Book excerpt: WHAT IS THIS BOOKABOUT7 In recent times real-time computer systems have become increasingly complex and sophisticated. It has now become apparent that, to implement such schemes effectively, professional, rigorous software methods must be used. This includes analysis, design and implementation. Unfortunately few textbooks cover this area well. Frequently they are hardware oriented with limited coverage of software, or software texts which ignore the issues of real-time systems. This book aims to fill that gap by describing the total software design and is given development process for real-time systems. Further, special emphasis of microprocessor-based real-time embedded systems. to the needs WHAT ARE REAL-TIME COMPUTER SYSTEMS? Real-time systems are those which must produce correct responses within a definite time limit. Should computer responses exceed these time bounds then performance degradation and/or malfunction results. WHAT ARE REAL-TIME EMBEDDED COMPUTER SYSTEMS? Here the computer is merely one functional element within a real-time system; it is not a computing machine in its own right. WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK? Those involved, or who intend to get involved, in the design of software for real-time systems. It is written with both software and hardware engineers in mind, being suitable for students and professional engineers.