Systems and methods for scheduling tasks using sliding time windows

A method, comprising:

• executing simultaneously, with processing units, respective tasks during at least one of multiple time windows each having a respective estimated start time and each common to the processing units;
• determining a pre-run-time-determinable slack associated with a first one of the time windows;
• determining an only-at-run-time-determinable slack in the first one of the time windows;
• and
• advancing, simultaneously for each of the processing units, an actual start time of a second one of the time windows relative to the estimated start time of the second one of the time windows by a time no greater than a sum of the determined pre-run-time-determinable slack and the determined only-at-run-time-determinable slack to an earlier time no sooner than an actual end time of the first one of the time windows, the second one of the time windows being the next time window immediately after the first one of the time windows.

A system, comprising:

• a processor comprising processing units and a scheduler;
• wherein each Processing units of the processing units is configured to execute a respective task during a respective scheduler instance within a first one of multiple time windows each having a respective estimated start time and each common to the processing units;
• and wherein the scheduler is configured to:
• determine, before run time, time-window slack external to the time windows and common to all of the processing units;
• determine, at run time, scheduler-instance slack internal to the first one of the time windows and common to at least one respective scheduler instance for each of the processing units within the one of the time windows;
• and
• advance, simultaneously for each of the processing units, an actual start time of a second one of the time windows relative to the estimated start time of the second one of the time windows by a time no greater than a sum of the determined time-window slack and the determined scheduler-instance slack to an earlier time no sooner than an actual end time of the first one of the time windows, the second one of the time windows being the next time window immediately after the first one of the time windows.