Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Technique for Adaptive Scheduling of Soft Real-Time Tasks

  • Published:
Real-Time Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A number of multimedia and process control applications can take advantage from the ability to adapt soft real-time load to available computational capacity. This capability is required, for example, to react to changed operating conditions as well as to ensure graceful degradation of an application under transient overloads. In this paper, we illustrate a novel adaptive scheduling technique based on rate modulation of a set of periodic tasks in a range of admissible rates. By casting constraints on rate ranges in a linear programming formulation, several adaptation policies can be considered, along with additional constraints reflecting various application requirements. The paper investigates the effectiveness of rate modulation strategies both on simulated task sets and on real experiments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdelzaher, T. F. and Shin, K. G 1998. End-host architecture for QoS-adaptive communication. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Technology and Application Symposium, RTAS'98, Denver, CO.

  • Adusley, N. C., Burns, A., Richardson, M. F., Tindell, K. and Weillings, A. J 1991. Hard real-time scheduling: The deadline monotonic approach. In Proc. IEEE Workshop on Real-Time Operating Systems and Software.

  • Baruah, S. K., Chen, D. and Mok, A. K. 1997. Jitter concerns in periodic task systems. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'97, San Francisco, CA.

  • Baruah, S. K. and Haritsa, J. R 1997. Scheduling for overload in real-time systems. IEEE Transactions on Computers 46(9):1034–1039.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Beccari, G., Caselli, S., Reggiani, M. and Zanichelli, F. 1998. A real-time library for the design of hybrid robot control architectures. In Proc. IEEE/RSJ Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems, IROS'98, Victoria, BC.

  • Beccari, G., Caselli, S., Reggiani, M. and Zanichelli, F. 1999. Rate modulation of soft real-time tasks in autonomous robot control systems. In Proc. Euromicro Conference on Real-Time Systems, ECRTS'99, York, UK.

  • Burchard, A., Liebeherr, J., Oh, Y. and Son, S. H. 1995. New strategies for assigning real-time tasks to multiprocessor systems. IEEE Transactions on Computers, 44(12):1429–1442.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Buttazzo, G. C., Lipari, G. and Abeni, L. 1998. Elastic task model for adaptive rate control. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'98, Madrid, Spain.

  • Buttazzo, G. C., Lipari, G., Caccamo, M. and Abeni, L. 2002. Elastic scheduling for flexible workload management. IEEE Transactions on Computers, 51(3):289–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buttazzo, G. and Stankovic, J. A. 1993. RED: A robust earliest deadline scheduling algorithm. In Proc. 3rd International Workshop on Responsive Computing Systems, Austin, TX.

  • Caccamo, M. and Buttazzo, G. 1997. Exploiting skips in periodic tasks for enhancing aperiodic responsiveness. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'97, San Francisco, CA.

  • Floudas, C. A. and Visweswaran, V. 1995. Quadratic optimization In R. Horst and P. M. Pardalos, editors, Handbook of Global Optimization, pp. 217–269, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publisher.

    Google Scholar 

  • Franklin, G. F., Powell, J. D. and Emami-Naeini, A.: Feedback Control of Dynamic Systems, 3rd edition, Addison-Wesley, 1994.

  • Garey, M. R. and Johnson, D. S. 1979. Computers and Intractability — A Guide to the Theory of NP-Completeness New York: W. H. Freeman and Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Han, C. -C. and Tyan, H. -y. 1997. A better polynomial-time scheduling test for real-time fixed priority scheduling algorithms. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'97, San Francisco, CA.

  • Hillier, F. S. and Lieberman, G. J. 2000. Introduction to Operations Research. 7th edition, New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horst, R. and Pardalos, P. M. (eds.). 1995. Handbook of Global Optimization. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jehuda, J. and Israeli, A. 1998. Automated meta-control for adaptable real-time software. Real-Time Systems 14: 107–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, M. B., Rosu, D. and Rosu, M. -C. 1997. CPU reservations and time constraints: Efficient, predictable scheduling of independent activities. In Proc. 16th ACM Symposium on Operating Systems Principles, Saint Malo, France, pp. 198–211.

  • Joseph, M. and Pandya, P. 1986. Finding response times in a real-time system. The Computer Journal, 29(5):390–395.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Koren, G. and Shasha, D. 1992. D-over: An optimal on-line scheduling algorithm for overloaded real-time systems. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'92.

  • Kuo, B. C. 1992. Digital Control Systems, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press.

  • Kuo, T. -W. and Mok, A. K. 1997. Incremental Reconfiguration and Load Adjustment in Adaptive Real-Time Systems. IEEE Transactions on Computer, 46(12):1313–1324.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Lehoczky, J., Sha, L. and Ding, Y. 1989. The rate monotonic scheduling algorithm: Exact characterization and average case behavior. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'89, Santa Monica, CA.

  • Li, B. and Nahrstedt, K. 1998. A control theoretical model for quality of service adaptations. In Proc. IEEE International Workshop on Quality of Service.

  • Liu, C. L. and Layland, J. W. 1973. Scheduling algorithms for multiprogramming in a hard real-time environment. Journal of the ACM, 20(1):46–61.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, C., Stankovic, J. A., Abdelzaher, T. F., Tao, G., Son, S. H. and Marley, M. 2000. Performance specifications and metrics for adaptive real-time systems. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'00, Orlando, FL.

