Visual tool for developing real time task management code
View Patent ↗A tool for developing software code for real time system allows the user to structure scheduling of multi-tasking operations into a polling loop without the complexity of a hand-crafted polling loop, while preventing deadlocks between the real time tasks. The tool provides commands for calling other real time tasks and for waiting for completion of other tasks. The tool can be used to synthesize code of any specified programming language.
1. A method for developing a real time task management system, comprising:
providing commands to be used in the source codes of a plurality of real time tasks, said commands being designed to provide synchronization among said plurality of real time tasks;
assigning a priority to each of said real time tasks;
synthesizing source code for a polling loop, that manages said plurality of real time tasks in accordance with said assigned priority of each task;
synthesizing source code for said commands used in said plurality of real time tasks; and
converting, for execution by a computer, said synthesized source code for said polling loop and said synthesized source code for said commands.
2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein one of said commands specifies waiting for the completion of a specified one of said plurality of real time tasks.
3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein one of said commands specifies initialization of a specified one of said plurality of real time tasks.
4. A method as in claim 1 , wherein one of said commands specifies execution of a specified one of said real time tasks.
5. A method as in claim 1 , wherein one of said commands reports the execution state of a specified one of said plurality of real time tasks.
6. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface to allow users to specify said plurality of real time tasks.
7. A method as in claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of real time tasks is associated with state variables representing an execution state of said real time task.
8. A method as in claim 1 , wherein one of said plurality of real time tasks comprises an interrupt service task which, in response to an interrupt, sets a task state flag that enables a second task in said polling loop to service said interrupt.
9. A method as in claim 1 , wherein said step of synthesizing source code for a polling loop, synthesizes source code for dividing a real time task into executable sections with separate entry points.