Energy efficient real-time scheduling algorithm for mixed task set on multi-core processors

Abstract

Energy optimisation is gaining greater significance in a wide range of systems from mobile devices to datacentres. Specifically, in battery powered real-time embedded systems where tasks are executed under hard timing constraints, energy optimisation poses a big challenge. This paper focuses on dynamic energy optimisation using a well-established technique namely dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS). This work presents a real-time scheduling algorithm that uses DVFS on mixed task system containing periodic as well as aperiodic tasks on homogeneous multi-core processor. The proposed algorithm guarantees periodic task deadlines and offers minimum aperiodic task response times. Simulation analysis shows that the proposed scheme saves more energy as compared to cycle conserving, static FVS and non-DVFS scheduling algorithms. Further, it does not result in any response time degradation of aperiodic tasks as compared to other algorithms.