#one-chip computer

Though the embedded system is getting fashionable in recent years, this concept does not appear recently. From the appearance of the one-chip computer, the embedded microprocessor until today of all kinds, large-scale application of microcontroller of the seventies of last century, the embedded system has developing history of more than 30 years.

At present, the embedded system has already permeated through each corner in people's life, for example industry, service industry, consume the electron, medical electron etc., and the embedded system has already developed into the bulky industry of a amount of money, organization research report of Gartner point out global 32-bit microcomputer and 64 embedded the intersection of products and reachable 12 billion dollars output value by 2012 according to data's investigation, annual compound growth rate is reachable 7%.

Definition of the embedded system

According to IEEE ' International electrical engineering SCTE) Definition,it is in embedded system " control, monitor by auxiliary apparatus, machine and device that apparatus operate " . This mainly defines, can find out from it the embedded system is the synthesises of software and hardware from employing, can also contain attachments such as machinery,etc..

But the above-mentioned definition can not fully embody the marrow of the embedded system, a general definition approved in China is to " regards employing as the centre at present, based on computer technology, the intersection of software and hardware can cut out, meet, employ the intersection of system pair and function, reliability, cost, volume, the intersection of power consumption and strict specialized computer system of requirement. "

According to this definition, can be from several respects to understand the embedded system:

Embedded system and employs and compacting, the very strong one is specialized, must accord with the real system demand and utilize reasonable reduction;

The embedded system is a product after combining advanced computer technology, semiconductor engineering and electron technology with particular application of each trade, this determines it must be a skill-intensive integrated system of knowledge with intensive fund and highly dispersing, innovating;

The embedded system must pay and cut out the software and hardware according to employing the demand, meet requirements such as the function, reliability, cost, volume of the application system,etc.. So, if can set up relatively general software and hardware foundation, then develop on it and adapt to various required systems, it should be a better development model.

In fact, embedded system is a noun with extremely wide epitaxy, every control system with the embedded characteristic combined with products can be called the embedded system, and very difficult sometimes to give it the next accurate definition. The embedded system that people tell now, refer to hotter embedded system with the operating system in recent years to a certain extent.

The embedded system employs the key in the future

One kind of lookses of the modern embedded products is changed quite big, for example consuming electronic product, digital household appliance, communication system, storage system,etc., so the arithmetic capability demand is the complicated pluralism, only need simple operation to differ widely with the past simply. AMD solution division head and general manager Buddy Broeker point out, sees with the key arithmetic capability development trend at present, only pay attention to the processor ability operation mode and already go to the end, under X86 systematic framework, the efficiency of CPU and GPU leads the development of PC framework at the same time, the more likewise, embedded system and utility program need efficiency of CPU and GPU more and more.

The processor efficiency of X86 framework is stronger and stronger, but visit craft and technical progress to grant, the price is lower and lower, the electricity needing consuming drops gradually too, in fact, the embedded market can enjoy these new technical advantages at the same time too. In GPU arithmetic capability, there was surprising development even more over the last seven years, even exceeded the Moore law, nearly turn over one time of growth every year in characteristic.

Then, CPU and development of GPU, what kind of the intersection of connect and does it have with embedded market on earth? Take ATM ATM as examples, a lot of ATM has already been equipped with a plurality of display units at present, besides main display function, two or more display units can reveal more information and advertisement too, in order to deal with image and decoding capability of higher picture element, ATM begins and needs operation of the power and reveals ability too. There are affairs machines such as thin client Thin Client system and printer, etc in addition, do not need display function traditionally, but more and more this kind of models change the outfit the strong display function at present, offer more plural application.

Buddy Broeker shows while accepting media's special visit, directs against the embedded market, AMD thinks the telecommunication, storage and client use will become the trend of staple market. So, besides offering the processor to match with the chip set, will also offer through the developing instrument or technology assists, let users carry on the product design fast, simple and easily. In addition direct against the special application, different groups serve customer within AMD too. After CPU combines with GPU, the next development focal point of the embedded products is still low power consumption, small dimension, and take most important customer's demand as the core. Buddy Broeker points out, compared with rival large resource, AMD does not have too many resources that are used for elongating the battle line, compete in an all-round way, so must be based on definite resource, adopt the exquisite way, stabilize and develop.

Challenge which can't be avoided in embedded system design

The consumption electronic product is the extremely potential star's products in the embedded system, according to statistics, are favoured the most by the future development of products such as blue light DVD, digital television, set-box,etc., and how to design the optimization embedded system directed against this kind of product, it is a significant challenge.

