Embedded Systems-Question Bank

Unit

Q. No

Question

Marks
7

11

What is Embedded System? Explain different applications of

Embedded System.
Explain the various purposes of embedded systems in detail with
illustrative examples.
Explain different classifications of embedded systems with one
example each.
Compare: Embedded Systems Vs General Computing Systems.
What are the basic blocks of a typical embedded system? Explain each
in detail.
What are General purpose & Domain Specific Processors? Explain in
detail.
Differentiate between Microprocessors and Microcontrollers. Explain
their role in embedded system design.
What do you mean by RISC and CISC Computers? Explain in detail
with the help of diagrams.
Explain the concept of Load and Store architecture with the help of
example.
Explain:
i.
Harvard & Neumann Processor/ Controller Architecture
ii.
Big-Endian & Little-Endian Processors/ Controllers
iii.
Instruction Pipelining
What are Programmable Logic Devices? Give its advantages.

12

Explain the classification of memory in detail.

13

What is RAM memory? Explain in detail SRAM and DRAM.

14

14

What is DSP?

Explain the components of a typical embedded system.

What is processor architecture? What are different processor
architectures available?
What are different types of memories used in embedded system
design? Explain the role of each.
Explain the difference between Serial Access Memory and Random
Access Memory. Give an example for both.
What is Sensor? Explain its role in embedded system design with
example.
What is Actuator? Explain its role in embedded system design with
example.
Explain the different factors that need to be considered in the selection
of memory for embedded systems.
Explain different types of Flash Memory.
Explain the role of Input and Output subsystems in embedded system
design with example.
What is Stepper Motor? How is it different from ordinary dc motors?
Explain at least five applications in detail which involve the use of
Stepper Motor.

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7

Unit

Q. No

Marks

12

Explain the operation of the transistor-based Relay circuit.

13

Explain the operation of Matrix Keyboard.

What is Programmable Peripheral Interface (PPI)? Explain the
interfacing of 8255 with 8-bit microprocessor/ controller.
Explain different on-board communication interfaces in brief.
Explain the sequence of operation for communicating with an I2C
slave device.
Explain the operation of SPI bus in brief.

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8

Explain RS-232 C serial interface in detail.

Explain the following in brief:
i.
USB
ii.
UART
iii.
IrDA
iv.
Bluetooth
Describe various characteristics of an embedded system in brief.
Explain:
i.
Response
ii.
Throughput
iii.
Reliability
How maintainability of embedded system is measured? Explain in
brief.
What are the Non-operational Attributes of an Embedded System?
What are the different factors that need to be considered in selection
of a controller?
Explain the memory organization of 8051 in detail.

How RAM memory space is allocated in 8051?

What do you mean by Paged Data Memory Access?

Which controller model is used in 8051? Explain in brief.

Explain:
i.
IRAM
ii.
SFR
Write down the function of the following 8051 registers in brief:
i.
ACC (SFR-E0H)
ii.
PSW (SFR-D0H)
iii.
DPTR (DPL & DPH)
iv.
PC
v.
SP (SFR-81H)
vi.
Scratchpad Registers (R0 to R7)
Explain the Machine Cycle of 8051 in brief.

Explain pin organization of 8051 ports P0 & P1.

10

Explain pin organization of 8051 ports P2 & P3.

11

Explain 8051 interrupt system in detail.

19

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7

Unit

Question

Q. No

Question

14

9
6

5
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13
8

7
13

Marks

13

Explain in detail:
i.
IE (SFR-A8H)
ii.
IP (SFR-B8H)
What are the different conditions to block an interrupt in 8051?

14

Explain in brief the working of Oscillator Unit of 8051.

15

Explain T0 & T1 in detail.

16

What do you mean by Bit-addressable memory? Explain in detail.

17

Explain SCON in detail.

Explain with examples different addressing modes supported by 8051
CPU.
What is the difference between Register Instructions & Register
Specific Instructions? Give an example for each.
What is Data Transfer Instruction? Explain the different data transfer
instructions supported by 8051 CPU.
Explain different arithmetic operations supported by 8051 CPU with
an example of each.
Accumulator register contains 01H. What will be the contents of
accumulator and Carry flag on execution of instruction
RR A
RRC A
Examine the following piece of code and explain whether the program
will work in expected way. Justify your statement.
MOV P1.0, P1.2
Explain the stack memory related data transfer instructions in detail.

What are data exchange instructions? Give an example of each.

What are different logical operations supported by 8051 CPU in detail.

10

16

Explain different Boolean instructions supported by 8051 CPU.

Explain different Unconditional program control transfer instructions
supported by 8051.
Explain different Conditional program control transfer instructions
supported by 8051.
What is the difference between LCALL & ACALL for subroutine
invocation? Which one is faster in execution and why?
Write a code for implementing INC & DEC instructions.
Write an 8051 ALP to find the largest number from an array of ten
numbers. The array is located in the data memory and the starting
address of the array is 20H.
Explain Super Loop based Approach for Firmware Development.

17

What are assembly directive instructions used for?

18

Explain the process of translation of source file to object file.

19

What are the advantages of Assembly Language Based Development?

How can a assembly language be mixed with high level language?
Explain with example.
Question

12

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Unit

Q. No

Compare: C Vs Embedded C.

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9
Marks
4

What is Pointer in embedded C programming? What is NULL

pointer?
Explain function in the embedded C programming context.

What is the difference between static and global functions?

Explain the declaration and initialization of structure variables.

What are different operations supported by structures?

What is structure pointer? What is the advantage of using it?

What is macro in embedded C programming?

What are the merits and demerits of macros?

Explain different methods of constant data declaration in embedded
C.
Explain different techniques for delay generation in Embedded C
programming.
What is Interrupt? Explain its properties.
What is Interrupt Vector Address & Interrupt Service Routine? How
are they related?
Explain Context Switching, Context Saving and Context Retrieval in
relation to interrupts & ISR.
What is recursion? How is it different from iteration?

What is reentrant function? What is its significance?

Explain the criteria that need to be strictly met by a function to
consider it as a reentrant function?
What is Dynamic Memory Allocation? How is it different from static
memory allocation?
What is the difference between General Purpose Kernel and Real-time
Kernel? Give an example for both.
What is Task Control Block (TCB)? Explain its structure.

What is the difference between Hard and Soft Real Time Systems?
Explain task in VxWorks context. Explain its different possible states
under VxWorks kernel.
Explain the state transition under VxWorks kernel with a state
transition diagram.
Explain task creation and management under VxWorks kernel.

Explain task scheduling supported by VxWorks kernel.

Explain exception handling mechanisms for tasks and interrupts
under VxWorks kernel.
Explain kernel services of VxWorks kernel.
Explain different types of Inter Process Communication supported by
VxWorks kernel.
How two-way message queue is implemented between two tasks under
VxWorks kernel? Explain with block diagram.

Q. No

Question

Marks

12

Explain different mutual exclusion mechanisms supported by

VxWorks. State merits and limitations of each. 16

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Unit

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7

17

What is Semaphore? What are different types of semaphores

supported by VxWorks?
How does mutual exclusion semaphore removes priority inversion
problem?
Explain the Signals based IPC implementation under VxWorks.
Explain how a C function can be used as ISR for an interrupt under
VxWorks.
Explain the watchdog timer operation under VxWorks kernel.

18

Explain the time delay generation under VxWorks kernel.

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