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24.10.2016	Backup Exam Inspection: Date and Time Inspection of the backup exam will possible on Wednesday, November 2. We will meet at 16:15 in room 1.09 (in building E1 1).
21.10.2016	Backup Exam Results The results of the backup exam, as well as the combined grades of exams and project, are now available.
10.10.2016	Backup Exam Info The backup exam will take place tomorrow in the Günter Hotz lecture hall. We start at 14:15. Please be there at 14:00 to avoid any delays. As always, don't forget to bring your student ID, and good luck!
12.09.2016	Exam Inspection: Date and Time Inspection of the exam will possible on Thursday, September 22. We will meet at 11:15 in room 1.09 (in building E1 1).
10.08.2016	Exam Inspection Inspection of the exam will be possible some time in early September. We will announce the exact date in due time.
10.08.2016	Exam Results Online The results of the exam, as well as the combined grades of exam and project, are now available. We want to thank you all for your participation in the course, and hope that our new combination of practical and theoretical work was as exciting for you as it was... Read more The results of the exam, as well as the combined grades of exam and project, are now available. We want to thank you all for your participation in the course, and hope that our new combination of practical and theoretical work was as exciting for you as it was for us! Bernd Finkbeiner and Swen Jacobs
08.08.2016	Exam Info The exam will take place tomorrow in the Günter Hotz lecture hall. We start at 10:15. Please be there at 10:00 to avoid any delays. Don't forget to bring your student ID.
21.07.2016	Final project review As discussed, Swen Jacobs and I will stop by during the project sessions next week on Monday and Wednesday for a final project review before the presentation on Friday. If you have not done so already, please let me know by email (finkbeiner@cs.uni-saarland.de)... Read more As discussed, Swen Jacobs and I will stop by during the project sessions next week on Monday and Wednesday for a final project review before the presentation on Friday. If you have not done so already, please let me know by email (finkbeiner@cs.uni-saarland.de) which day you prefer. More info regarding the review, the presentation, and the exam is available on the slides from Lecture 20.
13.07.2016	Problem Set 7 Problem set 7 is now online (under Information->Materials->Problem Sets). It is due on Thursday, July 21, at 17:59.
01.07.2016	Note: Problem Set 6 Please note that material for Problems 3 b) and 4 will be covered in the next lecture on Monday.
29.06.2016	Problem Set 6 Problem set 6 is now online (under Information->Materials->Problem Sets). It is due on Thursday, July 07, at 17:59.
21.06.2016	Project Session 9 The project session tomorrow at 10am will start in lecture hall 1.
20.06.2016	Problem Set 5 update We have fixed the cost function "number of late tasks" in problem 4 part (d).
16.06.2016	Project Session 8 The project session tomorrow at noon will have no introductory part; please meet directly with your team in the individual lab rooms. The goal of the project session is to develop the prototype.
15.06.2016	Problem Set 5 Problem set 5 is now online (under Information->Materials->Problem Sets). It is due on Thursday, June 23, at 17:59.
09.06.2016	Example Risk Document Online The risk document for the example project is now online (Materials -> F - Example Milestone Documents).
01.06.2016	Problem Set 4 Problem set 4 is now online (under Information->Materials->Problem Sets). It is due on Thursday, June 09, at 17:59. Note that the material for problem 4 will be covered on Monday.
31.05.2016	Re-submission of specification document We have just opened a submission for updating your specification document. If your project tutor found that your original specification document was not sufficient, please submit an updated version until Thursday, 6pm. In case you are not sure whether an update is... Read more We have just opened a submission for updating your specification document. If your project tutor found that your original specification document was not sufficient, please submit an updated version until Thursday, 6pm. In case you are not sure whether an update is needed, please contact your project tutor.
24.05.2016	Project Session 5 The project session tomorrow at 10:00am will have no introductory part; please meet directly with your team in the individual lab rooms. The goal of the project session is to develop the virtual prototype. For your reference, the simulink file and the documentation... Read more The project session tomorrow at 10:00am will have no introductory part; please meet directly with your team in the individual lab rooms. The goal of the project session is to develop the virtual prototype. For your reference, the simulink file and the documentation for the "dancing robot" virtual prototype are available under Information->Materials->Example Milestone Documents.
19.05.2016	Project Session 4 The project session at noon tomorrow will start again in lecture hall 1.
18.05.2016	Problem Set 3 Problem set 3 is now online (under Information->Materials->Problem Sets). It is due on Thursday, May 26, at 17:59. We have created a submission for problems 1,2 and 3. Problem 4 can be submitted as a hard copy. Note that the material for problem 4 will be... Read more Problem set 3 is now online (under Information->Materials->Problem Sets). It is due on Thursday, May 26, at 17:59. We have created a submission for problems 1,2 and 3. Problem 4 can be submitted as a hard copy. Note that the material for problem 4 will be covered on Monday.
11.05.2016	Problem Set 2 Submissions Please note that for Problem Set 2, your solutions should be on paper (to be submitted in the physical mailbox). For problems solved in MATLAB, it is enough to provide us with printouts.
10.05.2016	Project Session 3 The project session tomorrow at 10am will start in lecture hall 1.
06.05.2016	Pitch - Order of Presentations The order of presentations today will be according to your tutorial number, so have a look at your status page to see your tutorial. Please keep in mind that we will have 17 presentations today, so adhering to your 5 minute time limit is essential.
04.05.2016	Problem Set 2 Problem set 2 is now online (under Information->Materials->Problem Sets). It is due on Thursday, May 12, at 17:59. Note that the material for problem 4 will be covered on Monday.
04.05.2016	Pitch on Friday In the project session on Friday, we will have the project pitches. Please submit your slides (as a PDF) until Thursday, 5:59 PM. We will meet in the lecture hall (E1 3, 001) on Friday.
27.04.2016	Problem Set 1, Submission Please submit your MATLAB files in a .zip format via your "Personal Status" page. (In addition to the solution on paper to be submitted in the physical mailbox.)
26.04.2016	"Principles of Cyber-Physical Systems" available online The ebook "Principles of Cyper-Physical Systems" is now available online. See Information->Materials->Textbooks. Please note that you need to connect through the university network, use vpn if you are off-campus.
26.04.2016	Project Session 1 The project session tomorrow at 10am will start in lecture hall 1 with a short tutorial on Simulink and Stateflow.
22.04.2016	Problem Set 1 The first problem set is now available (under Information->Materials->Problem Sets). It is due Thursday, April 28, at 17:59. Note that the material for Problems 4, 5 and 6 will only be covered in the next lecture (on Monday).

