Microprocesors, Advanced

What You Need to Know About RTOSes

February 1, 2012
Jack Ganssle
The RTOS
The kernel the multitasker
The kernel handles tasking
It also has resources to pass data between tasks
safely, and to synchronize tasking.
An RTOS also has resources like
communications, a GUI, a file system, and
debugging tools.
Polled Loop
Wait for something
Do something
Polled Loop With Interrupts
Wait for something
Do something
Wait for interrupt
signal
Handle Interrupt
Interrupt event
Signal main loop
Enter the RTOS
Handle Interrupt
Interrupt event
Signal RTOS
Handle screen
Handle TCP/IP Process data
Kernel
When Do You Need an RTOS?
Multiple independent activities
Communications
File system
GUIs
An Infusion Pump
What About Linux?
Memory needs
Real-time response
Reliability, validation and security
Licensing issues
Porting Linux is hard!
Multitasking and Tasks
void App_TaskADC (void *p_arg)
{
while (1) {
ADC_Read();
OSTimeDly(10);
}
}

Multitasking and Tasks
void App_TaskLowFluid (void *p_arg)
{

code to handle low fluid;
OSTaskDel(. . .);
}

Task Creation
void main (void)
{
OSInit(); /* Kernel initialization */

OSTaskCreate(...); /* Task creation */
OSTaskCreate(...);

OSStart(); /* Start multitasking */
}


TCBs and Stacks
Stack pointer Registers
Other task data
Rest of stack
Task Priority
Task state
Task Control Block Stack
Task States
Scheduling
Preemption
The suspension of one task and start of another
Context switching
The process of switching from one task to another
Round robin
The giving of equal time to all same-priority tasks
Round-Robin Scheduling
Priorities
Scheduling Points
When a task decides to wait for time to expire
When a task sends a message or a signal to
another task
When an ISR sends a message or a signal to a task
When a kernel object is deleted
When the priority of a task is changed
Other places

I/O Perils
Task 1
Task 2
Hi There
Howdy
Terminal
HHio wTdhyere
The Mutex
Acquire_mutex;
Access_device;
Release_mutex;
Semaphores
AtoD_Read (uint16 *result)
{
start ADC conversion
wait for semaphore
Read A/D
return result
}


ADC_ISR (void)
{
release semaphore
clear interrupt
}


Message Queues
Rx ISR
Serial Stream
Rx Task
Message queue
Roll Your Own?
Consider the cost of buying vs. cost to write
Cost to validate
Messaging and synchronization
Modularity
Rate Monotonic Scheduling
If tasks are periodic, and do not share
resources or sync with each other, then RMA
says:
if:
E
1
/T
1
+ E
2
/T
2
+ E
3
/T
3
<= n(2
1/n
- 1)

all hard real time deadlines will be met.
n Time
1 1.000
2 0.828
3 0.780
4 0.757
5 0.743
10000 0.693
// Task A if angle> 90 swap modes
void a (void){
int raw;
float angle;
float scale=2*pi;

raw=inport(encoder);
angle=(float)raw * scale;
if(angle>90)swap_mode;
}

0013DA 9A 00 00 CALL ddload
0013DF 83 C4 04 ADD SP,4
0013E2 9A 00 00 CALL dpush
0013E7 FF 76 FC PUSH WORD PTR [BP-4]
0013EA 9A 00 00 CALL dicvt
0013EF 83 C4 02 ADD SP,2
0013F2 9A 00 00 CALL dpush
0013F7 9A 00 00 CALL drmul
0013FC 83 C4 10 ADD SP,16
0013FF 9A 00 00 CALL dpush
k=(l1>l2);

000E8A 8B 56 CA MOV DX,[BP-54]
000E8D 8B 46 C8 MOV AX,[BP-56]
000E90 3B 56 D6 CMP DX,[BP-42]
000E93 7F 07 JG SHORT L42
000E95 7C 0A JL SHORT L40
000E97 3B 46 D4 CMP AX,[BP-44]
000E9A 76 05 JBE SHORT L40
000E9C B8 01 00 L42 MOV AX,1
000E9F EB 02 JMP L41
000EA1 2B C0 L40 SUB AX,AX
000EA3 89 46 F6 L41 MOV BP-10],AX
000EA6 FF 46 FE INC [BP-2]
Talk to the vendors
Were mad as hell and were not
gonna take it anymore!
Software Selection
CPU/Language/Tool compatibility
Pricing model
Source or object?
Size and performance
Debugging tools
Services, drivers
Other software components
Reputation/Tech Support
Reliability
Questions?