Cluster-based multicore real-time mixed-criticality scheduling

Cluster-based scheduling is recently gaining importance to be applied to mixed-criticality real-time systems on multicore processors platform. In this approach, the cores are grouped into clusters, and tasks that are partitioned among different clusters are scheduled by global scheduler in each cluster. This research work introduces a new cluster-based task allocation scheme for the mixed-criticality real-time task sets on multicore processors. For task allocation, smaller clusters sizes (sub-clusters) are used for mixed-criticality tasks in low criticality mode, while relatively larger cluster sizes are used for high criticality tasks in high criticality mode. In this research paper, the mixed-criticality task set is allocated to clusters using worst-fit heuristic. The tasks from each cluster are also allocated to its sub-clusters, using the same worst-fit heuristic. A fixed-priority response time analysis approach based on Audsley’s approach is used for the schedulability analysis of tasks in each cluster and sub-cluster. If the high criticality job is not completed after its worst case execution time in low mode, then the system is switched to high criticality mode. After mode switch, all the low criticalities tasks are discarded and only high criticality tasks are further executed in high criticality mode. Simulation results indicate that the percentage of schedulable task sets significantly increases under cluster scheduling as compared to partitioned and global mixed-criticality scheduling schemes.     

多处理器混合关键性系统中的划分调度策略

多核处理器正越发广泛地应用到现代嵌入式系统的设计与实现当中,其强大的计算能力为将多个不同关键性级别的功能子系统集成到统一的共享资源平台提供了支持.混合关键性系统的调度问题即便在单处理器平台中都极具挑战性,在多处理器平台则更为困难.将目前资源利用率最高的单处理器混合关键性调度算法EY-VD扩展到多处理器平台中.首先,结合传统的划分调度策略提出了适用于多处理器混合关键性系统的MC-PEDF(mixedcriticality partitioned earliest deadline first)划分调度算法.尽管比之前的算法有更好的可调度性能,但传统的划分策略不能有效地平衡不同关键性级别下的负载,故其不完全适用于混合关键性系统.为了克服传统策略的不足,提出了划分调度策略OCOP(one criticality one partition).OCOP允许系统在关键性模式切换时对实时任务集进行重新划分,进而更好地平衡各个处理器在不同关键性模式中的资源利用率.基于OCOP,提出了第2种划分调度算法MC-MP-EDF(mixed-criticality multi-partitioned EDF).基于随机生成任务集的仿真实验结果表明,与MC-PEDF和已有的算法相比,MC-MP-EDF能够显著地提高系统的可调度性,尤其是在处理器数量较多的系统中.     

Bounding and shaping the demand of generalized mixed-criticality sporadic task systems

We generalize the commonly used mixed-criticality sporadic task model to let all task parameters (execution-time, deadline and period) change between criticality modes. In addition, new tasks may be added in higher criticality modes and the modes may be arranged using any directed acyclic graph, where the nodes represent the different criticality modes and the edges the possible mode switches. We formulate demand bound functions for mixed-criticality sporadic tasks and use these to determine EDF-schedulability. Tasks have different demand bound functions for each criticality mode. We show how to shift execution demand between different criticality modes by tuning the relative deadlines. This allows us to shape the demand characteristics of each task. We propose efficient algorithms for tuning all relative deadlines of a task set in order to shape the total demand to the available supply of the computing platform. Experiments indicate that this approach is successful in practice. This new approach has the added benefit of supporting hierarchical scheduling frameworks.     

Fault-tolerant and real-time scheduling for mixed-criticality systems

The design and analysis of real-time scheduling algorithms for safety-critical systems is a challenging problem due to the temporal dependencies among different design constraints. This paper considers scheduling sporadic tasks with three interrelated design constraints: (i) meeting the hard deadlines of application tasks, (ii) providing fault tolerance by executing backups, and (iii) respecting the criticality of each task to facilitate system’s certification. First, a new approach to model mixed-criticality systems from the perspective of fault tolerance is proposed. Second, a uniprocessor fixed-priority scheduling algorithm, called fault-tolerant mixed-criticality (FTMC) scheduling, is designed for the proposed model. The FTMC algorithm executes backups to recover from task errors caused by hardware or software faults. Third, a sufficient schedulability test is derived, when satisfied for a (mixed-criticality) task set, guarantees that all deadlines are met even if backups are executed to recover from errors. Finally, evaluations illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed test.     

