CSCI P545  Computer Science Department, School of Informatics, Indiana University Thu Sep 11 15:30:23 EDT 2008 [SDJ]
GO TEST ERTS PUBLIC ABOUT TOPICS

P545 – Embedded & Real-Time Systems – Fall 2008

What's NEW — Look here regularly for postings
1 oct
GO Testing from 11am to 1pm today. The weather forecast is good. [NWS]
1 oct
•  Lecture notes on time [PDF]
22 sep
•  Lecture notes on timers [HTM]
11 sep
•  Testing has exposed some minor issues with the driver template your were given for the next ERTS assignment. Please pull this revised version of square.py.
2 aug
•  SVN instructions [HTM]
•  Lab 0 instructions [PDF], Python script [PY], directory [TGZ].
•  System Documentation Guidelines (Draft) [PDF]. Read pages 4–6.
•  P545 Public Page [HTM]
•  SyncFS paper [PDF]
E&RTS Course
The term embedded system refers to purpose-specific software executing in a dedicated setting. Some examples are: cellular telephony, network routing devices, consumer electronics, robots, digital avionics, automotive systems, and ``smart'' cards, to name a few. This is an advanced, project-oriented course in which classroom topics are explored through in-depth experiences in a substantial laboratory project.
E&RTS Laboratory (See also the ERTS public page [HTM])
The P545 laboratory is a computer controlled golf car. The main project in this course is designing, implementing, and testing a system for autonomous navigation. In the Fall 2007 semester, students implemented unimpeded GPS navigation, by which the vehicle follows a list of GPS waypoints [HTM] on a flat surface. For the Fall semseter, the project centers on obstacle avoidance: vision and other sensors added enabling the vehicle to detect and steer around objects it encounters in the path of travel.

Embedded system design requires a broad background, encompassing both system engineering and ``domain'' expertise. This course is designed to accomodate students with varied interests and goals. See Background Requirements below. However, the higher aim of the course laboratory is to develop a configurable platform for collaborative research in systems, sensor networks (especially vision), and congnitive science (especially machine learning and human-robot interaction).

Or contact the instructor about other options for course participation.

Course Information
Course: CSCI P545: Embedded & Real-Time Systems
Instructor: Steven D. Johnson (sjohnson)
Laboratory: Bryce Himebaugh (primary lab instructor)
Caleb Hess
Meetings: Lecture: 9:30 - 10:45PM MW, LH115
Lab: 2:00 - 5:00PM F, LH008. NOTE: Conditions permitting lab meetings take place at the ERTS test field in the parking area north of Assembly Hall.
Textbook: None required. Lecture notes and articles are posted through this page. Many of the lecture topics derive from material in H. Kopetz's book, Real-Time Systems: Design Principles for Distributed Embedded Applications (Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1997). See also the list of recommended readings below.

§ Catalog Description

P545 Embedded and Real-Time Systems (3 cr.) P: Any 400-level ``systems'' course (middle digit 3 or 4). Design and implementation of purpose-specific, locally distributed software systems. Models and methods for time-critical applications. Real-time operating systems. Testing, validation, and verification. Safety-critical design. Related topics, such as resiliency, synchronization, sensor fusion, etc. Lecture and laboratory.

§ Course Overview

The term embedded system refers to purpose-specific software executing in a dedicated setting. Some examples are: cellular telephony, network routing devices, consumer electronics, robots, digital avionics, automotive systems, and ``smart'' cards, to name a few. This is an advanced, project-oriented course in which classroom topics are explored through in-depth experiences in a substantial laboratory project. Embedded systems are ubiquitous in modern society. Their defining characteristics are distinctive in many aspects, and consquently, their mathematical models, design methods, implementation techniques, operating systems, performance analysis, and computer-aided design tools differ substantially from those for to other classes of systems. Furthermore, underlying technologies are evolving rapidly. The perspective offered in lecture is augmented by a substantial, cumulative laboratory project, which provides the necessary experience to pursue projects and research entailing embedded-system use or design.

§ Background Requirements

NOTE: Students with deficiencies but having compensatory special interests (e.g. instrumentation science, robotics, cognitive science, multimedia, etc.) are encouraged to consult with the instructor about approval to enroll.

The course assumes a basic fluency in ``systems'' concepts/terminology and senior-level programming competency. Additional background in diverse areas such as networks, distributed computing, hardware, etc., is desirable but not required.

Much of the programming involves interaction with the underlying operating system through system calls. Exposure comparable to that of the Operating Systems (P436) is adequate preparation. Specific OS facilities used include: sockets, signals, time, timers, and a few others.

Embedded systems are typically made up of both software and hardware components. This course focuses on software aspects. However, if a sufficient number of hardware students are enrolled, opportunities will be created to work in that realm, most likely using FPGA and micro-controller technologies, as taught in P442.

§ Textbook and References

Additional readings are posted on line through the course web page. Students may also wish to acquire an advanced book on system-level programming in Unix.

