FreeRTOS (RTOS Kernel) Overview

FreeRTOS is an open-source, real-time operating system kernel for embedded devices. It implements a minimalist set of functions, basic task handling and memory management.

The FreeRTOS kernel has the following characteristics:

• Preemptive tasks

• Small footprint

• Written in C and compiled with various C compilers

• Unlimited number of tasks can run at the same time

• Implements queues, binary and counting semaphores, and mutexes

• Inter-task communication is accomplished using queues

The SimpleLink Low Power F3 SDK provides support for FreeRTOS and installs FreeRTOS. In other words, the FreeRTOS kernel is bundled into the SimpleLink Low Power F3 SDK with no additional download/installation required to enable FreeRTOS functionality. Please refer to the <SimpleLink_SDK_Install_Dir>/docs/Documentation_Overview.html file to find the release notes for the FreeRTOS version used in this SimpleLink Low Power F3 SDK release.

Caution

The information in this guide is provided for reference and is not intended to fully cover every aspect of FreeRTOS. Please refer to the FreeRTOS Kernel Overview as your primary source of documentation with regards to FreeRTOS. FreeRTOS Kernel Overview contains detailed explanations and code examples of the constructs briefly discussed in this guide.

• Kernel Configuration
• POSIX Support
• Driver Porting Layer (DPL)
• Using FreeRTOS with CCS
• FreeRTOS vs. TI-RTOS7 modules
• icall_POSIX
• Power Management
• Debugging FreeRTOS with Runtime Object View (ROV)
  • Stateviewer
• Tasks
  • Task States
  • Initializing a Task
  • A Task Function
• Software Timers
  • The basics
  • Using Software Timers
  • Details on Implementation
  • Creating and Starting a Software Timer
• Queues
  • Queue Characteristics
  • Initializing a Queue
• Thread Synchronization
  • RTOS Task Notifications
  • Semaphores
  • Event Groups
• Migrating TI-RTOS examples to use FreeRTOS
  • Modify the Project Properties to support FreeRTOS
  • Modify the application code to support FreeRTOS