1 Some aspects of the embedded Linux systems usage in industrial automation Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Gruhler, University of Applied Sciences, Reutlingen, Germany, Prof. Dr. of sc. Victor V. Tkachov, National Mining Academy of Ukraine, As. Prof. Leonid I. Tsvirkun, National Mining Academy of Ukraine, Dr.-Ing. Nikolaus Neuberger, University of Applied Sciences, Esslingen, Germany In general automation system developers create independently dedicated operational systems. Term of development in this case grows, accordingly increase the development and service costs. Now increasing development have embedded systems. Earlier for such devices the license operational systems (VxWorks, VRTX, LynxOS, pSOS + etc.) were used. The Linux operational system becomes for the embedded systems serious alternative. Already now free-of-charge licenses make Linux attractive to industrial application at automation of technological processes. The last 10 years were developed and used a lot of Linux versions, when analysing ones it is possible to allocate the following classes: Linux versions for workstations, personal computers and servers. Most frequently are used the following: Red Hat Linux and its clones, Slackware Linux, SuSE Linux, Debian GNU/Linux, Stampede Linux, Caldera, Mandrake, TurboLinux etc. Embedded Linux versions. These are the following Linux modifications (with a small footprint): uCLinux, ElinOS, LEM, LOAF, muLinux, ThinLinux, ELKS, AMIRIX. Real-time Linux versions. The basic representatives are: Linux-SRT, RT-Linux, AtomicRTA, RedIce, ART Linux etc. Linux versions supporting both embedded and real-time applications:. Customized Linux versions: FirePlug Linux, KOSIX, Lkinux Router Project, PizzaBox Linux. 2 Analysis of the mentioned LINUX versions and their further suitability estimation for embedded systems shows the following conclusions. The Linux versions for workstations, personal computers, and servers generally are intended for use on the Intel platforms. The Linux modifications, such as RedHat Linux, Linux SUSE, Debian GNU/Linux and Caldera could in better degree be appropriate for a development environment by creating the kernel of an embedded system for controllers. Embedded, real-time, and embedded real-time Linux versions basically are intended for work on the Intel (8086, 802286, x386 etc.) processors family. Only some of them support or will support in a near future other processors of the firm Motorola (uCLinux, Royal Linux – some processors, ElinOS – ARM, Power PC, RT-Linux – Power PC and Alpha). These Linux versions are most perspective for application in controllers in which the Intel family processors are not used. The most perspective embedded Linux version for small controllers is uCLinux because of support of BDM Port debugging and ability to work with the MMU-less processors. Now almost 2 billion microprocessors are produced annually and more than 80 percents of them used in embedded systems with the specialized functions. The analysis shows, that processors of the x86 family are supported by 86,7 % of the Linux versions (embedded and real-time+embedded), accordingly PowerPC by 40 %, ARM and MIPS by 33,3%. Let's analyse the suitability of the most supported processors. ¡ 7K ,QWH o-based processor family is developed especially for the market of office computer facilities with short product lifetime and is not the best choice for embedded applications. 3 Therefore many developers of industrial and military real-time embedded systems ¡£¢¥¤ ¦ §©¨ ¦ § ¦ ¦ PRVWO FRQVLGH XQDFFHSWDEO W LO WKHV WK EDV R QWH o URFHVVRUV For embedded systems (especially for single-board computers with VMEbus "! # $ $ DUFKLWHFWXUH WK ZLGHO XVH ODWIRU GXUL WK ODV \HDU ZD WK FKooo processor family of the firm Motorola. This architecture exists many years and was from the beginning generally oriented to embedded real-time applications. There is a massive base of available operational systems, applications, auxiliary programs, cross development systems. & ' ( )+*-,/. 0 121 +HUHE % WK FKo IDPLO FRXO EDVL IR HDO-time systems with low and/or average performance (industrial control systems or communication facilities). Competing families of general microprocessors, such as ARM, MIPS, SPARC etc could also occupy a significant place in the embedded system world. Obvious advantage of PowerPC is the very good relation "price/ performance". The huge marketing budget of a well-known consortium AIM (Apple, IBM, Motorola) specifies challenging market prospects of PowerPC in the field of real-time applications. 4 5 6 587 9 3 : ; 3 < )XUWKHUPRU 3 3RZHU3 L UHFRJQL]H D KLJKO HIIHFWLY VXFFHVVR R WK FKo family. On PowerPC are already installed AIX, Windows NT, OS2 and other general operational systems. PowerPC is dedicated for applications where high performance is to be combined with real-time requirements, small power consumption and minimal dimensions. 4 Today, a lot of well-established manufacturers of VMEbus equipment do PowerPC- based developments. These are the basic advantages of PowerPC: 1. PowerPC provides a very good "price/ performance/ power consumption" relation, that is essentially important for embedded applications. 2. The PowerPC family comprises the whole performance range - from cheap low and average performance chips up to very powerful ones. 3. On base of PowerPC, Motorola produces cheap communication microcontrollers ¥ ¦§¦ ¨ FJK ¢¡¤£ ZLW WK PEHGGH PXOWL-channel and -protocol communication system. 4. PowerPC has a broad range of ported kernels of real-time operational systems. 5. PowerPC provides the best absolute performance for older models on lower frequencies and with less power consumption. 6. The largest manufacturers of customized systems in the field of high-performance military applications tend to the PowerPC family (this is a significant market share). © ¦ 7. Motorola themselves change over from the FKo £ IDPLO W 3RZHU3 L WK field of single-board VMEbus-based computers. Literature 1. JbqZj^ I_l_jkhg /LQX[ Jmdh\h^kl\h ih hi_jZpbhgghc kbkl_f_ I_j k Zg]e- KFLbfZq_\Db_\%+9 k 2. MklZgh\dZ b dhgnb]mjbjh\Zgb_ /LQX[ mq_[guc dmjk – KI[ Ba^Zl_evkl\h ³Ibl_j´– k .