COMPSYS 723 : Embedded Systems Design

Engineering

2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Concurrency and models of computation, task models and race conditions, real-time operating systems based approach, synchronous approach, safe state machines, key properties: determinism and reactivity, SoPC and MPSoC, cyber-physical embedded systems, static analysis techniques, case studies in smart grid, automotive, medical devices and the like.

Course Overview

In this course students will get exposure to the management of concurrency and real-time nature of embedded systems using two distinct high-level approaches: the real-time operating systems approach and the system-level design approach. These approaches are essential for the design of complex embedded systems. Several real-life examples (power system frequency measurement and relay, cruise controllers, and lift controllers) will be used in this course to contrast the two approaches. The course is divided into two parts as follows.

Part I Embedded Systems Design

In this part of the course the focus is on the concepts of concurrency as the way to tackle complexity of the embedded systems. We will discuss the role of hardware and software approaches to implement concurrency and then focus on systems that are designed using software approaches only. The topics that will be covered in this part include (1) embedded systems design approaches and design flows, typical steps in the design process, the ways of organising hardware and software for embedded and real-time systems and approaches to deal with concurrency (scheduling, resource protection, task synchronisation and communication), (2) concurrency and formal models of computation (MoC) as the basis for the design of reliable and trustworthy embedded systems (different variants of state machines, data flow graphs and their combinations, Globally Asynchronous Locally Synchronous (GALS) MoC), and (3) software-implemented embedded systems based on the use the C sequential programming language and its extension that supports concurrency in the form of a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS), as well as those implemented using concurrent programming languages. In this part, students will get familiarised with a commercial grade RTOS and use it in a group project (assignment 1) designing a real-life hard real-time system that uses the Intel FPGA-based soft-core processor and FPGA hardware resources.  

Part II Executable specifications 

We will learn about the synchronous approach to embedded system design. In particular, the Esterel and Safe State Machines (SSMs) design paradigms will be introduced and used. We will discuss in detail issues related to safety, real-time, compilation and formal analysis. We will examine issues related to real-time networking using the time-triggered protocol (TTP). Many illustrative examples will be used throughout this part. In this part of the course students will also do an assignment involving the synchronous approach (assignment 2). 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: COMPSYS 303 or 304 or SOFTENG 370 Restriction: COMPSYS 402, 403, 727

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Apply programming principles to embedded systems design (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
  2. Analyse embedded application designed for correctness (Capability 3.2 and 4.2)
  3. Create complex embedded/real-time embedded software application (Capability 3.1 and 5.1)
  4. Demonstrate effectiveness of teamwork in coming up with novel solutions (Capability 6.1 and 7.1)
  5. Explain fundamental principles in design of safety critical and real-time embedded software (Capability 4.2 and 5.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 50% Group & Individual Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Assignments
Final Exam

1. A passing mark is 50% or higher, according to University policy

2. Students must sit the exam to pass the course. Otherwise, a DNS (did not sit) result will be returned

3. The following late submission policy applies to all assignments for this course:

  a. A 5% penalty for submitting 1 day late.

  b. A 10% penalty for submitting 2 days late.

  c. 100% penalty (no marks) for submitting later than 2 days.

Teaching & Learning Methods

Lectures are given in class. Weekly labs are carried out to provide support for learning. Students are encouraged to be active participants during lectures with asking questions and exploring ideas for hardware and software design.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in. It refers to the teaching and study break weeks of the semester as well as preparations for the exam.

For each week in this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, up to 1 hour in average tutorials and labs, while the remaining time is spent on reading, thinking, and developing solutions for the assignments and preparations for the exam.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including labs/tutorials to complete/receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials/labs will be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events including group discussions/tutorials.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable/block delivery.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Lecture slides and notes delivered throughout the course. Additional readings, lab handouts and development software for the assignments are typically provided via Canvas. 

Web links to the free third party software development tools will be provided via Canvas. 

Health & Safety

Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student feedback, from SET evaluation results in 2024, about this course, has been positive. Minor changes about a more tightly integrated hardware and software co-design approach will be applied in the upcoming year.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.