Embedded RTOS: Performance Analysis With High Precision Counters

We evaluated the performance of an embedded real-time system on a PC/104 system for the usage in a scenario of soccer playing robots. For this purpose we patched a common Linux kernel with the real-time application interface RTAI and installed it on the robots’ embedded systems. We performed a performance analysis of the operating system by monitoring the response time for externally caused hardware interrupts to verify the usability of connected IR distance sensors to the on-board embedded system. Therefore we implemented an interrupt service routine for the board’s parallel port to generate a system response for externally triggered hardware interrupts. For a faster recording interrupts were triggered via a signal generator connected to the systems’ parallel port and monitored the response via an oscilloscope. Because of errors for higher frequency inputs and for detailed statistical analyses, we built a monitoring system by using a high-precision histogram scaler and counter. The performance of the embedded system with respect to the response time has been monitored and analysed in various system states. Our infrastructure allows an easy and precise possibility for performance analysis of embedded real-time operating systems.