Abstract
The purpose of this introductory chapter is to describe the environment of real-time computer systems from a number of different perspectives. A solid understanding of the technical and economic factors that characterize a real-time application helps to interpret the demands that the system designer must cope with. The chapter starts with the definition of a real-time system and with a discussion of its functional and meta-functional requirements. Particular emphasis is placed on the temporal requirements that are derived from the well-understood properties of control applications. The objective of a control algorithm is to drive a process such that a performance criterion is satisfied. Random disturbances occurring in the environment degrade system performance and must be taken into account by the control algorithm. Any additional uncertainty that is introduced into the control loop by the control system itself, e.g., a non-predictable jitter of the control loop, results in a degradation of the quality of control.
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Kopetz, H. (2011). The Real-Time Environment. In: Real-Time Systems. Real-Time Systems Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8237-7_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8237-7_1
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