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Android and Linux Porting Services for Embedded Systems

Advantages: Porting Android/Embedded Linux for Fleet Management, Telematics, Infotainment Applications

Porting of open-source Linux and Android instead of porting a proprietary operating system for Connected Car, TelematicsHead-Up Display applications, offer several advantages.

Following are some of the advantages:

Before kick-starting your Android or Linux porting projects, these are some of the best practices your embedded software development partner should take care of:

While selecting a SoC or SoM/SBC, one should consider:

Android/Linux OS Porting Services We Offer: Kernel Programming, Device Driver & BSP Development

Customer Success Stories

Creating Linux Distribution Image with Yocto Project:

What is Yocto Project?​

The Yocto Project (YP)
What are the steps involved in custom development of an embedded Linux Image, using the Yocto Project?​

Learn about the workflow for creating a custom build embedded Linux image using the Yocto Project in this PDF.

Linux Distribution Image with Yocto

Android Porting Videos

Meet Our IoT Leaders

Emmanuel

Emmanuel P John

Solution Architect, IoT

With 19+years of experience in Embedded Systems Engineering, Emmanuel is our veteran Solution Architect. He plays a key role in translating the customer’s Product Vision into a cutting-edge solution.

Known for his humility and team spirit, Emmanuel has mastered the art of establishing and maintaining solid communication channels (across stakeholders) in order to achieve team goals.

suhas

Suhas Tanawade

Senior Delivery and Account Manager, IoT (Mr.Perfectionist)

Suhas has over 25 years of experience in Embedded Engineering & Software Development. He is well-known, among his peers and customers, for his ability to ensure timely delivery of IoT projects. He has been instrumental in the successful completion of some very challenging and large scale IoT projects at Embitel.

FAQs on Android/Linux Porting Services

Ans. One-stage Bootloader, inherently by design becomes a very large single software package. It requires more memory space (this increases cost) and becomes difficult to manage and maintain. Thus, a multi-stage bootloader appears as a practical choice for dynamic embedded applications that involve managing multiple functionalities and operations.

Having two-stage Bootloader software offers you the following benefits:

  • Managing System Start-up Applications: Some necessary start-up programs (that can’t be delayed until the entire OS is loaded) like display of OEM brand logo or branding animation, switching on the camera vision and more can be best managed using two-stage Bootloader software.
  • Re-programming or Flashing of target devices: A two-stage Bootloader design facilitates more efficient flashing of field-deployed IoT devices. Your in-house or technology partner’s support team just needs to make necessary configurations in the 1-stage. Based on the instructions, Bootloader will then execute the new firmware image.
  • Cost Optimization: Generally the 2nd stage of the Bootloader is designed using low cost memories like EPROM, EMMC, NOR flash memory, or SD cards. These memory types can also be reprogrammed more easily. This offers the flexibility to add more functions or features to your applications in the future, at lower costs.
  • Error Recovery: In case of an error or exception, a multi-stage bootloader supports easy recovery of the system, as compared to a single stage bootloader. In multi-stage bootloader, the primary bootloader is booted into internal ROM & RAM. Meanwhile, a two-stage Bootloader can be loaded from any of the external memory medium. Thus, any failure occurring while booting a 2-stage loader from one external memory can be recovered by booting from another external memory medium.
Can you share details regarding the various hardware platforms, for which you support OS porting and BSP customization?

Ans.

  • A. Electric Vehicles: Partnered for custom-development of BSP based on i.MX processors and Android/Linux Porting. This was part of our projects to develop industry grade infotainment, HUD solutions & industrial gateways.
  • Experience in OS Porting and BSP development for Texas Instruments processors like Omap, Jacinto etc.
Please share details regarding your experience with various production-grade hardware platforms for successful Porting of Android or Linux OS.

Ans.

Infotainment systems: We partnered with India’ s leading electric scooter startup for the Porting of Android OS 6.0 (Marshmallow) on Toradex SoM for their Infotainment application

Embitel solution involved:

  • Setting up the Build Environment.
  • Porting the Bootloader, kernel, Android file system, flashing mechanism to the Toradex platform.
  • Integration of Android OS with the Toradex based modules: GSM(Ublox SARA-U270-00S) , GPS(Ublox EVA-M8M) , LSM9DS1 IMU module, LVDS, TI CC2564 based Bluetooth.

Telematics system: We partnered with a Europe based provider of Telematics & Fleet Management Solution for Linux OS Porting.

Embitel solution involved:

  • Customization of YOCTO Build System and u-boot, kernel and rootfile systems
  • Integration Of various device drivers (Vendor Provided, 3rd party drivers, Open Source )
  • Customization of Linux drivers
  • Development of HAL for GPS, GSM modules
  • Design and develop Firmware Over-The-Air( FOTA), Validation Test Framework
What technology frameworks and tools (for Android/Linux Porting), does your team has hands-on experience with?

Ans. The following the required details for both Android and Linux OS porting:

Tool Framework Linux Android
IDE Eclipse Eclipse
Programming language C++ Java
Build Root Framework Yocto
Testing & Validation Custom Test Framework for Linux Google CTS (Compatibility Test Suite ) Verifier
Knowledge bytes
Android CTS (Compatibility Test Suite) is an open-source, commercial, and automated test suite, provided by Google. This test suite for Android applications is an automated “mechanism” to test compatibility of a particular Android application during the development process.

Android CTS consists of a number of test cases, that can be used to evaluate the software and hardware components of an Android device. Android CTS helps in detecting all Android incompatibilities during the development phase itself.
Android Automotive is an Android-OS based platform that executes pre-installed In-Vehicle Infotainment System applications. Android Automotive provides an open-source codebase for automotive infotainment that is completely free of cost. It can be directly installed on the in-vehicle hardware. Automotive software engineers can also customize and implement new features on the platform to develop unique products. One of the many advantages of using Android Automotive for Infotainment system development is the fact that software engineers have access to a huge repository of reusable software created by Android developers worldwide. Development expertise and guidance is also available easily.
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