Embedded Linux Systems

Linux System Administration

CSIS 4490 Summer Semester

Prof. Ken Hoganson

Presentation Team

Srinivas Batchu Kevin Sims

Presentation Topics/Goals

What is Embedded Linux Why choose Linux for Embedded Systems How it is Implemented Minimum Requirement for Embedded Linux Advantages of using Linux Disadvantages of using Linux Sample Application that uses Embedded Linux Future of Embedded Linux Systems Statistics on usage of Embedded Linux

What is Embedded Linux?

Embedded systems are everywhere around us. An embedded system is a combination of hardware and software which can be fixed or programmable and are designed for a particular system or a device.

And Embedded Linux means using a Linux platform to design and implement these Embedded Systems.

Embedded Linux system are not truly a real time systems. In a real time a given operation is guaranteed to be completed in a given time period. Embedded Linux systems operate in a soft real-time or near real-time manner. It means that it does not have a absolute completion time requirement or it’s completion time is long enough that any operating system can meet it.

Automobiles, household appliances, vending machines, PDA, cellular phones and almost everything these days that has some intelligent are driven by some system embedded inside them.

Linux can be modified to provide just about any level of real-time performance desired

Why choose Linux for Embedded Systems

Number No:1 Reason. It’s FREE

Currently Linux is the most popular open source OS in the IT community. Even Intel, IBM, HP and other very well known companies are embarrassing the power of Linux and supporting its growing number of developers worldwide.

As the technology and the use of embedded devices grows, the need to minimize cost and to keep up with the latest features that technology has to offer becomes increasing difficult and expensive. To manage these issues Embedded Linux becomes a highly desirable choice of technology for the operating system due to its scalability, configurablilty and affordability

Why choose Linux for Embedded Systems

The power of Linux combined with its support for wide range of microprocessors, hardware devices, graphics card support, and communications protocols have made Linux as an increasingly popular software platform for a vast array of Embedded projects and products

How is it Implemented

An embedded Linux project requires both hardware and software on the development machine and the target device. On the development side the hardware would consist of a machine with all its required components; and software would be the OS and other development tools such as programming language packages, compilers and low level programming tools. For the target device which is actually the embedded device itself the hardware is the circuit board and software would be kernel, function libraries and specific device drivers for the board.

Minimum Requirement to implement Embedded Linux System

Minimum system requirement for running embedded Linux is around 2 MB Flash Memory and 4 MB RAM and a 100 MIPS or better processor. A 60 MHz Pentium performs 100 MIPS. That is why it is much more favorable to use Linux compared to other embedded OS systems such as Microsoft Windows OS which demand high system requirement and use up more system resources.

Advantages of Using Linux for Embedded Systems

It’s source code is completely open for everyone It has the world's largest and most active Open Source development

community Developers looking to run embedded systems with Linux have a

wide variety of choices, both commercial and noncommercial Mature, proven, and still evolving rapidly Embedded Linux can be very small It is a modular and configurable OS There are many development tools available No runtime royalties required Does not require much system resource as the other OS does

Disadvantages of Using Linux for Embedded Systems

Linux is great product, but it’s problem is that it is also Free Hard to make money on something that is Free Lack of Standards There is no single governing body to overlook the Linux

developments Lack of drivers to use the latest hardware Lack of support from the hardware vendors Compatibility issues with other OS vendors It can’t succeed in the embedded markets unless its suppliers can

find ways to make money from it Commercial software tools and integrated development environment

that allow user to configure and built applications for Linux can be expensive due to lack to competition.

Embedded Linux Consortium

We all know that Linux is free and everyone has access to the source code, but who promotes and try to standardize Embedded Linux market ?

The Embedded Linux Consortium is a big player in promoting Embedded Linux. It is a nonprofit, vendor-neutral trade association whose goal is the advancement, promotion and standardization of Linux throughout the embedded computing markets. Members contribute dues and participate in management, promotion, implementation and platform specification working group efforts, in return for a growing market opportunity for all.

They try to put things in order, but its hard since Linux is like a open road any one can choose any direction they want to go.

Some commercial Embedded Linux Distributions Embedded Linux distributors offers wide range of tools, features,

functionality and capability for high-end telecommunications to low-end embedded controls

AMIRIX - Embedded Linux : Uses open source Debian GNU/Linux, it is used to implement small-footprint, diskless, Flash-based systems.

Coollogic - Coollinux : Combines Linux and Java technology to deliver an operating system for the next generation Internet appliances.

MontaVista - Hard Hat Linux – They offer Cross Development Kit that targets a broad array of embedded CPU architectures board and system-level platforms for Internet appliances, portable devices, networking equipment and telephony interfaces

NeoLinux : An embedded Linux distribution that is derived from Red Hat Linux and is optimized for use in information appliances.

Embedded Linux Applications

Some real world applications that are powered by Embedded Linux.

Embedded Linux Applications

TiVO TiVO personal video recorder is a very well know embedded Linux system in existence. It run on 54 MHz PowerPC 403GCX processor with 16MB of RAM and big hard drive depending on how much you want to spend.

Infomart Kaii Linux-based PDA was created to fill a gap between high-end, high-cost Pocket PC PDAs and low-end, low-cost Palm PDAs. It runs on 160MHz Hitachi SH3 processor with 32 MB ROM and 32 MB RAM.

Embedded Linux Applications

Linksys Using this device, wireless mobile PC users can project presentations and other data onto VGA-equipped devices such as projectors, monitors, and LCD panels without having to physically wire PC to the projector

snom 100 VoIP phone

This device supports various open telephony standards including SIP, H.323/H.450, as well as data protocols like HTTP, TAPI, and LDAP. It is powered by a Motorola PowerQUICC processor with 16MB of RAM running Linux 2.4.18 kernel.

Future of Embedded Linux

Wal-Mart is selling PC with Linux installed on it, one can only imagine what kind of competition Microsoft would have in near future for its vast market share when Wal-Mart is selling Linux

Every day open Linux developers community is growing exponentially worldwide.

Big companies are realizing the benefits that Linux has to offer More money is being funded on Linux research I think Linux has a very good stand in future

References

Embedded Linux by John Lombardo Embedded Linux: Hardware, Software, and Interfacing

by Craig Hollabaugh www.linuxdevices.com www.embedded-linux.org

Questions ?

Thanks..