# What is a Real-Time System?

must process information and produce a response within a specified time, else risk severe consequences, including failure

A real-time system is one that must process information and produce a response within a specified time, else risk severe consequences, including failure. That is, in a system with a real-time constraint it is no good to have the correct action or the correct answer after a certain deadline: it is either by the deadline or it is useless!

http://www.le.ac.uk/eg/fss1/real time.htm