Energy aware fixed priority scheduling in mixed-criticality systems

Most of studies about energy management for MC systems are based on dynamic priority scheme. The disadvantages of dynamic priority scheme are high system overhead and poor predictability. Unlike previous studies, we focus on the problem of scheduling mixed-criticality (MC) periodic tasks with minimizing energy consumption in MC systems based on fixed priority scheme. Firstly, we explain a criticality rate monotonic scheduling (CRMS) and propose the sufficient schedulability condition of CRMS. Secondly, we compute the energy minimization uniform scaled speed and present an optimal static solution algorithm based on CRMS. The extra workload of the high criticality level (HI) task executes with the maximum processor speed in the high criticality mode (HI-mode). But this algorithm does not exploit the slack time generated from the HI task in the low criticality mode (LO-mode). For energy efficiency, we propose a dynamic fixed priority energy minimization algorithm which exploits the slack time generated from the HI task in LO-mode to save energy. In addition, it combines a dynamic voltage and frequency scaling technique and a dynamic power management technique to reduce energy consumption. Finally, the experiments are applied to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm and the experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can save up 23.89% energy compared with other existing algorithms.     

一种基于动态需求边界的混合关键级作业调度算法

把具有不同重要性的功能集成到一个共享平台上的混合关键级系统,是当前嵌入式系统发展的主要趋势之一.已有的混合关键级调度理论为了保证高关键级作业的完成,大多不支持关键级向下切换,在系统进入高关键级后直接放弃低关键级作业的执行,这对系统中作业集的整体完成率有负面影响.为了应对这一问题,把需求边界分析理论扩展到混合关键级作业系统中,提出了作业的动态需求边界函数,以矢量的形式记录系统在运行时需求边界函数的动态变化,并相应地提出了作业的混合关键级松弛时间与系统关键级松弛时间的概念.在此基础上,提出了一种基于动态需求边界的混合关键级作业调度算法CSDDB （criticality switch based on dynamical demand boundary）.该算法选择具有最小松弛时间的关键级作为执行关键级,在保证高关键级作业可调度的情况下,充分利用系统资源,尽可能地满足低关键级作业的执行.应用随机生成的任务集进行仿真实验,结果表明,与已有算法相比,CSDDB在系统关键级的保证与作业集整体完成率方面比现有算法有10%以上的提升.     

An exact schedulability test for fixed-priority preemptive mixed-criticality real-time systems

The current literature of fixed-priority scheduling algorithms relies on sufficient tests to determine if a set of mixed-criticality sporadic tasks is schedulable on a single processor. The drawback of these safe tests is their pessimism, a matter that could be solved if an exact schedulability analysis is used. However, because of the non-deterministic behavior of tasks in the mentioned setups, exact quantification of worst-case response times, needed for the test, is a difficult problem; more precisely, such a quantification needs evaluation of enormous sequences of job executions. The core problem is thus to merge such sequences to make the analysis practical. This paper, for the first time, gives an algorithm for exact worst-case response time characterization of mixed-criticality sporadic real-time tasks executing according to a given fixed-priority scheduler. We use a set of techniques which carefully consider the task properties and their relation to the worst scenarios to prune the analysis state space. We also show an interesting result that if an exact schedulability test is used, the Audsley’s optimal priority assignment algorithm is not applicable to the mixed-criticality case. Accordingly, we need new priority assignment algorithms to work with the exact test; we give a simple task priority assignment algorithm to this aim. The performance of the proposed exact test (in terms of time complexity) is examined and the effectiveness of some heuristic priority assignment algorithms using the test (in terms of the ratio of task sets which are deemed schedulable) are compared.     

