A new method for optimization of allocation and scheduling in real time applications

Performance improvements achievable through parallel processing are useful in real time (RT) environments. The paper describes a method to map (i.e. allocate and schedule) a program with some RT constraints into a parallel system. We formulate the mapping problem as a minimization problem, defining a new cost function whose minimization leads to the optimal mapping of the program into the parallel system. The searching space over which the minimization must be carried out is defined; this space encloses all the feasible allocation and scheduling modalities for the program in the parallel system. The minimization is carried out through a simulated annealing algorithm, so we define an adjacency criterion on the searching space. Some examples illustrating the capabilities of the proposed method are presented.