The basic functions of an operating system
are to manage the system’s peripherals and schedule software tasks to ensure
that each program gets some processor time. A file system is also part of a
standard OS to store software modules and boot instructions. Another big
benefit of an embedded computer is to provide networking software and drivers for common
hardware peripherals, eliminating constant reinvention. However, an embedded OS
is quite different from its desktop counterpart. Desktop systems assume a
keyboard, a mouse, a display, a hard disk, and plenty of memory. However, there
is no such standardization in embedded products. One embedded system might have
no hard disk and limited memory while another has no user I/O at all. An
embedded OS must also be modular, allowing components to be added or removed to
adjust the memory footprint such as is possible with the Neutrino real-time OS
from QNX (see Figure 1). Before settling on an OS, designers should understand
scheduling algorithms, memory requirements, latencies, tool support, and
pricing models.
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