Release notes for embOS Version 3.86k for M32C and M16C/80 using IAR M32C compiler

1. Tool chain used for build
2. Performance
3. New features
4. Improvements
5. Program corrections
6. Known problems
7. Release history
8. Miscellaneous

Tool chain used for build

The following tools have been used:

Compiler:  IAR ICCM32C V3.30A
Assembler: IAR AM32C   V3.30.1.40029
Librarian: IAR XLIB    V5.0.2.5
Workbench: IAR EWIDE   V5.0.3.300

Performance

1. Task switch time
   Near memory model: 15.4 us = 371 cycles
   Far memory model: 19.5 us = 470 cycles
   
2. Interrupt latency, low priority interrupt
   Near memory model: 5.9 us = 141 cycles
   Far memory model: 7.5 us = 181 cycles
   
3. Interrupt latency, high priority (fast) interrupt
   Near memory model: 1.17 us = 28 cycles
   Far memory model: 1.13 us = 27 cycles
   

Absolute timings are based on an M32C running at 24 MHz

New features

Version 3.86k

1. Update to new embOS sources V3.86k
   All new functions and features of the new embOS version 3.86k are described in the embOS generic manual and release notes.

Version 3.82q

1. Fast interrupt mode priority limit adjustable
   Inside embOS, interrupts are not disabled. Interrupt priority is raised to a user definable level instead.
   This enables high speed interrupt processing with very short interrupt latency for interrupts running at priorities above the zero interrupt latency level.
   The initial level of high priority zero latency interrupts is set to 5 per default and can be changed at runtime during system initialization.
   This can be done by calling the function OS_SetFastIntPriorityLimit() which is now available for M32C.
2. Update to embOS sources V3.82q
   embOS comes with lots of new functions and optimizations which are described in the generic embOS manual and release notes.
3. New embOS plugin for the IAR debugger
   embOS V3.82q requires a newer version of the embOS CSpy plugin which is now delivered with embOS M32C.
   The plugin which is delivered with the IAR workbench can not be used, because some internal structures of embOS have changed.
   The plugin in the workbench has to be replaced by the version 3.82.4 which caomes with embOS.

Version 3.50

1. Fast interrupt mode introduced
   Inside embOS, interrupts are not disabled. Interrupt priority is raised to level 4 instead.
   This enables high speed interrupt processing with very short interrupt latency for interrupts running at priorities above 4.
   This mode is default in all delivered libraries and can only be changed by recompiling embOS sources.

Version 3.40c

1. OS_Yield() may suspend a task unconditionally
   When tasks are running on round robin with timeslice, the function OS_Yield() can be used to end the timeslice of the running task immediately and activate an other task with the same priority which is ready for execution. The function has no effect on tasks that are not running on round robin.

Version 3.40

1. Task switch time can be measured by application
   embOS now comes with sample applications which allow accurate measurement of task switch time in a running application.
   

Version 3.32o

1. Automatic call of OS_INIT_SYS_LOCKS() removed.
   During initialization of embOS, OS_INIT_SYS_LOCK() is not called automatically.
   As most of the applications do not need thread safe system libraries, an automatic activation of syslocks causes unwanted overhead.
   If supported and required, the user may call OS_INIT_SYS_LOCKS() from his own application after normal initialization of embOS.
   

Version 3.32m

1. OS_TimerEx, Extended timer implemented
   Extended timers are software timers which call a user defined callback function when the timer expires.
   In comparison to normal embOS timers, a parameter is passed to the timer callback function.
   The parameter value is initialized during timer creation.

Version 3.32j

1. OS_CSemaRequest implemented
   May be used to decrement a counting semaphore conditionally, if a signal is available.
   The function never blocks the calling task and delivers a result which indicates whether the semaphore was available.

Version 3.32f

1. OS_INIT_SYS_LOCKS() implemented
   May be used to include initialization code for thread safe system libraries.
   

Version 3.32d

1. OS_Q_GetPtrTimed() implemented
   New queue retrieval function which waits for a message with specified timeout.

Version 3.32c

1. OS_EVENT_WaitTimed() implemented
   New event object function to wait for an event with a timeout limit.

Version 3.32b

1. Task context modified for debug builds
   The number of task activations is now part of the task context in debug builds.
   The number of activations are therefore displayed in the task list window of embOS plugin, when an embOS debug library is used.
   Previous versions of embOS showed this information in profiling builds only.

