Scheduling in Real-Time Systems

Real-time computing plays a vital role in ultra-reliable and safety-critical applications in fields as diverse as flight control, telecommunication systems, nuclear plant supervision and surgical operation monitoring. Providing a comprehensive overview, this book examines the most significant real-time scheduling policies in use today.

Scheduling in Real-Time Systems presents:

• Rigorous discussions of the main scheduling algorithms.

• In-depth analyses of centralised and distributed computing systems.

• Detailed coverage of symmetric multiprocessor systems sharing a common memory.

• A complete appraisal of packet scheduling in networks.

• Three relevant case studies including the control system of the robot that the Pathfinder space vehicle landed on Planet Mars.

Offering end-of-chapter exercises and solutions, Scheduling in Real-time Systems will prove an invaluable textbook for university students in computer, software, electronics and control systems engineering. This book will also be an excellent reference to practising engineers and developers in the systems and communications industry.

Table of Contents

Notations and Symbols.

Introduction.

1. Basic Concepts.

Real-time applications.

Basic concepts for real-time task scheduling.

2. Scheduling of Independent Tasks.

Basic on-line algorithms for periodic tasks.

Hybrid task sets scheduling.

Exercises.

3. Scheduling of Dependent Tasks.

Tasks for precedence relationships.

Tasks sharing critical resources.

4. Scheduling Schemes for Handling Overload.

Scheduling techniques in overload conditions.

Handling real-time tasks with varying timing parameters.

Handling overload conditions for hybrid task sets.

5. Multiprocessor Scheduling.

Introduction.

First results and comparison with uniprocessor scheduling.

Multiprocessor scheduling anomalies.

Schedulability conditions.

Scheduling algorithms.

Conclusion.

6. Joint Scheduling of Tasks and Messages in Distributed Systems.

Overview of distributed real-time systems.

Task allocation in real-time distributed systems.

Real-time traffic.

Message scheduling.

Conclusion.

Exercise 6.1: Joint scheduling of tasks and messages.

7. Packet Scheduling in Networks.

Introduction.

Network and traffic models.

Service disciplines.

Work-conserving service disciplines.

Non-work-conserving service disciplines.

Summary and conclusion.

Exercises.

8. Software Environment.

Real-time operating system and real-time kernel.

Real-time languages.

Real-time middleware.

Summary of scheduling capabilities of standardized components.

Exercise.

Web Links (April 2002).

9. Case Studies.

Real-time acquisition and analysis of rolling mill signals.

Embedded real-time application: Mars Pathfinder mission.

Distributed automotive application.

Glossary.

Bibliography.

Index.