This monograph presents state-of-the-art techniques for building
flexible, predictable soft real-time systems, that, in comparison to
hard real-time systems, optimize resources and reduce costs. It provides
background and basic terminology of soft real-time computing, and goes
on to discuss overload management techniques, temporal protection, the
execution of multi-thread applications, synchronization protocols,
reclaiming techniques and quality of service issues. Accompanied by
numerous illustrations and comprehensive references, this text is an
invaluable reference for researchers, students and system developers
alike.