Real Time Systems And Software

A course that uses the text would fit naturally into a school's offerings in computer systems and software engineering. It could also be a component of a more general systems engineering curriculum, or it could be part of a specialized program, for example, in control systems or embedded systems.
The text emphasizes concepts and principles. Another approach to presenting a systems topic, especially a relatively new one such as real-time software, is through case studies. A case-study approach was rejected because it is inherently less efficient, requiring the learning of many unnecessary details also, an emphasis on concepts forces the student and teacher to understand the underlying principles that apply to many situations. On the other hand, many examples of commercial and research systems are used throughout the book to explain and justify concepts.
The book's ten chapters can be divided into four general areas. The first two chapters give some general definitions and architectural frameworks for designing and building real-time software. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 cover formal and informal methods for specifying requirements and designs, with some emphasis on state-based schemes and assertional notations. The next three chapters focus on different aspects of time. Chapters 9 and 10 discuss software implementation mechanisms there are separate chapters on real-time programming languages and operating systems. A large number of exercises are specified.