only this task in mind.
Common examples: traffic light controllers, smart watches, medical imaging systems.
What is a SoC in regards to embedded systems?
System on a chip.
It is very common for embedded systems to be run on a SoC, because of their small form factor and and very flexible in their capabilities and very customizable.
Raspberry pi would be an example of one of these.
They usually have low power consumption.
What is an FPGA?
Field programmable gate array.
Sees very common usage inside infrastructure devices such as firewalls, routers, etc.
It is an integrated circuit that can be configured after manufacturing, you can push software to a device and reprogram the FPGA.
What is SCADA/ICS?
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system/Industrial Control Systems
When you think SCADA or ICS think industrial facilities.
This is used for large scale managment and monitoring of equipment at places like a power plant, refinery, manufacturing etc.
This allows all of that industrial equipment to all be networked and all be controlled using a computer using the SCADA network.
You can get real time information and provide sytem control.
You don’t want this to be connected to the internet, you want extensive segmentation here.
What is VoIP?
Voice over internet protocol.
Latest technology for our “landline” phones, meaning not a cellphone.
VoIP devices are relatively complex, they really have a computer inside of them, running an operating system, with their own separate boot processes, and individual configurations.
What in RTOS, or Real Time Operating System?
An embedded system.
An operating system with a very important processing schedule.
Found in cars, military environments, Industrial equipment, etc.
The goal is for the operating system to perform its necessary functions no matter what without interruption, regardless of what else is going on, such as applying the brakes to a car so it can stop.
What is a narrowband connection?
Narrowband connctions can travel a very long distance, and use a very narrow frequency.
This is common in SCADA enviroments, oil fields, and also in many IoT devices.
What is a Baseband connection?
Baseband generally is referring to a single cable with a single frequency.
Can be copper or fiber.
This communication signal uses all of its bandwidth, either 100% or 0%.
