A Small Real-Time Operating System for Microcomputers

Abstract

In biomedical research as well as in medical care an increasing use of microcomputers is to be observed. For special applications which cannot be handled efficiently without any computer assistance, but which do not require sophisticated computing devices, single-board computers are available at low cost. As well as in regard to hardware requirements these applications neither demand for very elaborate software. The use of commercially available multi-purpose operating systems (OS) is here not only exaggerated but even leads to disadvantages such as waste of memory and long reaction or interrupt service times (BARTOSZamp;EDER,1983). Therefore it will often be justified to develop simple OSs for certain classes of applications. This paper intends to provide for some basic knowledge on real-time operating systems and their design principles. As an example the system developed by the author is taken.