Microchip (the little core scientific & technical corporation of U.S.A.) In 80 MHz 32-bit microcomputer PIC32 one-chip computer (MCU) recently Introduce 3 brand-new serial one-chip computers on the combined successful foundation of the products, offer and is up to 128 KB RAM and extensive connection choice; Including 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, two CAN2.0b control devices, USB masters / slaves and OTG, and 6 UARTs, 5 I2Cs and 4 SPI ports. In the new product makes the embedded designer apter to put the connection function into employing.

"Brand-new series PIC32MX5/6/7 employed designing for the intensity of the data specially. The designer can get adequate RAM up to 128 KB, simultaneously using Ethernet, USB and CAN dashpot. Integrated Ethernet, CAN and USB module have Built-in: DMA (Direct Memory Access) Interface, can maximize the throughput of the data, " Microchip high-performance one-chip computer department's executive vice president Sumit Mitra shows, the 32-bit microcomputers serial MCU introduced newly all integrate data processing, high-performance operation and connectivity on a device. Cooperate the intersection of DMA and engine that develop by Microchip, utilize the intersection of MIPS and the intersection of principal line and characteristic of framework, make its also can use graphics processing employ. High-capacity RAM of 128KB has avoided the demand for the external storage device. Synthesize the above characteristic, it is connective to combine with the high one, make the products suitable for fields such as scanning, digital controlling, UI interface control of the wireless report controller, intellectual meter reading system of safety protection of bar code,etc..

Fig. 1, Microchip high-performance one-chip computer department's executive vice president Sumit Mitra

PIC32 has already, CAN2.0b control device apt to use increased flexibly, can use the system RAM to store up to 1024 pieces of news in 32 dashpots, make the designer adjust CAN communication scheme in order to adapt to his application easily. Integrated 100 Mbps Ethernet MAC uses the interface of canonial RMII/MIII in the industry, and low-cost goods physical interface chip (PHY) Connect. In addition each one-chip computer have one the only one, factory preprogrammed Ethernet MAC address, thus simplify the manufacture process.

Have covered the whole range of PIC MCU because of developing instrument, USB protocol stack and TCP/IP protocol stack, so carry on software transportation very simple and easy to do in 600 varied 8, 16 and 32-bit microcomputer PIC one-chip computer product mix of Microchip. In addition, new series PIC32MX5/6/7 and Off-The-Shelf PIC32 and 16 PIC24F USB MCU series pins are compatible. Microchip offers cost-free software resource and intact source code, in order to further carry on software development easily, accelerate the listing time of products and reduce the total cost. The available software includes two TCP/IP software stacks, and is used in USB master and slave, advanced encryption standard (AES) , the software library of other numerous software products such as a plurality of filing systems, advanced figure, audio frequency.

Sumit Mitra says, " series PIC32MX5/6/7 orientate as emphasizing computational capability and connective standard power consumption employ the scene, so does not offer the low power consumption mode. The new product combines the outstanding characteristic of PIC32 with new connection function and all integrated RAM, can operate a plurality of software stacks easily, realize the connected sum user interface application of innovation at lower price and more succinct design. Basic reference and famous Dhrystone score in the basic reference, PIC32 continues demonstrating the optimum performance in score by EEMBC CoreMark that the near future announce. "

Hold the cluster pronunciation microcontroller (VoiceMCU) The series increase new member HT86030 and HT860705/19/2005HT86XXX pronunciation microcontrollers (VoiceMCU) The series increase new members, HT86030 and HT86070 have the data storages (dataROM) of 768K-bit, 1536K-bit respectively . The function characteristics of HT86030 and HT86070 are the same as original HT86XXX series parent population, but I/O reduces to 16, and save a series of 16 - bittimer and RealTimeClock, the price is more competitive. Suitable for the HT86XXX series pronunciation microcontrollers (VoiceMCUs) of various high-quality pronunciation products ,Members include HT86030, HT86070, HT86072, HT86144, HT86192, HT86384, HT86576, HT86768 at present, range of capacity of pronunciation, from 36 seconds to 768 seconds. HT86xxx include, hold cluster canonial 8 control device in the series, and carry high monophonic 12 that analyzes - bitDAC, 16~23 I/Os, the external interruption, outside are reset, RealTimeClock (HT86030/HT86070 does not have RealTimeClock) ,The function is extremely flexible. Series HT86XXX not only can be developed for the toy products, pronunciation player, cooperate to hold the cluster HT16XX liquid crystal driver (LCDDriver) at the same time ,Whether or HT67XX is non-contact type discerns IC (RFID) ,Can develop out the pronunciation products in many aspects even more. In product development, series HT86XXX, in order to hold HT-ICE with powerful cluster as the development environment, support language C and gather together languages / language C mixed modes at the same time, let your product development be faster and easier.