Version 3.32a

1. A parameter may be passed to a task function
   Using the new embOS functions OS_CREATETASK_EX() or OS_CreateTaskEx() allows to pass a void pointer as parameter to a task.

Version 3.32

1. Event objects introduced
   Event objects are standalone objects which are not assigned to a specific task.
   Event objects may be used to synchronize one or multiple task to a specific event.
   Events can be triggered from a task, a timer, or an interrupt handler.

Version 3.30a

1. embOS internal time handling modified to allow long delays
   For 8- and 16-bit CPUs the maximum range for delays and timer periods is limited to 32767 embOS timer ticks, because time comparison ist done by integer calculation.
   By recompiling sources with datatype OS_TIME defined as signed long, longer delays and timer periods up to 2147483647 ticks can be realized.
   The embOS libraries of object versions for 8- and 16-bit CPUs are still delivered with the limitation to 32767 timer ticks.

Version 3.28p

1. New error handling for version without round robin scheduling
   In debug versions of embOS, OS_Error() is called with error code OS_ERR_TASK_PRIORITY, if a task is created with a priority which is already assigned to an other task.
   OS_Error() is also called with the same errorcode, if a task priority is assigned by call of OS_SetPriority() and the new priority is already assigned to an other task.
   Round robin switching can be disabled by recompiling sources with OS_RR_SUPPORTED defined as 0.

Version 3.28l

1. OS_SignalCSemaMax()
   New counting semaphore handling function which specifies a maximum count value.
   This allows counting semaphores used as binary semaphores.

Version 3.28k

1. embOS awareness Plugin for IAR CSpy
   A new plugin for IAR CSPy which shows information about tasks, system variables, mailboxes, timers and semaphores is delivered with embOS.

Version 3.28i

1. OS_DeleteRSema()
   New resource semaphore handling function allows to delete resource semaphores during runtime.
   

Version 3.28h

1. Additional error checks in debug builds of embOS
   OS_CreateRSema() now generates an error, when the addressed resource semaphore was already created before.
   OS_CreateCSema() now generates an error, when the addressed counting semaphore was already created before.
   OS_CreateMB() now generates an error, when the mailbox was already created before.
   OS_CreateTimer() now generates an error, when the software timer was already created before.
   OS_MEMF_Create() now generates an error, when the addressed fixed size memory pool was already created before.

Version 3.28g

1. OS_GetSuspendCnt()
   New info function to examine suspension state and count of a task.

Version 3.26

1. OS_Terminate() modified
   Tasks may be terminated anytime, regardless of task state.
   All resources claimed by the terminated task are automatically released.

Version 3.24

1. OS_PutMailFront() / OS_PutMailFront1
   New mailbox functions to enable LIFO behavior of mailboxes.
2. OS_PutMailFrontCond() / OS_PutMailFrontCond1()
   New conditional mailbox functions to enable LIFO behavior of mailboxes.

Version 3.20

1. OS_Suspend() / OS_Resume() implemented
   New functions to suspend and resume tasks unconditionally.
2. Fixed size memory blocks implemeted
   New functions to allocate fixed size memory blocks from embOS.
3. Dynamic memory allocation supported by embOS
   Thread safe dynamic memory allocation functions implemented.

Version 3.10k

1. OS_GetMailTimed()
   New mailbox retreiving function with timeout.

Version 3.10d

1. OS_GetpCurrentTimer()
   New info routine. May be used in timer callback routines to examine which timer expired.
2. OS_GetpCurrentTask()
   New info routine. May be used to examine current running task.

Improvements

Version 3.40d

1. OS_Yield() now writes an entry into the trace buffer
   When using the debug library with trace capabilities, OS_Yield() writes an entry into the trace buffer which shows the function call and the calling task.
   embOSView version 3.40d is required to show this entry.

Version 3.40b

1. Queue management improved.
   For some CPUs, the buffer start address for Queues has to be aligned. Now embOS automatically corrects the alignment, if required.

Version 3.40a

1. Counting semaphores improved.
   The counters of counting semaphores are now integer values.
   Error handling is also improved. When a counting semaphore overflows, the embOS error handler OS_Error() is called in debug builds.

