Peter C. Krupp

On real-time extensions to object request brokers: a panel position paper

The paper describes some of the issues that need to be investigated in order to develop real time data processing extensions to CORBA. In particular, issues on extensions to the object model, ORB, and IDL are discussed. Finally a discussion of some real time services and applications hosted on real time ORBs are provided.

Real-time communications scheduling for massively parallel processors

Can general purpose commercial massively parallel processors (MPPs) be used for computationally intensive real-time applications that have traditionally required a custom arrangement of special-purpose computers and mainframes? If so, then the enormous lifecycle costs of many systems needed by, for instance, the Government could potentially be reduced. The components would be commercially available and continuing technological advances could more easily be incorporated into existing systems. Relevant applications have requirements not found in large-scale scientific computing, which has up to now provided most of the motivation for the development of MPPs. Perhaps the most important difference is the need for real-time processing. Depending on the application, multi-level security, fault tolerance and other features may also be necessary. There have already been hardware advances that may make such a high performance computing solution possible. However, daunting software challenges remain. We focus on one critical problem, the real-time scheduling of the communications between processing nodes. We discuss real-time MPP application benchmarks.

Evolvable real-time C3 systems

This paper describes MITREs Evolvable Real-Time Command, Control, and Communications (C3) systems initiative that attempts to develop an approach that would enable current real-time systems to evolve into the systems of the future. In particular, this article describes the infrastructure requirements that we have developed. We first provide an overview of the current real-time C3 systems and describe the systems of the future. Next, we describe some candidate architectures that we have examined for future systems. Then a detailed discussion of the requirements for the infrastructure are given. The main focus is on operating systems, data management systems, and communication systems requirements. The discussion is based on the candidate architectures that we have examined. The project has chosen Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) as an example to test out the concepts and architectures to be developed.

Object-oriented implementation of an infrastructure and data manager for real-time command and control systems

MITREs Evolvable Real-Time C3 (command, control, and communications) project attempts to develop an approach that would enable current real-time systems to evolve into the systems of the future. The project has chosen AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) as an example to test out the concepts and architectures to be developed. In this paper, we describe an object-oriented implementation of an infrastructure and data manager for next-generation real-time command-and-control systems.

Paradigm for building robust real-time distributed mission-critical systems

We demonstrate a new computing paradigm for the evolution of the long life-cycle defense system with stringent safety, timing and dependability requirements, namely, the multiple target tracking (MTT) part of a surveillance radar system. We demonstrate the new paradigms capability for the support of system upgrades in system software, hardware, and application software while maintaining the existing baseline performance. This new paradigm shares many characteristics with the SEI/CMU Simplex Architecture whose applicability has been demonstrated for a prototypical industrial feedback control application. We present the concepts of our paradigm, lessons learned in applying the paradigm to surveillance radar, and lessons learned implementing the paradigm by integrating standard technologies.

Object-Oriented Data Management and Distribution for Real-Time Command and Control Systems

This paper describes requirements and a proposed design for object-oriented data management and distribution services for real-time command and control systems. These systems are used to manage situation awareness information in a military environment. They exhibit both soft and hard real-time characteristics. In the past, these systems have been especially difficult to build and maintain, due to their complexity and the general lack of commercial solutions.

Object technology for the integration of the infrastructure, data manager, and tracker for command and control applications

Mitres evolvable real-time C3 (command, control and communications) initiative attempts to develop an approach that would enable current real-time systems to evolve into the systems of the future. Bensley et al. (1996) described the design and proof-of-concept object-oriented implementation of the infrastructure and data manager. In this paper, we describe the object technology-based integration of the real-time software infrastructure, data manager and tracking application.

Evolvable real-time C3 systems-II: real-time infrastructure requirements

MITREs Evolvable Real-Time Command Control, and Communications (C3) project, funded under the Air Force Mission Oriented Investigation and Experimentation (MOIE) program attempts to develop an approach that would enable current real-time systems to evolve into the systems of the future. The project has chosen the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) as an example to test the concepts and architectures to be developed. We discuss the requirements for the infrastructure for next generation complex real-time command and control systems. This discussion also includes an overview of the infrastructure requirements for each of the three architectures that we have considered.