Research on Multi-Core Processor Analysis for WCET Estimation

Real-time system timing analysis is crucial for estimating the worst-case execution time(WCET)of a program.To achieve this,static or dynamic analysis methods are used,along with targeted modeling of the actual hardware system.This literature review focuses on calculating WCET for multi-core processors,providing a survey of traditional methods used for static and dynamic analysis and highlighting the major challenges that arise from different program execution scenarios on multi-core platforms.This paper outlines the strengths and weaknesses of current methodologies and offers insights into prospective areas of research on multi-core analysis.By presenting a comprehensive analysis of the current state of research on multi-core processor analysis for WCET estimation,this review aims to serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners in the field.

Real-Time Monitoring of Meteorological Data at In-Situ GCW Remediation Sites

To optimize the self-organization network, self-adaptation, real-time monitoring, remote management capability, and equipment reuse level of the meteorological station supporting the portable groundwater circulation wells, and to provide real-time and effective technical services and environmental data support for groundwater remediation, a real-time monitoring system design of the meteorological station supporting the portable groundwater circulation wells based on the existing equipment is proposed. A variety of environmental element information is collected and transmitted to the embedded web server by the intelligent weather transmitter, and then processed by the algorithm and stored internally, displayed locally, and published on the web. The system monitoring algorithm and user interface are designed in the CNWSCADA development environment to realize real-time processing and analysis of environmental data and monitoring, control, management, and maintenance of the system status. The PLC-controlled photovoltaic power generating panels and lithium battery packs are in line with the concept of energy saving and emission reduction, and at the same time, as an emergency power supply to guarantee the safety of equipment and data when the utility power fails to meet the requirements. The experiment proves that the system has the characteristics of remote control, real-time interaction, simple station deployment, reliable operation, convenient maintenance, and green environment protection, which is conducive to improving the comprehensive utilization efficiency of various types of environmental information and providing reliable data support, theoretical basis and guidance suggestions for the research of groundwater remediation technology and its disciplines, and the research and development of the movable groundwater cycling well monitoring system.

On modeling approach for embedded real-time software simulation testing

Modeling technology has been introduced into software testing field. However, how to carry through the testing modeling effectively is still a difficulty. Based on combination of simulation modeling technology and embedded real-time software testing method, the process of simulation testing modeling is studied first. And then, the supporting environment of simulation testing modeling is put forward. Furthermore, an approach of embedded real-time software simulation testing modeling including modeling of cross-linked equipments of system under testing （SUT）, test case, testing scheduling, and testing system service is brought forward. Finally, the formalized description and execution system of testing models are given, with which we can realize real-time, closed loop, mad automated system testing for embedded real-time software.

Real-time embedded software testing method based on extended finite state machine

The reliability of real-time embedded software directly determines the reliability of the whole real-time embedded sys- tem, and the effective software testing is an important way to ensure software quality and reliability. Based on the analysis of the characteristics of real-time embedded software, the formal method is introduced into the real-time embedded software testing field and the real-time extended finite state machine （RT-EFSM） model is studied firstly. Then, the time zone division method of real-time embedded system is presented and the definition and description methods of time-constrained transition equivalence class （timeCTEC） are presented. Furthermore, the approaches of the testing sequence and test case generation are put forward. Finally, the proposed method is applied to a typical avionics real- time embedded software testing practice and the examples of the timeCTEC, testing sequences and test cases are given. With the analysis of the testing result, the application verification shows that the proposed method can effectively describe the real-time embedded software state transition characteristics and real-time requirements and play the advantages of the formal methods in accuracy, effectiveness and the automation supporting. Combined with the testing platform, the real-time, closed loop and automated simulation testing for real-time embedded software can be realized effectively.

A State-of-the-Art Survey on Real-Time Issues in Embedded Systems Virtualization

Virtualization has gained great acceptance in the server and cloud computing arena. In recent years, it has also been widely applied to real-time embedded systems with stringent timing constraints. We present a comprehensive survey on real-time issues in virtualization for embedded systems, covering popular virtualization systems including KVM, Xen, L4 and others.

