Synchronization for distributed real-time applications

Several distributed applications are characterized by real-time constraints on response times. High-level actions in such distributed applications are modeled by nonatomic events which are collections of atomic events. This paper studies synchronization relations between nonatomic events in such distributed real-time application executions. The relations form a fine-grained hierarchy that can be used to select suitable relations with good properties and clear intuitions, depending on the application. We show the use of the proposed relations in specifying solutions for distributed mutual exclusion and in specifying distributed predicates. As an example of an application, we show how a real-time air defence system that needs to enforce distributed mutual exclusion and specify and evaluate distributed predicates can use the proposed relations