Version 3.40

1. Task switch time improved.
   Scheduling optimized to improve task switch time.
2. Task switch time improved for task events.
   Task event handling modified to improve task switch time for tasks waiting on events.
3. Interrupt latency improved.
   During task switch, the time period when interrupts are disabled is reduced.
4. embOS timer tick handler improved.
   The standard timer tick handler run faster now. The embOS internal time variable is incremented by 1 on every timer tick.
   When different increments are required, the new timer tick handler OS_HandleTick_Ex(), OS_TickHandler_Ex() or OS_HandleTickDI_Ex() have to be used by application.
   Different inctrements may be configured by a call of OS_CONFIG().

Version 3.32i

1. Task switch to OS_Idle() modified.
   The call of OS_Idle() from OS_ChangeTask can be overwritten (inhibited) by defining the macro OS_IDLE() which is norammly defined as OS_Idle().
   This allows task switching via an exception for specific CPU/compiler versions.

Version 3.32g

1. Pointer comparison improved for fixed size memory pools (OS_MEMF module).
   Some compiler produced wrong pointer comparison code in far memory model.
   For specific CPU/compiler versions, the new OS_POINTER_TO_VALUE() function was inroduced to deliver correct results in pointer comparison.

Version 3.28n

1. embOS round-robin scheduling may be disabled.
   Round-robin scheduling may be disabled by recompiling sources with OS_RR_SUPPORTED defined as 0.
   This will save some bytes of RAM and ROM and may make sense for small CPUs.

Version 3.28g

1. embOS scheduling simplified
   Task activation and deactivation on "waitable objects" as mailboxes, semaphores, events, fixed size memory blocks now all use the same scheduling method.
   This modification saves ROM and RAM and makes scheduler easier to understand and to maintain.
   Applications which accessed internal data structures of waitable objects directly have to be modified.

Program corrections

Version 3.40d

1. OS_Suspend() corrected
   When using the debug library with trace capabilities, a call of OS_Suspend() wrote a wrong trace code into the trace buffer.
   Instead of writing the code for task suspension, the code for task termination was written.
   The function itself worked correctly, only the data written into the trace buffer was wrong.
   The problem existed in all previous embOS versions and is fixed with version 3.40d.

Version 3.32o

1. OS_Unuse() corrected
   OS_Unuse() must not be called from a task that does not claim the resource semaphore.
   According to the documentation, the debug build of embOS should generate a call to OS_Error() if this fault happens.
   All previous versions of embOS did not call OS_Error(). Now, OS_Error() will be called in that situation with error code 156: OS_ERR_RESOURCE_OWNER().

Version 3.32l

1. OS_EVENT_Delete() corrected
   OS_EVENT_Delete() did not work correctly. OS_LeaveRegion() was called inside the function without calling OS_EnterRegion() bfore.
   In debug builds of embOS, the error handler OS_Error() was called with error 151 (OS_ERR_LEAVEREGION_BEFORE_ENTERREGION).
   In release builds the system was blocked because the underflow of region count inhibts all further task switches, or system crashes, because incrementing the region count the next time allows task switches instead of blocking them. The problem existed in all previous versions and is fixed with version 3.32l.
2. Round-robin task switching corrected.
   Round robin task switching did not work correctly in previous version. A task which was blocked for some reason could be activated. The system crashed during task switch.
   The problem existed since version 3.32j and is fixed with version 3.32l.

Version 3.32k

1. Handler function _OS_OnTx() for serial communication to embOSView corrected.
   The transmission handler for communication with embOSView might have sent incorrect data to embOSView, because internal control state was updated after sending the data.
   The problem occurred on a new embOS port for a specific CPU only and is fixed with version 3.32k.
   

Version 3.32h

1. OS_Error() was required in release build when resource semaphores were used.
   When using release build libraries and resource semaphores, the embOS error handler OS_Error() was required and the file OS_Error.c had to be compiled and linked in a project.
   The problem existed since version 3.28i of embOS and is fixed with version 3.32h.

Version 3.32e

1. OS_GetMessageCnt() corrected.
   The type of the retun value of OS_GetMessageCnt() was an unsigned integer in release builds, but an integer in debubg builds.
   This was corrected to return an unsigned integer in all builds.
   The problem existed in all previous versions of embOS end is fixed with version 3.32e.

Version 3.32a

1. embOSView corrected.
   embOSView sometimes showed wrong task state "Terminated" for tasks which were not terminated.
   This bug existed in all previous versions of emBOSView and is fixed with version 3.32a.

Version 3.30d

1. OS_MEMF_Create() corrected.
   Alignment check of buffers for fixed size memory blocks did not work correctly in debug libraries of embOS.
   OS_Error() was called during OS_MEMF_Create(), even though the memory pool buffers start address was correctly aligned.
   This problem existed since embOS version 3.28m in all debug build libraries and is fixed with version 3.30d.