A Requirements Engineering Environment for Embedded Real-Time Software—SREE

The paper presents the embedded real-time software-oriented requirements engineering environment—SREZ. It involves the whole process of software requirements engineering, including the definition, analysis and checking of requirements ,specifications. We first explain the principles of the executable specification language RTRSM. Subsequently, we introduce the main functions of SREE, illustrate the methods and techniques of checking requirements specifications, especially how to perform simulation execution, combining prototyping method with RTRSM and animated representations. At last, we compare the SREE with other requirements specifications methods and make a summary for SREE＇s advantages.

A Smart Phone-oriented Embedded Real-time Operating System

This article presents an embedded Smart Phone Operating System (SPOS) independently designed by ZTE Corporation. The SPOS is based on single kernel architecture with its multi-task real-time kernel supporting hardware platforms and resources of mainstream mobile phones. It has remarkable advantages such as highly efficient and dynamic power management, priority - based preemptive scheduling, fast startup, a variety of drivers, and excellent system stability and operability. For the development of upper layer communication protocols and application software, the SPOS provides wireless communication interfaces and the application program framework.

Energy-Efficient Deterministic Fault-Tolerant Scheduling for Embedded Real-Time Systems

By combining fault-tolerance with power management, this paper developed a new method for aperiodic task set for the problem of task scheduling and voltage allocation in embedded real-time systems. The scbedulability of the system was analyzed through checkpointing and the energy saving was considered via dynamic voltage and frequency scaling. Simulation results showed that the proposed algorithm had better performance compared with the existing voltage allocation techniques. The proposed technique saves 51.5% energy over FT-Only and 19.9% over FT ＋ EC on average. Therefore, the proposed method was more appropriate for aperiodic tasks in embedded real-time systems.

An algorithm supporting fast scheduling and viewing of remote sensing images in embedded devices

In order to resolve the conflict between the limited resources of embedded devices and the growing amount of massive image data to be shown, a solution for fast images rendering in embedded devices is proposed and implemented. First, an improved algorithm of a multi-resolution file-pyramid construction which is used for the organization of massive image data is presented. Then, a strategy, adopting technologies such as view-dependent levels of detail, target-tiles quick search and tiles seamless connection, is presented for fast scheduling and viewing of images. The results show that compared with the solution of multi-scale image representations based on wavelet, the proposed solution can improve the rendering speed, and the rendering speed does not depend on the image size, though it increases some data storage space. And the proposed solution is suitable for embedded devices and friendly experience.

A Concept of Dynamically Reconfigurable Real-time Vision System for Autonomous Mobile Robotics

This paper describes specific constraints of vision systems that are dedicated to be embedded in mobile robots. If PC-based hardware architecture is convenient in this field because of its versatility, flexibility, performance, and cost, current real-time operating systems are not completely adapted to long processing with varying duration, and it is often necessary to oversize the system to guarantee fail-safe functioning. Also, interactions with other robotic tasks having more priority are difficult to handle. To answer this problem, we have developed a dynamically reconfigurable vision processing system, based on the innovative features of Cleopatre real-time applicative layer concerning scheduling and fault tolerance. This framework allows to define emergency and optional tasks to ensure a minimal quality of service for the other subsystems of the robot, while allowing to adapt dynamically vision processing chain to an exceptional overlasting vision process or processor overload. Thus, it allows a better cohabitation of several subsystems in a single hardware, and to develop less expensive but safe systems, as they will be designed for the regular case and not rare exceptional ones. Finally, it brings a new way to think and develop vision systems, with pairs of complementary operators.

Research and Development of an Embedded Numerical Control System

This paper puts forward a new scheme of Embedded Numerical Control System based on ARM and DSP,which is at the base of research on traditional numerical control system and embedded technology.And the paper also describes the develop- ment of hardware and software platform.All the development and realization are based on the idea of module design.The embed- ded numerical control system,using ARM and DSP to construct the main control platform,realizes the real-time operation of sys- tem and improves the stability and reliability with the modular designing ideas of hardware and software and with the support of embedded real-time operating system(uc/os-Ⅱ).And the system could realize the multi-network supporting,which is also accord with the development of modularization,flexibility and latticing of numerical control system.

