Dispatch sequences for embedded control models

We consider the problem of mapping a set of control components to an executable implementation. The standard approach to this problem involves mapping control blocks to periodic tasks, and then generating a schedule. This schedule is platform-dependent, and its execution requires real-time operating system support. We propose an alternative approach which involves generating a dispatch sequence of control blocks in a platform-independent manner. Our solution relies on assigning relative complexity and relative importance measures to control components, and is an adaptation of the classical scheduling algorithms such as earliest–deadline–first. We show the benefits of our approach using simulation experiments on two case studies.