Matthias Biehl

Tool Integration beyond Wasserman

The typical development environment today consists of many specialized development tools, which are partially integrated, forming a complex tool landscape with partial integration. Traditional appr ...

Integrating safety analysis into the model-based development toolchain of automotive embedded systems

The automotive industry has a growing demand for the seamless integration of safety analysis tools into the model-based development toolchain for embedded systems. This requires translating concepts of the automotive domain to the safety domain. We automate such a translation between the automotive architecture description language EAST-ADL2 and the safety analysis tool HiP-HOPS by using model transformations and by leveraging the advantages of different model transformation techniques. Through this integration, the analysis can be conducted early in the development process, when the system can be redesigned to fulfill safety goals with relatively low effort and cost.

A characterization of integrated multi-view modeling in the context of embedded and cyber-physical systems

Embedded systems, with their tight technology integration, and multiple requirements and stakeholders, are characterized by tightly interrelated processes, information and tools. Embedded systems will as a consequence be described by multiple, heterogeneous and interrelated descriptions such as for example requirements documents, design and analysis models, software and hardware descriptions. We refer to a system designed this way as a multi-view (MV) system. The main contribution of this paper is a characterization of model-based approaches to MV systems. The characterization takes three main perspectives for the relations between viewpoints: semantic relations (content), relations over time (process), and manipulation of views (operations). We complement these perspectives by investigating MV system challenges and by a survey of related approaches. The characterization aims to provide a basis for a better understanding, design and implementation of MV systems, and thereby to overcome the current fragmented points of view on integrated multi-view modeling (MVM).

On the modeling and generation of service-oriented tool chains

Abstract Tool chains have grown from ad-hoc solutions to complex software systems, which often have a service-oriented architecture. With service-oriented tool integration, development tools are made available as services, which can be orchestrated to form tool chains. Due to the increasing sophistication and size of tool chains, there is a need for a systematic development approach for service-oriented tool chains. We propose a domain-specific modeling language (DSML) that allows us to describe the tool chain on an appropriate level of abstraction. We present how this language supports three activities when developing service-oriented tool chains: communication, design and realization. A generative approach supports the realization of the tool chain using the service component architecture. We present experiences from an industrial case study, which applies the DSML to support the creation of a service-oriented tool chain. We evaluate the approach both qualitatively and quantitatively by comparing it with a traditional development approach.

Model-based Toolchain for the Efficient Development of Safety-Relevant Automotive Embedded Systems

Advanced functionalities unthinkable a few decades ago are now being introduced into automotive vehicles through embedded systems for reasons like emission control, vehicle connectivity, safety and ...

High-Level Specification and Code Generation for Service-Oriented Tool Adapters

The development of complex systems requires tool support for the different phases of the system life cycle. To allow for an efficient development process, the involved tools need to be integrated, e.g. by exchanging tool data or providing trace ability between the data. Despite the availability of tool integration platforms and frameworks, it is labor-intensive and costly to build tool integration solutions. Industrial tool integration initiatives such as OSLC (Open Services for Lifecycle Collaboration) demand complex configurations and the adherence to integration standards. This further complicates building an integration solution. We propose an approach that uses formalized specifications to systematize tool integration and specialized code generators to automate the process of building tool adapters. We evaluate our approach with the implementation of a code generator that creates service-oriented tool adapters conforming to the OSLC industry initiative.

Model-Based service discovery and orchestration for OSLC services in tool chains

Globally distributed development of complex systems relies on the use of sophisticated development tools but today the tools provide only limited possibilities for integration into seamless tool chains. If development tools could be integrated, development data could be exchanged and tracing across remotely located tools would be possible and would increase the efficiency of globally distributed development. We use a domain specific modeling language to describe tool chains as models on a high level of abstraction. We use model-driven technology to synthesize the implementation of a service-oriented wrapper for each development tool based on OSLC (Open Services for Lifecyle Collaboration) and the orchestration of the services exposed by development tools. The wrapper exposes both tool data and functionality as web services, enabling platform independent tool integration. The orchestration allows us to discover remote tools via their service wrapper, integrate them and check the correctness of the orchestration.

System Dependability Modelling and Analysis Using AADL and HiP-HOPS

The Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) is gaining widespread acceptance in aerospace, automobile and avionics industries for designing dependability-critical systems. The design process of dependable systems must address both cost and dependability (safety, reliability, availability, maintainability) concerns. This requires translating concepts of the design domain to the dependability analysis domain. We automate such a translation between AADL and the dependability analysis tool HiP-HOPS by using model transformation techniques. A generic primary-standby example system is used to show the mechanics of the transformation and the potential for highlighting problems and assisting design work using this technology.

An Executable Design Decision Representation Using Model Transformations

Design decisions are often tacit knowledge of an architecture and consequently they are easily lost during software evolution, a phenomenon known as knowledge vaporization. As a countermeasure design decisions can be documented explicitly. However, documenting design decision is expensive because they need to be captured in addition to the changes in the architecture. We propose an executable representation for design decisions using model transformations which is independent of a particular component model or architectural description language. As a result we get all the advantages of explicitly captured design decisions such as the potential to reduce knowledge vaporization while preventing the high capturing cost since the corresponding architectural change can be computed automatically. The approach is illustrated by a case study in the context of embedded software architectures.

Efficient Construction of Presentation Integration for Web-Based and Desktop Development Tools

The engineering of software-intensive systems is supported by a variety of development tools. While development tools are traditionally desktop tools, they are more and more complemented and replaced by web-based development tools. The resulting blend of desktop and web-based tools is difficult to integrate into a seamless tool chain, which supports product development by data, control and presentation integration. Moreover, the construction of such tool chains is a significant engineering challenge. We propose an approach for the efficient, automated construction of tool chains, which integrate both web-based and desktop development tools; and provide a proof of concept of the approach in a case study. Our approach suggests that companies can selectively take advantage of hosted web-based development tools, while maintaining a seamless flow of integration with legacy desktop tools.