Analysis and Comparison of Five Kinds of Typical Device-Level Embedded Operating Systems

Today, the number of embedded system was applied in the field of automation and control has far exceeded a variety of general-purpose computer. Embedded system is gradually penetrated into all fields of human society, and ubiquitous embedded applications constitute the 'ubiquitous' computing era. Embedded operating system is the core of the em-bedded system, and it directly affects the performance of the whole system. Our Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Embedded Technology has successfully developed five kinds of device-level embedded operating systems by more than ten years’ efforts, and these systems are Webit 5.0, Worix, μKernel, iDCX 128 and μc/os-II 128. This paper mainly analyses and compares the implementation mechanism and performance of these five kinds of device-level embedded operating systems in detail.

A heuristic mixed real-time task allocation of virtual utilization in multi-core processor

Multi-core processor is widely used as the running platform for safety-critical real-time systems such as spacecraft,and various types of real-time tasks are dynamically added at runtime.In order to improve the utilization of multi-core processors and ensure the real-time performance of the system,it is necessary to adopt a reasonable real-time task allocation method,but the existing methods are only for single-core processors or the performance is too low to be applicable.Aiming at the task allocation problem when mixed real-time tasks are dynamically added,we propose a heuristic mixed real-time task allocation algorithm of virtual utilization VU-WF(Virtual Utilization Worst Fit)in multi-core processor.First,a 4-tuple task model is established to describe the fixedpoint task and the sporadic task in a unified manner.Then,a VDS(Virtual Deferral Server)for serving execution requests of fixed-point task is constructed and a schedulability test of the mixed task set is derived.Finally,combined with the analysis of VDS's capacity,VU-WF is proposed,which selects cores in ascending order of virtual utilization for the schedulability test.Experiments show that the overall performance of VU-WF is better than available algorithms,not only has a good schedulable ratio and load balancing but also has the lowest runtime overhead.In a 4-core processor,compared with available algorithms of the same schedulability ratio,the load balancing is improved by 73.9%,and the runtime overhead is reduced by 38.3%.In addition,we also develop a visual multi-core mixed task scheduling simulator RT-MCSS(open source)to facilitate the design and verification of multi-core scheduling for users.As the high performance,VU-WF can be widely used in resource-constrained and safety-critical real-time systems,such as spacecraft,self-driving cars,industrial robots,etc.

UML statechart based rigorous modeling of real-time system

Rigorous modeling could ensure correctness and could verify a reduced cost in embedded real-time system development for models. Software methods are needed for rigorous modeling of embedded real-time systems. PVS is a formal method with precise syntax and semantics defined. System modeled by PVS specification could be verified by tools. Combining the widely used UML with PVS, this paper provides a novel modeling and verification approach for embedded real-time systems. In this approach, we provide 1) a time-extended UML statechart for modeling dynamic behavior of an embedded real-time system; 2) an approach to capture timed automata based semantics from a timed statechart; and 3) an algorithm to generate a finite state model expressed in PVS specification for model checking. The benefits of our approach include flexibility and user friendliness in modeling, extendability in formalization and verification content, and better performance. Time constraints are modeled and verified and is a highlight of this paper.

Partitioned k-Exclusion Real-Time Locking Protocol Motivated by Multicore Multi-GPU Systems

Graphic processing units （GPUs） have been widely recognized as cost-efficient co-processors with acceptable size, weight, and power consumption. However, adopting GPUs in real-time systems is still challenging, due to the lack in framework for real-time analysis. In order to guarantee real-time requirements while maintaining system utilization ~in modern heterogeneous systems, such as multicore multi-GPU systems, a novel suspension-based k-exclusion real-time locking protocol and the associated suspension-aware schedulability analysis are proposed. The proposed protocol provides a synchronization framework that enables multiple GPUs to be efficiently integrated in multicore real-time systems. Comparative evaluations show that the proposed methods improve upon the existing work in terms of schedulability.

