Learning objectives
The course covers the fundamentals of modern real-time operating systems. Arguments that are addressed in the course are architecture, organization, and functionalities of modern operating systems, task management and resource allocation, mechanisms and tools for synchronisation and concurrent programming, characteristics of real-time operating systems and main scheduling algorithms for hard real-time periodic processes.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
Course organization
Real Time OS M is a 6 cfu, 60 hours course for EEIV students, together with Architectures & Firmware M constitute a 12 cfu integrated course called HARDWARE-SOFTWARE DESIGN OF EMBEDDED SYSTEMS M.
Real Time OS M is itself divided in two, one during the fall semester and the other in the spring semester.
The fall modules (30 hours) cover fundamentals of Operating Systems and includes some hands-on sessions.
The spring module (30 hours) covers Real-Time systems, and does not include any lab.
Contents
• Operating Systems (fall lectures): Overview and system structures. Processes and threads. Scheduling. Memory management. I/O systems. Process synchronization and deadlocks.
Basic coverage of multiple processor systems and security concepts.
• Real Time (spring lectures): Basic concepts. Aperiodic task scheduling. Clock-based and priority-based scheduling of periodic tasks. Resource access protocols.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Operating Systems
• Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Herbert Bos, "Modern Operating Systems" (4th edition), Pearson 2014. ISBN: 013359162X. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9.
• Lab sofware: Any Linux machine is enough (the teacher will be using a Fedora 38 workstation)
Real Time
• Giorgio C. Buttazzo. Hard Real-Time Computing Systems: Predictable Scheduling Algorithms and Applications, 3rd Edition. Springer 2011. ISBN: 978-1-4614-3019-3
Chapters 1 — 4, 7 & 11
All modules
• Lecture slides, description of lab activities, software, and all teaching materials also available
Teaching methods
Presential lectures covering theory and exercises, meant to be highly interactive
Supervised lab sessions on Linux with POSIX programming.
Notice: as per university regulations, all students must attend Module 1, 2 on Health and Safety online.
Lecture slides will be made available after class.
A limited number of copies of the adopted textbooks and other relevant textbooks are available at the library.
The software used in the lab is open source and freely available. The lab software can also be installed on the student's own computer. In this way, lab work can be carried out autonomously, without having to access the lab.
Assessment methods and criteria
Operating Systems: oral exam.
Real-Time: written exam (tbd at the beginning of the second module).
For EEIV students, the final grade is 1/4 the grade obtained in OS + 1/4 the grade obtained in RT + 1/2 the grade obtained in Architectures & Firmware.
To register the grade, after passing all three exams of HARDWARE-SOFTWARE DESIGN OF EMBEDDED SYSTEMS M I.C. (OS, RT and AF), you should send an email to prof. Stabili.
Other information
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