Other textbooks on real-time programming include:

  1. Hermann Kopetz. (Recommended but not required) Real-Time Systems: Design Principles for Distributed Embedded Applications. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1997. Strong orientation toward safety-critical application, sychronous methods and a particular approach to resiliency.
  2. Wayne Wolf. High-Performance Embedded Computing: Architectures, Algorithms, and Applications. (Morgan-Kauffman Publishers, 2006).
  3. Alan Burns and Andy Wellings. Real-Time Systems and Programming Languages Addison-Wesley, 2001 (3rd ed.).
  4. Jane W.~S.~Liu. Real-Time Systems. Prentice-Hall, 2000.
  5. Qing Li with Caroline Yao. Real-Time Concepts for Embedded Systems. CMP Books, 2003.
  6. W. Richard Stevens and Stephen A. Rago. Advance Programming in the UNIX® Environment (2nd ed.), Addison-Wesley, 2005. Architectures, Algorithms, and Applications. Morgan-Kauffman Publishers,

§ Topic Outline

Tentative. Based on 40 aggregate lecture hours, based on 32 75-minute lectures
• Architectures and Applications [1]. Digital control; "smart" electronics; sensor arrays; multimedia; networking components; instrumentation; heterogeneous systems; system-on-chip. Networks: ad hoc, common-carrier, hierarchical etc.
• Terminology and Tradeoffs [2]. Reactive systems, event models; periodicity; throughput, latency, jitter, slack; polling and sampling; modes and configurability; resilience; hard-time and soft-time constraints. Worst-case and expected-case analysis.
• Tools and technologies [6] Tools, design flows, libraries and packages, instrumentation, documentation.
• Time [3]. Physical and logical; resolution, precision, accuracy; global and distributed synchronization. Clock synchronization algorithms, agreement protocols.
• Resiliency [3] Faults, errors and failures; failure rates, transient failure; fault models; fault containment; fault tolerance and agreement; recovery.
• Communication [4] Time division, carrier sense, collision-detect, etc. OSA model. Representative standards (e.g. IP, FlexRay, CAN, WiFi, ad hoc). Buffer network analysis.
• Real-Time Operating Systems [6] Threads, tasks, processes periodicity. Scheduling parameters, static and dynamic heuristics; Thread integration, priorities and preemption. Models and instances of memory/file management.
• Methods [2] Process-oriented design; synchronous and asynchronous abstractions; message based, image based, data-flow, etc. Design flow, simulation. Requirements, specification, implementation.
• Testing. [3] Unit, component, integration testing; Testing frameworks, simulation. Instrumentation and measurement; Validation and verification; Formal analysis: models, tools. Safety aspects: classification, certification, documentation.
• Sensors [4]. Statistical models, resolution, filters; feature synthesis and fusion.
• Components [4] Device handling, point-to-point protocols (e.g. USB, Firewire); Platform computers, microcontrollers, FPGAs and software cores; Codesign, incorporating hardware, configurability and reconfigurability.

§ Languages and Tools.

The primary programming language used in this course is C operating in Unix. On some assignments, however, the choice of language/system is left to the student. However, lecture examples are presented in C, some assignments have to be written in CC++.

The core laboratory network operates under QNX, which is similar to Unix but has extensions for real-time applications. QNX has its own development and deployment environment.

The course project includes a substantial, documented design and implementation effort. The class will use the Doxygen documentation generator at lower levels for this purpose. Participants are urged to get basic familiarity with Doxygen prior to the start of the course. Instructions for doing this will be posted.

§ Laboratory

The course laboratory is a full-semester, whole-class project involving specification, design, implementation, and testing of a real embedded system. Participants work in teams of 3 to 5 people; and every effort is made to assure that each team, in aggregate, has the necessary skills to complete the project successfully.

The primary components in evaluating projects are (1) field testing for functionality and (2) documentation the work, which may include a presentation.

The laboratory platform is a golf car modified for computer control. The project goal for the Spring 2007 semester was implementing an autonomous navigation system using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to follow a pre-determined course [HTM]. The Fall 2008 class will refine and enhance the GPS following system to include tactical guidance for obstacle avoidance.

Initially, the class is given a software framework for controlling steering, acceleration and breaking, as well as sensors for GPS, proximate object detection, and rudimentary vision. Classroom lectures explain and explore the implementation of the framework as student groups develop solutions to the navigation problems in a cumulative series of lab assignments, such as:

  1. Lab bench exercises dealing with time measurement
  2. Evaluation of prior GPS Navigation projects
  3. Empirical characterization vehicle dynamics
  4. Path planing, tested in simulation
  5. Field testing for refined path planning and obstacle detection. to continue throughout the rest of the semester.
  6. Integrating external sensor input
  7. Sensor fusion, tactical path planning
  8. Public demonstration of results

It is important for participants to understand that, as they develop and test their implementations of higher functionality, they are also contributing to the on-going design and enhancement of the laboratory platform by reporting on its empirical performance in comparison to design assumptions on which their software development is based.