After This Seminar

This seminar, so far, has explained technical terms used for real-time OSs (RTOSs) and has given overview of RTOS applications. To effectively use the features of an RTOS, though, there are still many things to learn. A summary of important things still to learn after this seminar is given below. You will need systematic specialized education to become an RTOS system programmer.

To effectively use an RTOS, knowledge regarding the following is necessary:

• Microprocessor
• Embedded programming
• Control of peripheral hardware devices as the target of RTOS usage

Upon this foundation, you should master knowledge specific to RTOSs, precautions, and expertise.

1. Knowledge Specific to RTOS

• Functions and applications of an RTOS
• Programming using RTOS
• Methodology of design, debug, and test for RTOS applications
• Creating documentation for RTOS applications

2. Precautions

Systems should be designed to avoid deadlocks (where multiple tasks wait for each other and none can work), lock-outs (where a task cannot proceed), or priority inversions (where the priority order needs to be inverted from the specified one so that the system can proceed to execute the application).

Care must also be taken to avoid cases such as where a task completes execution without releasing a resource and prevents other tasks from using the resource. A shared routine that is called from multiple tasks should be created to be reentrant (correctly executable if the routine midway through being executed is called again to start from the beginning by another task).

3. Expertise

Multiple OS functions can be used for inter-task synchronization, communication, or waiting for resource availability. You should learn how to use each function where it is appropriate.

We hope this seminar will be the first step for many people aiming to become RTOS engineers.