调度Fork-Join任务图的贪心算法

任务调度算法的目标是把组成并行程序的一组任务分配到多个处理器以使得程序的完成时间最短,这是一个NP完全问题.虽然许多算法在任务满足某些条件时能产生最优调度,但大多都忽略了节省处理器个数和最小化程序总的完成时间等问题.Fork-Join结构是一种并行处理的基本结构.因此,专门针对Fork-Join任务图,提出了一个能产生最优调度的新的贪心调度算法,该算法具有高的加速比和总体效率,时间复杂度为O(v2),其中,v表示任务集中任务的个数.实验结果表明,相比其它算法,该算法具有较短的调度长度、较短的完成时间,使用的处理器数较少.     

End-to-end Delay Analysis for Mixed-criticality WirelessHART Networks

WirelessHART, as a robust and reliable wireless protocol, has been widely-used in industrial wireless sensoractuator networks. Its real-time performance has been extensively studied, but limited to the single criticality case. Many advanced applications have mixed-criticality communications, where different data flows come with different levels of importance or criticality. Hence, in this paper, we study the real-time mixedcriticality communication using WirelessHART protocol, and propose an end-to-end delay analysis approach based on fixed priority scheduling. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that introduces the concept of mixed-criticality into wireless sensor-actuator networks. Evaluation results show the effectiveness and efficacy of our approach.      

一种计算混合关键任务响应时间的方法

混合关键系统中不同关键等级的任务在同一个平台运行,任务的可调度性分析更加复杂.基于目前最有效的固定优先级混合关键的调度算法AMC(adaptive mixed criticality),提出了一种任务响应时间分析算法AMC-PM(AMC partition max).该算法将任务最长执行时间(worst case execution time,简称WCET)分成低关键等级态执行时间与高关键等级态执行时间,将这两部分对应的最长响应时间加起来得到总的响应时间上界.通过仿真实验,与已有的AMC响应式分析算法进行比较,结果表明,在任务高关键下最长执行时间较小时,与AMC-rtb相比,AMC-PM能够显著地提高系统的可调度性.同时与AMC-max相比,AMC-PM能够显著降低算法的运行时间.     

云中多媒体应用中基于混合DAG的最优任务调度研究

云计算的平台优势使得它在多媒体应用中得到广泛使用。由于多媒体服务的多样性和异构性,如何将多媒体任务有效地调度至虚拟机进行处理成为当前多媒体应用的研究重点。对此,研究了云中多媒体最优任务调度问题,首先引入有向无环图来模拟任务中的优先级及任务之间的依赖性,分别对串行、并行、混合结构任务调度模型进行任务调度研究,根据有限资源成本将关键路径中任务节点融合,提出一种实用的启发式近似最优调度方法。实验结果表明,所提调度方法能够以最短的执行时间在有限的资源成本下完成最优的任务分配。     

Optimal scheduling of cooperative tasks in a distributed systemusing an enumerative method

Preemptive (resume) scheduling of cooperative tasks that have been preassigned to a set of processing nodes in a distributed system, when each task is assumed to consist of several modules is discussed. During the course of their execution, the tasks communicate with each other to collectively accomplish a common goal. Such intertask communications lead to precedence constraints between the modules of different tasks. The objective of this scheduling is to minimize the maximum normalized task response time, called the system hazard. Real-time tasks and the precedence constraints among them are expressed in a PERT/CPM form with activity on arc (AOA), called the task graph (TG), in which the dominance relationship between simultaneously schedulable modules is derived and used to reduce the size of the set of active schedules to be searched for an optimal schedule. Lower-bound costs are estimated, and are used to bound the search. An example of the task scheduling problem and some computational experiences are presented     

