Timing issues in system-level design

We present our view of the high-level timing issues in the design and validation of embedded real-time systems. We first define the derivation problem: the problem of deriving internal timing constraints from external timing constraints in an embedded real-time system. We then give a comprehensive classification of timing constraints, discuss the stare of the art on high-level system modeling and on the timing constraint derivation techniques. We finally give some pointers for future research.