Real-Time Systems

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• recognize the characteristics of applications and Real-time Systems.
• describe the characteristics of Real-time Operating Systems (RTOSs).
• describe resource allocation mechanisms in Real-Time Systems.
• report static and dynamic scheduling algorithms in real-time systems (Real-time Scheduling) as well as Schedulability Analysis algorithms.
• report the capabilities that local area networks and the Internet provide in real-time application communication.
• analyze the requirements of a real-time application and determine the appropriate application development environment at the hardware and software level.
• design and develop small real-time applications on the MCUs available in the lab.

Indicative Module Content

• Introduction to Real Time Systems.
• Categories and examples of real-time systems.
• Introduction to microcontroller units (MCUs).
• Microcontroller programming, I/O management, timing, and interrupt management.
• Multi-processing and scheduling techniques in embedded systems.
• MCU interface with analog signals and sensors.
• Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS):
  • scheduling algorithms in real-time operating systems.
  • communication between processes, priority management, timing control.
  • resource allocation mechanisms.
• Case study: the FreeRTOS real-time operating system.
• Wireless Sensor Networks, Internet of Things (IoT).
• Case studies.