Introduction to the Special Issue on Real-Time Systems
Kang Geun Shin · IEEE Transactions on Computers · 1987
A high-level real-time programming system called RNet is proposed. The main goal of RNet is to develop and use programing concepts and tools for modeling the behavior of real-time tasks, measuring the real-time characteristics of system resources, validating the specifications, and so on. Part of RNet has already been implemented and the remaining parts are currently under development. It is shown that use of a common time base in distributed systems can simplify various design problems, e.g., process communications and checkpointing. The design simplification in turn reduces time overhead associated with the usual design algorithms, thus making them suitable for real-time applications. Upper bounds on the achievable synchronization accuracy and the functions of a VLSI clock synchronization unit to improve the synchronization accuracy and reduce the CPU load.