SOFTWARE TESTING OF REAL-

TIME SYSTEMS
By Sophie Hutchinson (sxh07u)
Contents

 Introduction to Real-time systems

 Two main types of system
 Testing real-time software
 Difficulties with testing such software
Introduction

 What is a Real-time System?

 A real time system is one that “is subject to real
time constraints” meaning that operations must
produce a response within a given time.

 Examples include:
 Air traffic control systems
 Medical monitoring
 Weapons delivery systems
 Space navigation and guidance
 Types of Real-time System
 There are two main types of real-time systems:

 Hard real-time system – Requires that operations

must be completed within their deadline e.g.
systems in space shuttles, fight control.

 Soft real-time system – Although it is emphasised

that deadlines are important they are not as strict
as in hard real-time systems.
Introduction to testing…

 How do we test a real-time software?

 There isn’t one single method for testing real-
time software.
 In order to test such software need to use
several methods and strategies such as:
 White box testing
 Black box testing
 Sequence testing
 Integration testing
How do we test software in
real-time systems?

 A strategy for testing real-time software

should include:
 Low-level tests – single lines of code
 High-level tests – methods and functions
 In order to test such software one technique
might be to generate and test sequences by
applying time constraints in which they must
be completed.
The 3-stage approach to
testing real time software
 1. Identification of tasks
 Output Testing
 Performance Testing
 2. Incorporation of tasks
 Output Testing
 Performance Testing in a real environment
 3. Integration Testing
Difficulties with testing
Real-time software

 It is difficult to test a system that is running in

real time due to factors such as:
 Time constraints
 Conventional methods are not applicable for real-
time software
 This can lead to…
 Unpredictable outcomes
Summary

 A real-time system is subject to time

constraints
 Two main types of real-time system
 No single way of testing this software
 Difficulties with testing such software
Any questions?
References

 http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa459157.aspx
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-time_computing
 G53SRP module page
 http://www.ndt.net/article/wcndt00/papers/idn235/idn23
5.htm
 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=
139423