Real-time run-time system with an administrative module to configure functional modules of the system

A run-time system being configured to carry out a system-control program in real time on the basis of a control-program description and comprising a plurality of functional modules, each functional module comprising:

• a finite state machine comprising an initialization state, a pre-operation state, a trial operation state, a real-time operation state, a transitional state between initialization and pre-operation, a transitional state between pre-operation and trial operation, and a transitional state between trial operation and real-time operation, wherein:
• the states initialization, pre-operation, trial operation, the transitional state between initialization pre-operation, and the transitional state between pre-operation and trial operation are assigned to a non-real-time context, and
• the state real-time operation and the transitional state between trial operation and real-time operation are assigned to a real-time context,
• a module description containing the module properties and a unique module identification, and
• a functional-module interface for accessing the finite state machine and the module description;
• wherein during the transitional state between initialization and pre-operation, each functional module is isolated from further functional modules in the plurality of functional modules, and is not able to carry out communications with the further functional modules.

A functional module comprising:

• a finite state machine comprising an initialization state, a pre-operation state, a trial operation state, a real-time operation state, and a transitional state between initialization and pre-operation, a transitional state between pre-operation and trial operation, and a transitional state between trial operation and real-time operation,
• wherein
• the states initialization, pre-operation and trial operation and the transitional state between initialization and pre-operation and the transitional state between pre-operation and trial operation are assigned to a non-real-time context, and
• the state real-time operation and the transitional state between trial operation and real-time operation are assigned to a real-time context,
• a module description containing the module properties and a unique module identification, and
• a functional-module interface for accessing the finite state machine and the module description;
• wherein the functional module is configured to log on using the unique module identification during the transitional state between initialization and pre-operation and to log off during a transitional state between pre-operation and initialization.