  • Lu, C., Stankovic, J. A., Tao, G. and Son, S. H. 1999. Design and evaluation of a feedback control edf scheduling algorithm. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'99, Phoenix, AZ.

  • Marriot, K. and Stuckey, P. J. 1998. Programming with Constraints — An Introduction. MIT Press.

  • Musliner, D. J., Durfee, E. H. and Shin, K. G. 1993. CIRCA: A cooperative intelligent real-time control architecture. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics 23(6).

  • Nieh, J. and Lam, M. S. 1997. The design, implementation and evaluation of SMART: A scheduler for multimedia applications. In Proc. 16th ACM Symposium on Operating Systems Principles, Saint Malo, France, pp. 184–197.

  • Ramanathan, P. 1999. Overload management in real-time control applications using (m,k)-Firm Guarantee. IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, 10(6).

  • Schoppers, M. 1994. A software architecture for hard real-time execution of automatically synthesized plans or control laws. In Proc. Conf. on Intelligent Robotics in Field, Factory, Service, and Space (CIRFFSS'94).

  • Seto, D., Lehoczky, J. P., Sha, L. and Shin, K. G. 1996. On task schedulability in real-time control systems. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'96, Washington, DC.

  • Seto, D., Lehoczky, J. P. and Sha, L. 1998. Task periodic selection and schedulability in real-time systems. In Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, RTSS'98, Madrid, Spain.

  • Shin, K. G. and Meissner, C. L. 1999. Adaptation and graceful degradation of control system performance by task reallocation and period adjustment In Proc. Euromicro Conference on Real-Time Systems, ECRTS'99, York, UK.

  • Stankovic, J. A. et al. 1996. Strategic directions in real-time and embedded systems. ACM Computing Surveys, 28(4).

  • Stankovic, J. A., Lu, C., Son, S. H. and Tao, G. 1999. The case for feedback control real-time scheduling. In Proc. Euromicro Conference on Real-Time Systems, ECRTS'99, York, UK.

  • Stankovic, J. A., Spuri, M., Ramamritham, K. and Buttazzo, G. C. 1998. Deadline Scheduling for Real-Time Systems — EDF and Related Algorithms Kluwer Academic Publishers.

  • Steere, D. C., Goel, A., Gruenberg, J., McNamee, D., Pu, C. and Walpole, J. 1999. A feedback-driven proportion allocator for real-rate scheduling. In Proc. Third USENIX Symposium on Operating Systems Design and Implementation, OSDI'99, New Orleans, LA, pp. 145–158.

  • Stewart, D. B. and Khosla, P. K. 1997. Mechanisms for detecting and handling timing errors. Communications of the ACM, 40(1).

  • Stewart, D. B., Schmitz, D. E. and Khosla, P. K. 1992. The Chimera II Real-time operating system for advanced sensor-based control applications. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 22(6).

  • Sun Microsystems 2000. Scalable Real-Time Computing in the Solaris Operating Environment Sun Microsystems Whitepaper, available at http://www.sun.com/software/white-papers/wp-realtime/ .

  • Yau, D. K. Y. and Lam, S. S. 1997. Adaptive rate-controlled scheduling for multimedia applications. IEEE Transactions on Networking, 5(4).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, University of Parma, Italy

    G. Beccari, S. Caselli & F. Zanichelli

Authors
  1. G. Beccari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Caselli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Zanichelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Partial support for this research has been provided by MURST, Italy (PRIN project ISIDE on “Dependable reactive computing systems for industrial applications” and special project “RoboCare” funded by L. 449/97), and by ASI, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (contract I/R/134/00).

Giuseppe Beccari received the Laurea degree in Electronic Engineering in 1993, and the Ph.D. in Information Technology in 1999, both from the University of Parma, Italy. In 1995 he was visiting scholar at the Technical University of Delft, Holland, and at the Laboratoire de Robotique de Paris, France. In 1999 he was employed by CSELT (Centro Studi E Laboratori Telecomunicazioni, currently TILAB, the Telecom Italia Group research center). In 2002 he moved to a spin off company involved in the EUROSAM/FSAF (Future Surface-to-Air Family self defense missile system) project. While his current professional duties focus more on software development and team coordination, dr. Beccari still enjoys investigating real-time scheduling issues and technology.

Stefano Caselli received a Laurea degree in Electronic Engineering in 1982 and the Ph.D. degree in Computer and Electronic Engineering in 1987, both from the University of Bologna, Italy. In 1989-90 he has been visiting scholar at the University of Florida. From 1990 to 1999 he has held research fellow and associate professor positions at the University of Parma, Italy. He is now professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Parma, where he is also director of the Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Machines (RIMLab). His current research interests include development of autonomous and remotely operated robot systems, service robotics, and real-time systems.

Francesco Zanichelli received a Laurea degree in Electronic Engineering in 1987 from the University of Bologna, Italy and the Ph.D. degree in Information Technologies in 1994 from the University of Parma, Italy. Since 1996 he has been an Assistant Professor with the Department of Information Engineering of the University of Parma where he is currently teaching Operating Systems, Information Systems and Multimedia Systems courses. His current research interests include distributed multimedia architectures and protocols, real-time systems, security and Quality of Service technologies for wireless networks, as well as service-oriented Grid middleware.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Beccari, G., Caselli, S. & Zanichelli, F. A Technique for Adaptive Scheduling of Soft Real-Time Tasks. Real-Time Syst 30, 187–215 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-005-2461-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-005-2461-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation