Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for sharing execution capacity among tasks executing in a real-time computing system. The present invention extends RMA techniques for characterizing system timing behavior and designing real-time systems. A high priority task having hard deadlines is paired with a lower priority task having soft deadlines. During an overload condition, the higher priority task can dynamically borrow execution time from the execution capacity of the lower priority task without affecting the schedulability of the rest of the system. The higher priority task is bolstered in a proportion to the capacity borrowed from the lower priority task, so that the combined utilization of the two tasks remains constant. The period of the degraded task is increased to compensate for the execution time that was loaned to the higher priority task. In addition, the priority of the lower priority task is modified to match the new period.

Abstract: A network protocol allows small wireless devices to be used for the control of remote systems. Several features promote fast and efficient modification of system parameters despite the small form factor of most wireless devices. First, each card is preferably designed such that the status of a control variable, and a control to permit the variable to be changed, are located on the same card. Second, the menu is structured such that rather than forcing the user through a series of data entry cards for every possible parameter, the user may select only the parameter which requires changing. Third, the interface is structured such that, each time a control variable is set, the user is taken back automatically to the previous card up one level in the menu structure. Fourth, the interface is structured to go back a level when the user opts out of a change.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for scheduling control inputs in an embedded real-time system through anonymous events. An object-oriented design pattern is provided that treats all events anonymously using an abstracted interface. Events are said to be anonymous since the details of each event are irrelevant, i.e., only the resource usage of the event is characterized and exposed. Deadlines and priorities are assigned to each event, as appropriate for the required quality of service (i.e., urgent events, routine events or deferred events). Response times for each event are appropriate to the quality of service associated with the event. Guaranteed response time determinism for time-critical events is implemented by re-clocking the event to a periodic time indication, such as a video synchronization signal delineating frames in a video feed.

Abstract: A network protocol allows small wireless devices to be used for the control of remote systems. Several features promote fast and efficient modification of system parameters despite the small form factor of most wireless devices. First, each card is preferably designed such that the status of a control variable, and a control to permit the variable to be changed, are located on the same card. Second, the menu is structured such that rather than forcing the user through a series of data entry cards for every possible parameter, the user may select only the parameter which requires changing. Third, the interface is structured such that, each time a control variable is set, the user is taken back automatically to the previous card up one level in the menu structure. Fourth, the interface is structured to go back a level when the user opts out of a change.

Abstract: An object-oriented system includes a base class and a related derived class. A state selector class provides state selection to the base class. A class of operational objects are related to the base class through aggregation. Each operational object includes an internal object having a pair of internal states and a selector operative therebetween which responds to the derived class.