Patent ID: 7207045

Claim:
A method for providing a real time operating process for multiple tasks, said process utilizing a plurality of time sensitive observation windows wherein said tasks are processed when in said observation windows, the method comprising: allotting a time quota in a first observation window to a first task having a high priority designation; allotting a remaining time quota in said first observation window to remaining tasks having priority designations lower than said first task where as at least a portion of each of said remaining tasks is guaranteed to be processed during said remaining time quota; and calculating an amount of time said first task is processed in said first observation window; sanctioning said first task to a second observation window when said calculated amount of time exceeds said time quota in said first observation window, wherein said sanctioning further comprises: switching from the first task to another task, wherein the switching includes: dating an event associated with the switching by supplying a value from a global software counter, wherein the value is adjusted by adding time passed since a last clock pulse from a material counter; recording starting time of the another task; calculating time spent by the another task during said first observation window; and sanctioning said another task if the time spent by said another task is longer than the maximum allocated time in said first observation window.