Online scheduling of moldable parallel tasks

In this paper, we study an online scheduling problem with moldable parallel tasks on m processors. Each moldable task can be processed simultaneously on any number of processors of a parallel computer, and the processing time of a moldable task depends on the number of processors allotted to it. Tasks arrive one by one. Upon arrival of each task, the scheduler has to determine both the number of processors and the starting time for the task. Moreover, these decisions cannot be changed in the future. The objective is to attain a schedule such that the longest completion time over all tasks, i.e., the makespan, is minimized. First, we provide a general framework to show that any \(\rho \)-bounded algorithm for scheduling of rigid parallel tasks (the number of processors for a task is fixed a prior) can be extended to yield an algorithm for scheduling of moldable tasks with a competitive ratio of \(4\rho \) if the ratio \(\rho \) is known beforehand. As a consequence, we achieve the first constant competitive ratio, 26.65, for the moldable parallel tasks scheduling problem. Next, we provide an improved algorithm with a competitive ratio of at most 16.74.     

Simple and integrated heuristic algorithms for scheduling tasks with time and resource constraints

We consider the problem of scheduling a set of n tasks in a system having r resources. Each task has an arbitrary, but known, processing time and a deadline, and may request use of a number of resources. A resource can be used either in shared mode or exclusive mode. In this article, we study algorithms used for determining whether or not a set of tasks is schedulable in such a system, and if so, determining a schedule for it. This scheduling problem is known to be NP-complete and hence we methodically study a set of heuristics that can be used by such an algorithm. Due to the complexity of the problem, simple heuristics do not perform satisfactorily. However, an algorithm that uses combinations of these simple heuristics works very well compared to an optimal algorithm that takes exponential time complexity. For the combination that performs the best, we also determine the scheduling costs as a function of the size of the task set scheduled.     

一种面向自动驾驶推理任务的工作流调度策略

目前自动驾驶推理任务调度中要解决的关键问题是如何在不同的时间窗内,让实时推理任务满足可容忍时间约束的前提下,在相应的处理设备上被调度执行完成.在不同时间窗内,依据边缘节点的数量变化以及推理任务的不同,设计了一种边缘环境下基于强化学习算法的工作流调度策略.首先,利用推理任务工作流调度算法计算任务的完成时间;其次,采用基于模拟退火的Q学习算法(Q-learning based on simulated annealing,SA-QL)来优化推理任务的完成时间;最后,从可行性、收敛性、有效性和探索性四个角度来体现基于模拟退火的强化学习算法(Reinforement learning based on simulated annealing,SA-RL)和粒子群优化算法(Particle Swarm Optimization,PSO)的性能差异.实验结果表明,模拟退火的强化学习算法和粒子群优化算法都具有可行性和有效性,单步时序差分算法(TD(0))具有更强的探索性,多步时序差分算法(TD(λ))具有更强的收敛性.     

High performance real-time scheduling of multiple mixed-criticality functions in heterogeneous distributed embedded systems

The architectures of high-end embedded system have evolved into heterogeneous distributed integrated architectures. The scheduling of multiple distributed mixed-criticality functions in heterogeneous distributed embedded systems is a considerable challenge because of the different requirements of systems and functions. Overall scheduling length (i.e., makespan) is the main concern in system performance, whereas deadlines represent the major timing constraints of functions. Most algorithms use the fairness policies to reduce the makespan in heterogeneous distributed systems. However, these fairness policies cannot meet the deadlines of most functions. Each function has different criticality levels (e.g., severity), and missing the deadlines of certain high-criticality functions may cause fatal injuries to people under this situation. This study first constructs related models for heterogeneous distributed embedded systems. Thereafter, the criticality certification, scheduling framework, and fairness of multiple heterogeneous earliest finish time (F_MHEFT) algorithm for heterogeneous distributed embedded systems are presented. Finally, this study proposes a novel algorithm called the deadline-span of multiple heterogeneous earliest finish time (D_MHEFT), which is a scheduling algorithm for multiple mixed-criticality functions. The F_MHEFT algorithm aims at improving the performance of systems, while the D_MHEFT algorithm tries to meet the deadlines of more high-criticality functions by sacrificing a certain performance. The experimental results demonstrate that the D_MHEFT algorithm can significantly reduce the deadline miss ratio (DMR) and keep satisfactory performance over existing methods.     

