Targeting to the x86 family of CPUs and exploiting the Protected Virtual Address Mode of the 80286 and higher processors, we develop the real-time OS µPMOS (Micro Protected Mode Operating System). It bases on the 16-bit Protected Mode platform of the 80286, regardless, runs on any higher x86 processor as well and - in a special real mode edition - even on the 8086 (as alternative to DOS).

µPMOS implements an object model and thus is a true object oriented system that is, it is composed of real objects. Besides a micro kernel, those objects - physical, encapsulated runtime entities in memory - comprise the whole system. This makes it highly adaptable, allows for reusability of code and the division of huge programs into very small functional blocks that can be distributed system wide and even across networks. In addition, this design leads to a very compact system implementation of just a few kilobytes that perfectly fits into ROM, uncompressed and directly executable.

µPMOS itself implements a simple Object Environment (OE) only. This OE encapsulates the micro kernel and defines the fundamental basis for the construction of higher levels of object classes. There are two major class trees building on top of that OE which in turn can be replaced and extended further in order to adapt to virtually any requirement: the Development Environment (DE) and the Application Environment (AE). The system requires both to become fully operable. µPMOS is distributed with two default environments.

Our Object Oriented Firmware DE and ObjectWorkplace Embedded AE are included in the OS distribution by default and reside uncompressed in ROM along with the OE where they can directly be executed. They make the OS a full functional entity and put the system in immediate operative readiness and direct programmability after power-up. Refer to the above links for further reading on the default DE and AE and to the µPMOS Software Engineering Guide for a detailed description of µPMOS.