Response Times in Level-Structured Systems

Abstract

Real-time programs are among the most critical programs in use today, yet they are also among the worst understood and the most difficult to verify. Validation of real-time systems is nonetheless extremely important in view of the high costs associated with failure in typical application areas. We present here a method for deriving response-time properties in complex systems with a level structure based on priority. The method involves a level-by-level examination of the system, in which information distilled from each successive level is used to adjust the results for later levels. The results obtained at each level of the system are not affected by later analyses, which obviates having to consider a complex system as a whole. © 1987, ACM. All rights reserved.