实时多处理器系统的动态分批优化调度算法

提出了一种实时多处理器系统的新的高效动态调度算法--动态分批优化调度算法,该算法突破了以往算法中一次只安排一项任务的做法,采用在每次扩充当前局部调度时,按一定规则在待调度的任务集中选取一批任务,对该批任务中的每项任务在每个处理器上运行构造目标函数,将问题转化为非平衡分配问题,一次性为这些任务都安排一个处理器或为每个处理器安排一项任务,使得这种安排具有最好的"合适性",以增大未安排任务的可行性.这种方法极大地提高了算法的调度成功率.同时,为了研究该算法的有效性,对其进行了大量的模拟,分析了一些任务参数的变化对算法调度成功率的影响,并与节约算法的调度成功率进行了比较.模拟结果显示,在节约算法的调度成功率小于10%的约束条件下,该算法的调度成功率大于90%,说明新算法的优势是非常明显的.     

Conditions for On-line Scheduling of Hard Real-Time Tasks on Multiprocessors

In this paper we consider the problem ofon-linescheduling ofhard real-timetasks onmultipleprocessors. For a given set of ready tasks, one can propose many schedules. These schedules, however, may not necessarily be suitable for on-line scheduling. A suitable on-line schedule is one which can accommodate any future task set when it arrives. The traditional approach to solve the on-line scheduling problem is to propose a heuristic, and then to prove its effectiveness by comparing it with existing heuristics using simulation. No attempt has, however, been made to obtain a condition on the current schedule which when satisfied will permit one to schedule an arbitrary future task. In this paper, we aim at developing such a condition on the current schedule for the set of ready tasks which when satisfied can guarantee an on-line schedule for any futurefeasibletask set.     

基于多片FPGA的双优先级动态调度算法

针对单片现场可编程门阵列(FPGA)在处理高速网络中海量数据时存在效率低下的问题,结合多处理器的双优先级调度算法,在所构建的多片FPGA并行处理的高速数据采集和处理模型上,提出一种基于多片FPGA的双优先级动态调度算法,并对处于低优先级段的强实时周期任务提出一种最早截止期临界松弛调度(EDCL)算法。根据任务的松弛度确定任务的优先级,若提升时间到达时仍未完成,则将其提升到高优先级段; 对软实时周期任务,设置在中优先级段,通过延长当前任务截止期至动态模糊阈值进行调度。实验结果表明,该算法能很好地调度强实时周期任务,保证重要任务的优先执行,并能降低由于抢占造成的软实时周期任务错失率。     

A nonpreemptive real-time scheduler with recovery from transient faults and its implementation

Real-time systems (RTS) are those whose correctness depends on satisfying the required functional as well as the required temporal properties. Due to the criticality of such systems, recovery from faults is an essential part of a RTS. In many systems, such as those supporting space applications, single event upsets (SEUs) are the prevalent type of faults; SEUs are transient faults and affect a single task at a time. We present a scheme to guarantee that the execution of real-time tasks can tolerate SEUs and intermittent faults assuming any queue-based scheduling technique. Three algorithms are presented to solve the problem of adding fault tolerance to a queue of real-time tasks by reserving sufficient slack in a schedule so that recovery can be carried out before the task deadline without compromising guarantees given to other tasks. The first algorithm is a dynamic programming optimal solution, the second is a linear-time heuristic for scheduling dynamic tasks, and the third algorithm comprises extensions to address queues with gaps between tasks (gaps are caused by precedence, resource, or timing constraints). We show through simulations that the heuristics closely approximate the optimal algorithm. Finally, we describe the implementation of the modified admission control algorithm, non-preemptive scheduler, and recovery mechanism in the FT-RT-Mach operating system.