Real-time systems are computing systems that must react to the dynamic environments under timing constraints.  Real-time systems are pervasive since many societal-scale infrastructure systems, such as manufacturing systems, power networks and transportation systems, require real-time computing. The correctness of the systems depends on not only how correct the computation is but also how accurate the computation can satisfy the timing constraints.  However, most of the real-time systems are still designed and implemented using low-level programming and empirical techniques. The resulting real-time systems produced can be highly unpredictable. The consequences of a failure can be catastrophic, such as the accidents happened on the Mars Polar Lander, the Ariane rocket and the Patriot Missile system.

This course focuses on the analysis and design of real-time systems. The course covers topics on system modeling using the tagged signal models and timed models of computation [1], specifications and scheduling techniques for real-time tasks [2], simulation and verification of real-time systems, software architecture and language for constructing real-time systems [3,4,5]. Special attention is paid to computational and simulation tools for real-time systems. Applications ranging from robotics, embedded control systems, drive-by-wire systems, space missions, telecommunication systems, industrial automation, and middleware software systems will be covered. 

[1] E. A. Lee and A. Sangiovanni-Vincentelli, "A Framework for Comparing Models of Computation," IEEE Trans. CAD, Vol. 17, No. 12, December 1998.

[2] Giorgio C. Butazzo, Hard Real-Time Computing Systems, 2nd Edition, Springer, 2005.

[3] H. Kopetz, “The Time Triggered Architecture,” Proceedings of the IEEE,  Vol. 91, No. 1, January 2003.

[4] Thomas A. Henzinger, Benjamin Horowitz, and Christoph M. Kirsch, “Giotto: A Time-Triggered Language For Embedded Programming,” Proceedings of the IEEE,  Vol. 91, No. 1, January 2003.

[5] B. Horowitz, J. Liebman, C. Ma, T. J. Koo, A. Sangiovanni-Vincentelli, S. Sastry, “Platform-Based Embedded Software Design and System Integration for Autonomous Vehicles,” Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 91, No. 1, January 2003.

Safety-Critical Operating Systems, David Kleidermacher and Mark Griglock, Embedded Systems Design, 08/31/01
POSIX in Real-Time, Kevin M. Obenland, Embedded Systems Design, 03/15/01
Deadline Scheduling, Peter Dibble, Embedded Systems Design, 03/04/01

Introduction to Priority Inversion, Michael Barr, Embedded Systems Design, 04/01/02
"Re: What Really Happened on Mars?," Reeves, Glenn, Risks-Forum Digest, Volume 19: Issue 58, January 1998.
"Re: Priority Inversion and early Unix," Reeves, Glenn, Risks-Forum Digest, Volume 19: Issue 58, January 1998. 

Anders Rune Jensen, Lau Bech Lauritzen, and Ole Laursen, "Optimal Task Graph Scheduling with Binary Decision Diagrams," This was for the Dat4 semester project in semantics and verification, completed May 2004.

Y. Abdeddaim, A.  Kerbaa, O. Maler, "Task Graph Scheduling Using Timed Automata," Parallel and Distributed Processing Symposium, 2003. Proceedings. International 22-26 April 2003 Page(s):8 pp.