Embedded Computing Design August 2011 : Page 36Strategies | Small Form Factors Microcontrollers Microcontrollers Silicon | Silicon | Hardware multiple JVM Hardware multiple JVM allows multiple independent JVMs to run independently in one processor with firewalls securely separating the applications running on each JVM. This is achieved by hardware support for deterministic time slicing and memory space slicing among the multiple JVMs. Also, fast JVM context switch-ing is achieved with hardware support. Moreover, each independent JVM can be restarted without affecting the other JVMs. One practical application of this feature is to use two JVMs to enhance security by running secured processes in one JVM and Internet-connected applications (exposed to outside threat) on the other. This, along with the elimination of the weak links between C and Java in the dual language platform, makes the pro-cessor less prone to crashes, hacking, or virus attacks. Another useful application is to run one JVM for real-time processes and the other JVM for non-real-time processes. This approach significantly reduces the complexity of real-time system design. This innovation enables: f Security: Each JVM is independent and secure from the other. A failed JVM can be restarted without affecting the other. f Real time: A real-time application can run on one JVM while a non-real-time application runs on the other JVM with fast context switching. f Low power consumption: Different power management policies can run on the two JVMs. Figure 2 illustrates hardware multiple JVM implementation with two JVMs. [Figure 2 | Using hardware multiple JVM, one JVM can run secured or real-time processes while the other runs Internet-connected or non-real-time applications.] Secured Or Real-Time Applications Internet-Connected Or Non-Real-Time Applications JVM 0 Thread Manager Interrupt Timer JVM 1 Interrupt Memory for JVM0 Fire Wall Timer Silicon-based implementation To simplify Java application develop-ment and reduce the cost of deploy ing secure and real-time services on embedded systems, designers can use silicon-based Systems-on-Chips (SoCs). A cost-effective SoC Java solution with a built-in RTOS, complete set of drivers for industry-standard peripher-als and I/O (communication, storage, networking, security, and so on), and OSGi middleware support allows users to focus on the Java application for fast time to market. An example of a silicon-based imple-mentation from aJile Systems is shown in Figure 3. In this implementation, the SoC incorporates the three major Java innovations discussed earlier to enable low-cost and low-power deployment of secure and real-time Internet-connected applications. [Figure 3 | A silicon-based OSGi platform helps decrease the cost of deploying secure and real-time services on embedded systems.] Memory for JVM1 Global Memory Software Semaphore Synchronization Figure 2 | Using hardware multiple JVM, one JVM can run secured or real-time processes while the other runs Internet-connected or non-real-time applications. growing vertical markets for embedded devices: residential, automotive, and industrial. This trend is accelerated by the availability of silicon-based OSGi platforms that make economic deploy-ment possible. References [1] About the OSGi Service Platform, June 7, 2007: www.osgi.org/wiki/uploads/ Links/OSGiTechnicalWhitePaper.pdf OSGi-based deployment of Internet-connected embedded applications is gaining momentum and acceptance as a means of providing secure and real-time services in the emerging and Java Applications M2M Applications MPOS Java Games Edutainments OSGi Application Framework Phone Applications Customer Applications De facto Industry Std Java Middleware JME/CLDC/CDC/FP/PBP TCP/IP Network Stack LAN Driver GPIO Driver Interrupt Driver File System Wi-Fi Driver I2C Driver RTC Driver Security AES/DES Driver I2S/AC97 Driver WDT Driver MPEG/JPEG Driver Display Driver SPI Driver CF/SDIO Driver Media Camera Driver UART/IrDA Driver USB Driver Silicon-Based JME Platform Secure and Real-Time Silicon-Based Java Platform Java Direct Execution Hardware Real-Time OS Hardware Multiple JVM Silicon-Based OSGi Platform Johnson Yan is senior VP of sales and business development at aJile Systems Inc. Prior to joining aJile Systems, he was VP of marketing and business development at Silicon Motion and founder and CEO of Jaxstream, and held VP and management positions at Tvia, ATI Technologies, Oak Technologies, and Trident Microsystems. Johnson has a BSEE from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s degree in EECS from the University of California at Berkeley. He holds four patents in graphics/imaging technology. aJile Systems Inc. 408-557-8018 yan@ajile.com www.ajile.com www.embedded-computing.com Figure 3 | A silicon-based OSGi platform helps decrease the cost of deploying secure and real-time services on embedded systems. 36 | August 2011 Embedded Computing Design Resource Guide Memory Protection Thread Manager Publication List |
