
296 EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
8.4 | Real-time Operating Systems
Now that you have got an idea of the diff erent types of real-time tasks, it is time to be
introduced to what is meant by a ‘real-time operating system (RTOS)’.
All general purpose computers have operating systems, and the features of such
systems have been dealt with, in Chapter 7. We note that any system which has a pow-
erful processor, a number of peripherals, diff erent types of memory and multiple users
(amounting to multiple tasks) need a manager. e OS functions as the manager in a PC.
Do embedded systems need an operating system?
Simple embedded applications like printers, scanners, ...