INtime v 3.1 RTOS for Windows - TenAsys

TenAsys announced its INtime v 3.1 RTOS for Windows. Besides supporting Windows Vista for Embedded Systems, INtime 3.1 RTOS also has the ability to exploit the latest x86 multi-core processors with a unique form of asymmetric multi-processing. It is possible to run several real-time INtime applications on one core and standard Windows applications on other core.

INTime Application Diagram

Without requiring additional hardware, INtime RTOS for Windows combines deterministic, hard real-time control with standard Windows operating systems, including Windows XP Embedded, Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003. INtime was designed specifically to take advantage of the powerful capabilities of the x86 processor architecture. Therefore, your real-time and non-real-time applications run in separate virtual machines on a single computer, for cost-effective, reliable control that is easy to develop and maintain.

Kim Hartman, TenAsys:

INtime 3.1 enables embedded system designers to keep pace with the latest in hardware and software technologies so they can insure their products are competitive…

…And TenAsys, a leader in software virtualization technology for real-time systems, is at the forefront of making this support available for multi-core Intel processor systems.

INtime Real Time Operating System for Windows  allows you to leverage a wealth of Windows standard features and off-the-shelf applications without compromising the real-time control your applications demand. You can achieve microsecond response time while exercising complete control over your real-time processes with reliable and predictable results.

INtime RTOS  has been field proven in hundreds of applications running millions of flawless execution hours. INtime software’s full-featured, real-time kernel supports 256 priority levels and round robin scheduling within each level. INtime RTOS for Windows also includes a full complement of inter-process communication and synchronization mechanisms that support the high-end real-time needs of the most demanding embedded applications.

Many applications require Windows as a component of the solution, but also require real-time or deterministic elements. The Windows operating system is a reliable, full-featured, general purpose operating system designed from the ground up with features such as a pre-emptive, multitasking kernel and built-in protection and security mechanisms. However, Windows is neither deterministic nor real time.

Olivier Fontana, product manager of Windows Embedded Business at Microsoft Corp commented:

For more than a decade TenAsys has been one of the leaders in providing RTOS solutions for applications that require real-time determinism alongside our family of full-featured Windows Embedded operating systems…

TenAsys continues that leadership by enabling Windows Vista for Embedded Systems to also be used for unique and demanding devices such as control and automation applications…

Applications that require sub-millisecond response times, or extremely accurate, predictable execution of control processes, require the absolute determinism found in a real-time kernel. INtime RTOS for Windows  extends any standard Windows environment on a PC architecture with industrial-grade, fully deterministic, hard real-time capabilities. By augmenting Windows with INtime Real Time Operating System for Windows, you can fully leverage Windows tools and applications while achieving critical real-time capabilities.

INtime software is installed on a system that already runs standard Windows. Once installed, INtime Real Time Operating System for Windows  provides deterministic, real-time support for Windows applications. INTime RTOS for Windows  runs as a separate, independent kernel, so that the Windows system is not modified or compromised by process failures and faults on the INtime kernel. Real-time processes run on the INtime kernel, and non-real-time processes run on Windows. The developer decides whether a given process has a requirement for real-time responsiveness, and what level of determinism is desired.

New features and enhancements in INtime 3.1 Real Time Operating System for Windows include:

• Operation with all 32-bit versions of the Windows Vista operating system
• Elimination of IRQ conflicts thru MSI support (Message Signaled Interrupts)
• Access to PCI Express and PCI-X I/O devices directly from real-time applications
• Addition of Win32-style structured exception handling (SEH) for real-time processes
• Inclusion of gigabit Ethernet drivers for Intel and Realtek controllers
• Updates to the real-time USB stack with new sample device drivers
• Up to 40% improvement in real-time clib and floating point library performance

Message Signaled Interrupts (MSI) allow real-time applications to bypass the IOAPIC and hardware IRQ lines, eliminating the determinism problems associated with having to share interrupts among multiple I/O devices. Structured exception handling provides additional developer control over the handling of programming exceptions for C as well as C++ programs. Sample real-time USB drivers have been added that illustrate how to access multi-drop USB serial devices and USB digital and analog data acquisition and control devices over the INtime real-time USB stack.

INtime v 3.1 Real Time Operating System for Windows will be demonstrated at the Microsoft Mobile and Embedded Developer's Conference (MEDC) show in Las Vegas, Nevada (May 1-3, 2007).

INtime v 3.1 RTOS  is scheduled to be released in this summer. TenAsys also offers free upgrade for INtime 3.0 customers.

Source: INtime RTOS for Windows.