Rigorous Modeling of Real-time System Based on UML and PVS

Rigorous modeling could improve the correctness and reduce cost in embedded real-time system development for models could be verified. Tools are needed for rigorous modeling of embedded real-time system. UML is an industrial standard modeling language which provides a powerful expressi-veness, intuitive and easy to use interface to model. UML is widely accepted by software developer. However, for lack of precisely defined semantics, especially on the dynamic diagrams, UML model is hard to be verified. PVS is a general formal method which provides a high-order logic specification language and integrated with model checking and theorem proving tools. Combining the widely used UML with PVS, this paper provides a novel modeling and verification approach for embedded real-time system. In this approach, we provide 1) a timed extended UML statechart for modeling dynamic behavior of an embedded real-time system; 2) an approach to capture timed automata based semantics from timed statechart; and 3) an algorithm to generate a finite state model expressed in PVS specification for model checking. The benefits of our approach include flexible and friendly in modeling, extendable in forma-lization and verification content, and better performance. Time constraints are modeled and verified and it’s a highlight of this paper.

Monitor System for Protection Device Based on Embedded RTOS

For the purpose of the monitor system in digital protection, the embedded real-time operating system (RTOS) and the embedded GUI (Graphical User Interface) is introduced to design the monitor system. Combining the necessity and the application value of the operation system, the choice of embedded Linux and Qt/Embedded is completely viable for the monitor system in digital protection for generator-transformer sets. The design with embedded Linux and embedded GUI enriches system information, increases developing efficiency and improve the generality.

A Decision Support Framework for the Choice of Languages and Methods for the Design of Real Time Embedded Systems

The choice of methods or design languages is a crucial phase in the development of systems and software, also for real time and embedded systems. An open question that remains in the design of these types of systems is to build a method, or to choose one among those existing, capable to cover the life cycle of a project, and particularly the development phases. This article contributes to answer the question, by proposing an approach based on a multi-criteria comparative study, of few languages and methods dedicated to the design of real time and embedded systems. The underlying objective of this work is to present to designers a wide range of approaches, and elements that can guide their choices. In order to reach this goal, we propose different comparison criteria. Each criterion is divided into sub-criteria, so that the designers can refine their choices according to the qualities they prefer and wish to have in the method or language. We also define a rating scale which is used to assess the retained languages and methods. The scores obtained from this assessment are presented in tables, one table per criterion, followed by a summary table giving the overall scores. Graphics built from these tables are provided and intend to facilitate the judgement and thus the choice of the designers.

Security-Aware Periodic-Write Scheduling for Mission-Critical Embedded Storage System

High quality of security and guaranteed real-time requirements are two key goals of mission- critical embedded storage systems. But most existing real-time disk scheduling algorithms do not consider improving security performance of disk requests. A security-aware periodic-write （SAPW） scheduling algorithm is proposed to judiciously select appropriate security level for each disk request to maximize security value of N periodic disk users, while without sacrificing timing constraint of each user. Simulation results show the significant effectiveness of SAPW algorithm, and the average security improvement is up to 223.6% over other three algorithms.

Fault-Tolerant Scheduling for Real-Time Embedded Control Systems

With the increasing complexity of industrial application, an embedded control system (ECS) requires processing a number of hard real-time tasks and needs fault-tolerance to assure high reliability. Considering the characteristics of real-time tasks in ECS, an integrated algorithm is proposed to schedule real-time tasks and to guarantee that all real-time tasks are completed before their deadlines even in the presence of faults. Based on the nonpreemptive critical-section protocol (NCSP), this paper analyzes the blocking time introduced by resource conflicts of relevancy tasks in fault-tolerant multiprocessor systems. An extended schedulability condition is presented to check the assignment feasibility of a given task to a processor. A primary/backup approach and on-line replacement of failed processors are used to tolerate processor failures. The analysis reveals that the integrated algorithm bounds the blocking time, requires limited overhead on the number of processors, and still assures good processor utilization. This is also demonstrated by simulation results. Both analysis and simulation show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in ECS.