Version 3.30b

1. OS_Suspend() corrected.
   OS_Suspend() did not work correctly, when an activated task with higher priority than the running task was suspended.
   When the task with highest priority was suspended during system initialization before embOS was started, embOS crashed during the call of OS_Start(), or called the embOS error handler OS_Error() with error code OS_ERR_INV_TASK (128).
   The same crash occurred, when the application was running in a critical region and a task with higher priority was activated, but not started because of the critical region, and was then suspended by a call of OS_Suspend().
   This problem existed in all previous embOS versions and is fixed with version 3.30b.

Version 3.28q

1. Problem with suspended tasks which were on delay fixed.
   If a task which was on delay was suspended, the delay timer for that task was not handled.
   This might have resulted in additional longer delay when the task was resumed later.
   This problem existed in all previous embOS versions and is fixed with version 3.28q.
2. OS_MEMF_Create() corrected for M32C.
   The alignment check of memory pool start addresses and check of block size is not required for M32C.
   When buffers were not aligned to word boundaries, the embOS error handler was called with error 194.
   To be compatible to earlier versions of embOS, the alignment check was removed for M32C.
   This problem existed since version 3.28n of embOS versions and is fixed with version 3.28q.

Version 3.28p

1. OS_Suspend() corrected.
   OS_Suspend() did not work correctly, when the current task was suspended from within an interrupt handler, or from a critical region.
   The application crashed, or called the embOS error handler OS_Error() with error code OS_ERR_INV_TASK (128).
   As OS_Suspend() automatically enters a critical region in debug-trace builds, OS_Suspend() also failed, when it was called to suspend the current task in debug-trace builds of embOS.
   This problem existed in all previous embOS versions and is fixed with version 3.28p.

Version 3.28n

1. Alignment problems fixed for fixed size memeory blocks
   Some CPUs, mainly the 32bit RISC types, require aligned buffer start addresses for fixed size memory pools.
   The debug version of embOS now checks alignment of buffer start address and data blocks in the buffer. If data blocks and buffer start address is not aligned, an error is generated and embOS error handler is called during creation of a fixed size memory pool.
   This problem existed in all previous embOS versions and is fixed with version 3.28m.

Version 3.28l

1. OS_MEMF_FreeBlock() added
   The function OS_MEMF_FreeBlock() was not included in embOS libraries, but was documented in embOS users manual and was also declared in RTOS.h.
   This problem existed in all previous embOS versions and is fixed with version 3.28l.

Version 3.28k

1. OS_MEMF_IsInPool() corrected
   OS_MEMF_IsInPool() failed, if a pointer was checked which pointed to the first address after the memory pool. This pointer was reported as belonging to the pool.
   This problem existed in all previous embOS versions and is fixed with version 3.28g.

Version 3.28g

1. OS_WakeTask() for trace build corrected
   OS_WakeTask() in trace build disabled task switches.
   This problem existed since version 3.24 and is fixed with version 3.28g.
2. OS_GetMailTimed() / mailbox handling corrected
   During call of OS_GetMailTimed, interrupts were re-enabled too early. If a mail was just put into a mailbox and the timeout occurred at the same time, a mailbox internal control variables which managed waiting tasks was set to a wrong value.
   This resulted in wrong mailbox handling and caused task waiting for mail kept suspended, even though, mail was available. This problem existed in all previous versions of embOS and is fixed with version 3.28g.

Version 3.26a

1. OS_MEMF_Release() corrected
   OS_MEMF_Release() might have failed according to absolute address of memory block.
   The problem occurred because address calculation was done with 16bit interger value.
   Calculation was modified to use 32bit values to fix the problem.

Version 3.10p

1. GetMail functions corrected
   Internal functions for retrieving mail from a mailbox did not disable interrupts. This could cause message losses, when mail was written into mailboxes from within interrupt handlers.
   This problem exists in all previous embOS versions and is fixed with version 3.10p.

Known problems

NONE.

Release history

Miscellaneous

This document was first released with version 3.08b of the software.
embOS M32C for IAR compiler replaces the former embOS M16C80 for IAR MC80 compiler.
Software released earlier is documented internally. This information is available at request.

Copyright 2002-2012 SEGGER Microcontroller GmbH & Co. KG. All rights reserved.
For more information, please visit our website www.segger.com or contact us at info@segger.com