Embedded Operating Systems;Windows CE, Embedded Linux, pSOS, uC/OS

Except a desktop computer and workstation, an embedded system is a system containing microprocessors. While a desktop computer and a workstation are designed for a general purpose, an embedded system is designed for a dedicated purpose. Thus, an embedded system must meet some constraints such as low power consumption, low cost, small size, real-time, or user-defined ones. A simple and low cost embedded system may be able to be designed without using embedded operating systems (OS). However, considered design time and effort, some embedded system had better be designed with using embedded OS. Under given constraints and purpose of some embedded systems, one embedded OS can save more time, cost, and effort in designing those embedded systems than others. This paper compares four embedded OSs, Windows CE, Embedded Linux, pSOS, and uC/OS. It analyzes several issues of embedded OS such as process scheduling, inter-process communication (IPC), memory management, and network support. Also, it describes the product of each embedded OS.