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Embedded Systems

Embedded systems are computer systems that are encapsulated into larger products, and that are normally not directly visible to the user. Embedded systems are responsible for the information processing in transportation systems (e.g., airplanes, trains, cars), telecommunication equipment (e.g., mobile phones), and consumer electronics products (e.g., TVs, DVD-players).

In this course we will study the theoretical foundations and practical tools that are needed to build reliable and efficient embedded systems. An important component of the course is the project, where groups of participants design and build an embedded system.

Topics:

1. Cyberphysical Models

We learn how to model  an embedded system together  with its physical environment . We distinguish between dynamical systems, where the input signals are defined over continuous time, discrete systems, where the input can be defined over discrete instants of time, and hybrid systems, that are composed of both discrete and continuous components. We also learn how to simulate a virtual prototype of an embedded system and understand the limitations of simulation.

2. Sensors, Actuators & Control

We take a look into sensor and actuator hardware. We learn how to design a sensor system, including pitfalls of Analog/Digital-conversion and about implementation of controllers based on sensor values. Further, we learn how to model systems with control loops, how to simulate them, and how to make sure that a controller for a system is stable.

3. Circuit Design

We learn how to describe hardware in the hardware description language VHDL, how to   synthesize hardware  using FPGAs, and how to  simulate hardware.

4. Distribution & Communication

We learn how to model systems with distribution, investigate communication protocols, and how to design a real-time system with communicating components. Further, we learn how to analyze the risk of failure of such systems.

5. Tasks & Resources

We learn how to model real-time requirements and dependencies of tasks in an embedded system and how to schedule them on single and multiprocessor architectures. We also take a look into real-time operating systems and their characteristics, and what distinguishes them from standard operating systems.

6. Verification & Analysis

We learn how make sure that a system satisfies its requirements. By looking into techniques like testing, static analysis and formal verification, we learn how to develop test suites and how to conduct tests for a given type of system, and how to formally analyze properties of system models.

7. Controller Synthesis

We learn how to  automatically synthesize controllers  from specifications for both discrete and timed controllers. Hereby we learn how to model control problems as games and how to solve these games.  

Course Data

Core Lecture Course (Stammvorlesung)

Summer Term 2016

9 Credit Points

Structure: 3 sessions per week (Mondays 2-4pm, Wednesdays 10-12pm, Fridays 12-2pm). The course is organized into two-week blocks, where each block follows the following format:

Week 1: Lecture - Lecture - Project

Week 2: Lecture - Project - Tutorial

The first lecture will take place on Wednesday, April 20th. Refer to the timetable for details.

Your course grade will depend on your performance in the written exam and the project.

Embedded Systems Bernd Finkbeiner, Swen Jacobs