Windows Real-time Virtualization Platform: The Virtual Machine Framework for Windows

RTOSWin Architecture

The real-time software may either run with high priority together with Windows on the same CPU core (without real-time restrictions!) or it may exclusively facilitate one ore more CPU cores.

Running different real-time operating systems as well as different instances of the same RTOS on different CPU cores is possible.

Shipped with VmfWin the example Mini RTOS and Mini BSP serve as a starting point for porting a new RTOS on top of this platform.
This simple implementation shows how to use the platform's hardware abstraction layer (timer, interrupt controller, ...) and how to set up the processor memory management unit as well as starting further CPU cores to run a SMP system.

The Virtual Machine Framework for Windows is supporting single-core and multi-core systems in shared mode and exclusive mode operation. The two operating modes are explained on a single-core and dual-core system.

• Single-Core (shared mode operation)
  • Windows® runs in idle loop of the real-time operating system
• Multi-Core (exclusive mode operation)
  • Windows® on first CPU Core
  • RTOS on second CPU Core
• Multi-Core (shared mode operation)
  • Windows may use the second CPU Core instead of the RTOS spinning around in its idle loop

• Execute any arbitrary RTOS on different CPU Cores
• CPU Cores may be connected together to form a symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) system
  For Example:
  • 2 CPU Cores for Windows®
  • 2 CPU Cores for VxWorks SMP
• RTOS SMP operation possible even on Dual-Core CPUs!

• The same RTOS-Image may run on a single-core system or a multi-core system just by changing configuration parameters
• Changing the RTOS-VM (maintenance) is possible without updating the RTOS-Image
• The RTOS-VM supports all Intel as well as AMD processors
  • hardware specific processor virtualization like Intel-VT or AMD-V is not required
• The same RTOS image runs on all PC hardware
• RTOS Device-Management
  • Assign the hardware devices to the appropriate RTOS in the Windows Device Manager
• 2 programmable virtual timers (at independent arbitrary cycle times).
• Timestamping and performance analysis functions.

• Shared Memory
  • Direct access to shared memory areas
• Shared Events
  • Notification using named events
• Date and Time Synchronization
• Data Access Synchronization
  • Interlocked Data Access
• Virtual Serial Channel
• Network Packet Library
  • Basic Ethernet data transfer service

• No platform porting necessary
  • The RTOS-VM is a binary module
• RTOS adaptation is as simple as writing a new Board Support Package
• Hardware access usually via VMF function calls
  • no need to understand the complex PC hardware
  • especially of multi core systems
• Network Packet Library
  • Getting Windows/RTOS network communication up and running very fast