
2 Embedded systems design
What is an embedded system?
There are many definitions for this but the best way to
define it is to describe it in terms of what it is not and with examples
of how it is used.
An embedded system is a microprocessor-based system
that is built to control a function or range of functions and is not
designed to be programmed by the end user in the same way that
a PC is. Yes, a user can make choices concerning functionality but
cannot change the functionality of the system by adding/replac-
ing software. With a PC, this is exactly what a user can do: one
minute the PC is a word processor and the next it’s a games
machine simply by changing ...