SENG408

Analysis, Design and Modelling of Real-Time Systems

Taiwo Adigun Ph.D

“Life will not give you what you
desire , life will give you what you
demand” - Anonymous
Outilne
• Real-Time System (RTS) Fundamentals

• Hardware for Real-Time Systems

• Real-Time Operating Systems

• Requirement Engineering Methodologies of Embedded RTS

• Software Design Approaches for Embedded RTS

• Tools for Embedded RTS

• Performance Analysis Techniques

Fundamentals of real-time systems
Outline:

• Definitions of Real-Time System

• Characteristics of Real-Time Systems

• Types of Real-Time System

• Applications of Real Time Embedded Systems

Definitions of Real-Time System:
• Real-time systems are defined as those systems in which the correctness of
the system depends not only on the logical result of computation, but also on
the time at which the results are produced.
• A Real-time computing system is a system in which the correctness of a
certain computation depends not just on how it is done but on when it’s done.
• A real-time system is one whose logical correctness is based on both the
correctness of the outputs and their timeliness.
• Real-time systems span a broad spectrum of complexity from very simple
microcontrollers such as a microprocessor controlling an automobile cruise
control system to highly sophisticated, complex and distributed systems such
as air traffic control
Definitions of Real-Time System:
• For example, an aircraft uses a sequence of accelerometer pulses to
determine its position. Other systems may also require a rapid response to
events that occur at non-regular rates, such as a system that handles an
overtemperature failure in a nuclear power plant.
• Modern telecommunication systems, automated factories, defense systems,
power plants, aircraft, airports, spacecraft, medical instrumentation,
supervisory control and data acquisition systems, people movers, railroad
switching, and other vital systems cannot operate without them.
• Specifically, a real-time system is a computer system that must satisfy
bounded response time constraints or risk severe consequences, including
failure.
Definitions of Real-Time System:
• Failed System - A failed system is a system that cannot satisfy one or more of
the requirements stipulated in the system requirements specification. failure will be
defined as the “inability of the system to perform according to system specification”
• Response Time - The time between the presentation of a set of inputs to a system
and the realization of the required behavior, including the availability of all associated
outputs, is called the response time of the system.
• A real-time system must demonstrate the following special attributes :
• Predictably fast response to urgent events.
• High degree of schedulability: The timing requirements of the system must be satisfied at
high degrees of resource usage.
• Stability under transient overload: When the system is overloaded by events and it is
impossible to meet all the deadlines, the deadlines of selected critical tasks must still be
guaranteed.
Definitions of Real-Time System:
• So, the early stages of the real-time development process involve some very
specific tasks, beside the usual analysis and design stages. The tasks are:
• scheduling analysis,
• performance evaluation and
• formal verification of critical timing properties of the system.
Characteristics of Real-Time Systems :
• Embedded Systems: Embedded systems are special-purpose computer-
based information processing systems performing some pre-defined
tasks and often built into enclosing products.
• Real-Time Constraints: Real-time systems have timing constraints, i.e.,
they must process events within a given time frame. These real-time
constraints are specified in the software requirements. Whereas, in an
interactive system, a human may be inconvenienced if the system
response is delayed, in a real-time system, a delay may be catastrophic.
Characteristics of Real-Time Systems :
• Real-Time Control: A real-time system often involves real-time control. i.e.,
the real-time system makes control decisions based on input data,
without any human intervention.
• Reactive Systems: Reactive systems are those in which task scheduling is
driven by ongoing interaction with their environment; for example, a fire-
control system reacts to certain buttons pressed by a pilot. They are event-
driven and must respond to external stimuli.
• Concurrent Processing: There are many events that need to be processed
in parallel. Frequently, the order of incoming events is not predictable, and
the input load may vary significantly and unpredictably with time.
Types of Real-Time System:
• Real-time systems are classified based on hardware platform and deadline.
• There are two major categories of RTS based on hardware platform:
• Embedded systems: An embedded system is a computer system designed for
specific control functions within a larger system. Often with real-time computing
constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and
mechanical parts (e.g. mobile phone, aircraft, automotive, etc). Problem raised by
embedded systems is difficulty in updating/correction when a software failure is
discovered (e.g. mobile phone, spacecraft).
• Distributed systems: "A distributed system consists of a collection of autonomous
computers, connected through a network which enables computers to coordinate their
activities and to share resources. Distributed systems are required for dependability
(redundancy), physical constraints and efficiency (resource sharing). Problems raised
by distributed systems are heterogeneity, timing behavior and having many
different resources.
Types of Real-Time System:
• There are three major categories of RTS based on deadline:
• Hard Real-Time System: A hard real-time system is one in which failure to meet even a single
deadline may lead to complete or catastrophic system failure. Systems where failure to meet
response-time constraints leads to complete or catastrophic system failure are called hard real-
time systems. A hard deadline is a deadline that absolutely must be met for the system to
function successfully. Failure to meet a hard real-time deadline could lead to loss of resources or
even of life. A hard real-time system has time-critical deadlines that must be met; otherwise a
catastrophic system failure can occur.
• Soft Real-Time System: A soft real-time system is one in which performance is degraded but not
destroyed by failure to meet response-time constraints. If the system misses one of these
deadlines, it does not necessarily fail. all practical systems minimally represent soft real-time
systems. In a soft real-time system, it is considered undesirable, but not catastrophic, if deadlines
are occasionally missed.
• Firm Real-Time System: A firm real-time system is one in which a few missed deadlines will not
lead to total failure, but missing more than a few may lead to complete or catastrophic system
failure. Firm real-time systems are those systems with hard deadlines where some arbitrarily small
number of missed deadlines can be tolerated.
Types of Real-Time System:
• When is a system real-time?
• It can be argued that all practical systems are ultimately real-time systems.

• Where do the deadlines come from?

• Generally speaking, deadlines are based on the underlying physical phenomena of the
system under control.
• Most real-time systems contain many soft deadlines and a few hard deadlines. In order
to make the most of scarce processor resources, system designers must determine
which deadlines are hard, and schedule processor time so that, no matter what
happens with soft deadlines, hard deadlines will always be met.
• Many real-time systems utilize global clocks and time-stamping for synchronization,
task initiation, and data marking.
Real-Time System Application Domains:
Potential uses for real-time systems include but are not limited to:

• Telecommunication systems • Electrical utilities

• Automotive control • Semiconductor fabrication systems
• Multimedia servers and workstations • Defense systems
• Signal processing systems • Avionics
• Radar systems
• Air traffic control
• Autonomous navigation systems
• Consumer electronics
• Vehicle control systems
• Process control
• Transportation and traffic control
• Automated manufacturing systems systems
• Supervisory control and data • Satellite systems
acquisition (SCADA) systems • Nuclear power control systems
 Real-Time
Examples:
System Application Domains:

Domain Applications Domain Applications

• Aerospace Flight control • Medical Intensive care monitors
Navigation Magnetic resonance imaging

Pilot interface Remote surgery

• Multimedia Console games
• Civilian Automotive systems
Home theaters
Elevator control
Simulators
Traffic light control
• Industrial Automated inspection
Robotic assembly line
Welding control