Software Architecture and Program for the Concurrent Execution of Finite State Machine-Encoded Processes, on Single or Multiple-Processor-Based Embedded Systems

• US 20070101316A1
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Don Berndt
• Original Assignee: Don Berndt
• Inventors: Berndt, Don
• Application Number:
  US11/531,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20070101316A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements

Abstract

A software architecture and design method for embedded computing system applications in which tasks consist of a common data structure (FIGS. 1, 2) and are encoded as a finite state machines (FIG. 5). An executive (FIGS. 3, 4) provides for the execution of each task'"'"'s current state function, and a system timer (FIG. 6) provides timer services to selective tasks. The architecture supports inter-task communication capabilities with message pipes and flags (FIG. 7). System calls (FIG. 8) provide utility functions for high-level access to system constructs. This structured architecture and its components provide for real-time performance and deterministic behavior of an embedded application (FIG. 9).

Claims

1. A software architecture and design method for embedded system applications, comprising:

(a) a means of encoding application tasks that consist of a common data structure and individual processes structured as finite state machine state functions,

(b) an executive function that executes each task'"'"'s current state function using a lookup table of function pointers,

(c) a system timer interrupt-service-routine (ISR) that provides timer services to selected tasks,

(d) a means for providing inter-task communications using message pipes and flags,

(e) a set of system call utility functions to provide high-level programming access to system constructs,

whereby this architecture and design method results in improved performance and deterministic behavior of an application.

2. A method of using the software architecture of claim 1.