India Nippon Electricals Embedded Software Developer Interview Questions and Answers

Storage classes in C define the scope and lifetime of variables.

• Auto: Default storage class for local variables

• Register: Requests a variable to be stored in a register for faster access

• Static: Preserves the value of a variable between function calls

• Extern: Allows access to a variable declared in another file

• Thread Local Storage (TLS): Provides each thread with its own copy of a variable

Preprocessor directives are commands used by the preprocessor to perform tasks before the actual compilation process begins.

• Preprocessor directives start with a # symbol.

• They are used to include header files, define constants, and perform conditional compilation.

• Examples include #include, #define, #ifdef, #ifndef, #endif, #pragma, etc.

Macro code to set a bit in embedded software

• Define a macro using bitwise OR operator to set a specific bit in a register

• Example: #define SET_BIT(reg, bit) ((reg) |= (1 << (bit)))

• Call the macro with the register and bit number as arguments

8 bit microprocessor is called so because it processes data in 8 bit chunks.

• 8 bit microprocessor processes data in 8 bit chunks at a time

• It can handle data in 8 bit binary format

• Examples include Intel 8080, Zilog Z80, and MOS Technology 6502

Cycle time is the total time taken to complete a process or task from start to finish.

• Cycle time is a key metric in process improvement and efficiency analysis.

• It helps in identifying bottlenecks and areas for improvement in a process.

• For example, in manufacturing, cycle time can refer to the time taken to produce one unit of a product.

• Reducing cycle time can lead to increased productivity and cost savings.

Line balancing is the process of assigning tasks to workstations in a way that evens out the workload and maximizes efficiency.

• Involves distributing work evenly among workstations

• Helps in reducing idle time and bottlenecks

• Improves productivity and efficiency

• Example: In a manufacturing plant, line balancing ensures each workstation has a similar amount of work to do