1. OCR GCSE Computer Science Teaching and Learning Resources
Chapter 2: Systems architecture
Types of computer system
Personal computers are:
used at home and at work as desktop / laptop devices.

2. OCR GCSE Computer Science Teaching and Learning Resources
Types of computer system (cont.)
Mainframe and supercomputers are:
large commercial systems used by big organisations for processing huge amounts of data, e.g:
weather forecasting
cloud services.

3. OCR GCSE Computer Science Teaching and Learning Resources
Types of computer system (cont.)
Embedded systems are:
dedicated systems built into the device they control, e.g:
ticket vending machines
robot controllers
microcontrollers in domestic appliances
car engine management
avionics systems in aeroplanes.

4. OCR GCSE Computer Science Teaching and Learning Resources
Embedded systems
Embedded systems are:
software that is programmed at the manufacturing stage or uploaded directly
designed for a specific purpose with no or very limited programming options through buttons or a simple interface
reliable and robust due to the dedicated hardware and software they contain.

5. OCR GCSE Computer Science Teaching and Learning Resources
Embedded systems (cont.)
Advantages of using embedded systems include:
low power usage: they can operate from a small power source
size: they are small enough to fit into small devices
robust: they are rugged enough to be used in hostile environments

6. OCR GCSE Computer Science Teaching and Learning Resources
Embedded systems (cont.)
Advantages of using embedded systems include:
low cost: they are suitable for mass-produced items
reliable: dedicated to just one task.