ECE 3849: Real-Time Embedded Systems

This course continues the embedded systems sequence by expanding on the topics of real-time software and embedded microprocessor system architecture. The software portion of this course focuses on solving real-world problems that require an embedded system to meet strict real-time constraints with limited resources. On the hardware side, this course reviews and expands upon all the major components of an embedded microprocessor system, including the CPU, buses, memory devices and peripheral interfaces. New IO standards and devices are introduced and emphasized as needed to meet system design, IO and performance goals in both the lecture and laboratory portion of the course. Topics: Cross-compiled software development, embedded system debugging, multitasking, real-time scheduling, inter-task communication, software design for deterministic execution time, software performance analysis and optimization, device drivers, CPU architecture and organization, bus interface, memory management unit, memory devices, memory controllers, peripheral interfaces, interrupts and interrupt controllers, direct memory access. Laboratory exercises: Programming real-time applications on an embedded platform running a real-time operating system (RTOS), configuring hardware interfaces to memory and peripherals, bus timing analysis, device drivers.