A Modular Tool Architecture for Worst-case Executiontime Analysis

Our society is today extremely dependent oncomputers. Not only PCs andlaptops, but also the myriad of computers embedded ineveryday thingsaround us, such as vehicles, aircrafts, toys, andtelephones. For manyof these computers their correctness depends not onlyon the resultsof their computations, but also on the time at whichthe results areproduced. Failure to produce a result within giventiming boundariesmay cause substantial economic losses, or evenendanger humanlife. A worst-case execution time (WCET) analysisderives an upperestimate on the worst possible execution time of acomputerprogram. Reliable WCET estimates are a foundationwhen it must be proventhat an embedded system always will behave correctly,even in the moststressful situations. This book contains thedissertation of DrAndreas Ermedahl, a renowned researcher and WCETanalysis expert. Itpresents a WCET tool architecture applicable to awide spectrum ofembedded computers and programs, together withsuitable algorithms anddata structures. The book should be of interest foranyone involved inembedded system development who wants a deeperunderstanding of the timinganalysis process.