Embedded Systems

An embedded system is a controller with a function within a larger mechanical or electrical system, often with real-time computing constraints.

The IT assets of an enterprise can often be considered as actors that perform services. A CPU performs an information processing service; a filestore performs an information storage service; and so on. This includes software as well as hardware assets. A database management system performs a database management service; an accounts package performs a financial information processing service. An important feature of Embedded System is the recognition that these assets perform services, and the development of software façades that provide access to these assets and have interfaces that are in the same form as the interfaces to other software services of the enterprise.

This is called asset wrapping. From a component-based software engineering point of view, the assets and the façade are components that are assembled to form a software service. The software services formed in this way can be used in service composition, have registry entries, and be dynamically discovered, in the same way as other services.