indispensable to all ultra-reliable and safety critical applications. The objective of this book is to provide an introduction to the whole area of real-time computing. Although it boundaries are bit well defined, the body of knowledge relevant to the study of real-time systems encompasses a whole range of topics. There are issues such as clocks, specificiation, design and modelling of real-time systems which are exclusive to the study of real-time systems. There are also a number of fairly independant topics having applications outside real-time systems, but with a deinite real-time dimension. The book supplies a framework for the study of real-time systems, facilitating a higher level of abstraction and a sharper focus on concepts and issued. Invariably this framework relies on mathematics, but the mathematics are explained and kept to the minimum. Most chapters are self contained and each deals with a separate topic. The exceptions are Chapters 2 &4 since they contain notations and concepts used elsewhere. The occasional cross reference between chapters are intended to underlinethe coherence of the material rather than the depence of topics.

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