What is Real Time Systems?

REAL TIME SYSTEM is the study of hardware and software systems that are subjected to a real-time constraint, for example operational deadlines from event to system response. Real-time programs must guarantee response within strict time constraints referred to as deadlines.

A real-time system is one which controls an environment by receiving data, processing them, and returning the results sufficiently quickly to affect the environment at that time.

Real-time systems depending upon their time of response, as well as their deadlines, are classified as
  • Hard: Missing a deadline is a total system failure.
  • Firm: Infrequent deadline misses are tolerable, but may degrade the systems quality of service. The usefulness of a result is zero after its deadline.
  • Soft: The usefulness of a result degrades after its deadline, thereby degrading the system's quality of service.