This work discusses distributed, high performance, multiprocessor, embedded real-time systems and the difficulties encountered in implementing such systems. A high performance embedded real-time system architecture is proposed, together with a set of CAD tools intended to facilitate the prototyping of control algorithms on it. The complete system comprises a) a transputer-based hardware platform with I/O and timing appropriate for demanding real-time applications; b)a real-time operating system for task management on the platform; c) a graphical CAD tool for specifying control algorithms, sampling rates and I/O in a block diagram format; d) software for converting the block diagram to code, allocating it to processors, compiling, linking and downloading it onto the target hardware; e) tools for capturing and displaying process variables at run-time; f) techniques for connecting several controllers in a multi-controller system and g) methods for ensuring the predictability of the system operation and timing. The results of the implementation of the first prototype of the system are evaluated, and a complete example of a motion control system is presented.

Dr David C Levy is an Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, Australia. He received his PhD from the University of Natal (now Kwa-Zulu Natal), South Africa. He was on the Faculty at Natal before moving to Australia. He has also taught in Israel, England and the USA. He is married to Megan and they have 5 children and 11 grandchildren.