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A survey on estimating the timing constraints of hard real-time systems

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Abstract

A real-time computer system must interact with its environment in terms that are dictated by the occurrence of a significant event or simply by the passage of time. The computational activities triggered by these stimuli are expected to provide the correct results at the right time, since a real-time controller must meet the timing constraints that are dictated by its particular environment. If a computer controller fails to meet these time constraints, the controlled system may suffer a behavioural degradation from where, in some cases, a catastrophe can emerge. Thus, the correct estimation and handling of the timing constraints of a controlled system are central issues for the specification, development and test of a real-time computer controller, in a job that requires the scientific contribution of system engineers and real-time computer designers.

In this paper we survey proposed solutions and concepts for estimating the timing constraints and the behavioural degradation of a controlled system when it suffers the impact of a timing failure. Although it is universally agreed that these are central issues for the development of predictable real-time controllers, this study shows that, except for a few cases, current literature does not place on them as much emphasis as one could expect. Moreover, a systematic method for evaluating the timing constraints of a controlled system does not seem to actually exist.

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Magalhães, A.P. A survey on estimating the timing constraints of hard real-time systems. Des Autom Embed Syst 1, 213–230 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00133303

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