Computer-assisted exercise ECG analysis: real-time scheduling within MS-DOS on PCs

Abstract

Computer analysis and monitoring of the exercise electrocardiograms (ECG) have been advantageously applied for a longer time. Recently, an overwhelming influence of personal computers (PCs) has a visible impact in this field as well. Such PC environment has been used in development of a software package for the on-line exercise ECG analysis. This paper reveals the core of the application, i.e., a built-in real-time executive. A three-phase design approach is described: first, recognition of the tasks and their structure, second, evaluation of the task time complexities, and third, allocation of the tasks and implementation in C++ in the MS-DOS PC environment. Performance of the built real-time multitasking environment is finally studied for the worst-case situation using a prototype PC installation. Keywords: real-time executive, multitasking, on-line exercise ECG analysis, performance evaluation 1 Introduction The exercise ECG [1] has evolved into a diagnostic and therapeutic means ..