Author: Wenbin Home: Wenbin program embedded network http://www.wenbinweb.com word now becoming more and more popular, but many of the concepts about it there may be a majority of people are not very clear, in this article We don't pursue whether the specific concept is accurate, but there is an accurate understanding of it.
The embedded system is a computer system that is different from a common computer system, which does not appear in the physical form of stand-alone equipment, that is, it does not have a uniform appearance, and its components are embedded inside the device according to the main device and the application needs. Operation, processing, storage, and control. From the architecture, the embedded system is mainly composed of embedded processors, support hardware and embedded software. The embedded processor is typically a single-chip or microcontroller; the support hardware mainly includes a storage medium, a communication component, and a display component, etc .; embedded software includes a driver, operating system, support software, and application intermediate parts that support the hardware.
It can be seen that the embedded system is a big concept. Once the embedded processor and the support hardware are selected, the most work is concentrated in embedded software. The embedded operating system part and the application part of the embedded software are in the middle. They are similar to the concept of the usual operating system and the application software, but there is also a difference.
The embedded operating system is closely related to the application environment. From an application range point of view, it can be roughly divided into general-purpose embedded operating systems such as Windows CE, VXWORKS, embedded Linux, etc., and dedicated embedded operating systems such as Palm. OS, Symbian, etc. From a real-time perspective, it can be roughly divided into real-time embedded operating systems and general embedded operating systems. As in principle, the embedded operating system is still an operating system, so it also has the basic functions of the operating system in process management, storage management, device management, processor management, and input and output management, but due to the hardware platform and The application environment is different from the general operating system, then it also has its own characteristics, the biggest feature is customizable, that is, it provides configurable or tailoring kernel functions and other functions, which can be available according to the needs of the application. Or do not provide some functions to reduce system overhead.
Before, Microsoft's Windows CE operating system is an embedded operating system. It began to release Windows CE 1.0 version in 1996. In July 2004, the Windows CE .NET 5.0 released, the most used is Windows. CE .NET 4.2, its development speed is also very fast, and it is functional, its main application field has PDA market, PCKET PC, Smartphone, industrial control, medical, etc.
The modern embedded operating system is closely linked to the custom or configuration tools of embedded operating systems, which constitute an integrated development environment of the embedded operating system. For Wince, you can't buy the Wince operating system. You bought the integrated development environment of Platform Builder For CE.NET 4.2, we also referred to as PB, using it you can cut and customize a match you need Wince.Net 4.2 operating system, so the operating system we said is actually customized by yourself, this is the biggest feature of the embedded operating system.
For embedded applications, it is often referred to as software running on the embedded operating system. This software is not convenient for developing tools such as VB, VC , which is no longer developed on the conventional operating system. Then there are special SDK or integrated development environments to provide this development needs. The application software on the Wince operating system is developed, and Microsoft provides tools such as Embedded Visual Basic (EVB), Embedded Visual C (EVC), Visual Studio.NET, which are specially designed for CE operating systems, EVB only Support to CE version 3.0, currently useful or EVC, export your SDK (software development package) in your CE operating system and install it under EVC, you can turn into a dedicated development of your device or system Tools. VB.NET and C # in VS.NET also provide support for intelligent equipment development with CE as operating systems, and it is also very convenient, but must be required to provide support for Microsoft .NET Compact Framework. OK, if you use, you will see the specific situation. The above said so much, or give an example. For example, I have to do a medical instrument, then I will choose the embedded hardware environment, then customize the CE operating system that I need, use this system to export SDK, then use EVC to combine this SDK to develop my signal Applications for acquisition, processing, and condition analysis, finally formed a suitable instrument developed by embedded technology.
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