Real-time concurrent C: a language for programming dynamic real-time systems

Abstract

Concurrent C, is a parallel superset of C (and of C++) that provides facilities such as specifying timeouts during process interactions, delaying program execution, accepting messages in a user-specified order, and asynchronous messages that can be used for writing real-time programs. However, Concurrent C does not provide facilities for specifying strict timing constraints, e.g., Concurrent C only ensures that the lower bounds on the specified delay and timeout periods are satisfied. Real-Time Concurrent C extends Concurrent C by providing facilities to specify periodicity or deadline constraints, to seek guarantees that timing constraints will be met, and to perform alternative actions when either the timing constraints cannot be met or the guarantees are not available. In this paper, we will discuss requirements for a real-time programming language, briefly summarize Concurrent C, and motivate and describe the real-time extensions to Concurrent C. We also discuss scheduling and other run-time facilities that have been incorporated to support the real-time extensions. A prototype implementation of Real-Time Concurrent C is nearing completion.