Win-Bin See

VERTAF: an application framework for the design and verification of embedded real-time software

The growing complexity of embedded real-time software requirements calls for the design of reusable software components, the synthesis and generation of software code, and the automatic guarantee of nonfunctional properties such as performance, time constraints, reliability, and security. Available application frameworks targeted at the automatic design of embedded real-time software are poor in integrating functional and nonfunctional requirements. To bridge this gap, we reveal the design flow and the internal architecture of a newly proposed framework called verifiable embedded real-time application framework (VERTAF), which integrates software component-based reuse, formal synthesis, and formal verification. A formal UML-based embedded real-time object model is proposed for component reuse. Formal synthesis employs quasistatic and quasidynamic scheduling with automatic generation of multilayer portable efficient code. Formal verification integrates a model checker kernel from SGM, by adapting it for embedded software. The proposed architecture for VERTAF is component-based and allows plug-and-play for the scheduler and the verifier. Using VERTAF to develop application examples significantly reduced design effort and illustrated how high-level reuse of software components combined with automatic synthesis and verification can increase design productivity.

Wireless technologies for logistic distribution process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the integration of logistic management with information and communication technologies to largely improve the effectiveness of logistic fleet operations. The work presented here shows a real‐world fleet management system that integrates mobile communication and supports real‐time logistic information flow management.Design/methodology/approach – First, the application of information and mobile communication technologies in providing effective logistic distribution service is introduced. Then, the proposed real‐time fleet management system (RTFMS) architecture is depicted, the technology profiles for mobile data terminal (MDT) and logistic information system are described, and the considerations of various wireless mobile communication technologies for logistic distribution process are also addressed. Finally, the implications of this paper are discussed and plans for further work are outlined.Findings – The proposed architecture for a real‐world logistic f...

VERTAF: an object-oriented application framework for embedded real-time systems

Embedded real-time applications are often built from scratch on a trial-and-error basis, which leads to sub-optimal designs with latent errors that are not detectable in early stages of use or deployment and often incurs prolonged time-to-market. A new application framework called Verifiable Embedded Real-Time Application Framework (VERTAF) is proposed for embedded real-time application development, with the aim of reducing design errors and increasing design productivity. VERTAF is an integration of three technologies, namely object-oriented technology, software component technology, and formal verification technology. VERTAF consists of five software components: Implanter, Modeler, Scheduler, Verifier, and Generator. Experiences of using VERTAF show a significant increase in design productivity through design reuse, and a significant decrease in design time and effort through design verification. An example shows a relatively low design effort on the part of the designer using VERTAF.

Formal verification of embedded real-time software in component-based application frameworks

Producing correct software is a major goal for application frameworks that are targeted at embedded real-time systems because incorrect software is of no use and may also cause severe system damage. It is shown how formal verification can be elegantly, seamlessly, and scalably integrated into a component-based object-oriented application framework for embedded real-time systems. Two issues in such technology integration are addressed: (1) the choice of a common system model, and (2) the integration of formal synthesis and model checking. Solutions are provided, respectively, in the form of (1) proposing a new formal object-oriented model (FOOM), and (2) the execution of model checkers within synthesis algorithms. Technically, we propose a compositional software verification framework, in which model checking is employed, with state-space reduction techniques adapted for embedded real-time software. A separate verifier component is proposed for modular integration as illustrated by its implementation in the VERTAF application framework. An example illustrates the success of our approach and the benefits gained through integrating formal verification.

Software platform for embedded software development

The demands for new embedded system products that provide new functionality and adopting new hardware are booming. Parallel development in hardware and software is promising in reducing both the time and effort for the design of embedded system. Mostly, the development of embedded system application has been carried out on general purpose computing platform using cross target development tools, includes cross compiler and linker etc. Personal computers are used as cross development environment to host the embedded system software development tool set. We propose a software platform approach that promotes the role of PC based embedded software cross development platform to support the embedded software development even before the real hardware becomes available. Our approach is a tunable embedded software development platform (TESDP) that facilitates more extensive usage of the development platform. TESDP helps in decoupling the hardware and software development while maintaining very close semantic similarity for the function operates on both development and target platforms. We demonstrate the feasibility of the TESDP approach with the development of two embedded systems, a car-borne modular mobile data terminal (MMDT), and an air-borne navigation support display (NSD) system. MMDT provides data communication and global positioning capability for applications in the domain of intelligent transportation system (ITS). NSD is an important component in avionics systems that provides pilot with graphical flight instrument information to support aircraft navigation.

SESAG: an object‐oriented application framework for real‐time systems

Advancements in hardware and software technologies have made possible the design of real‐time systems and applications where stringent timing constraints are imposed on critical tasks. The design of such systems is more complex than that of temporally unrestricted systems because system correctness depends on the satisfaction of functional as well as temporal requirements. To aid users in correctly and efficiently designing systems, object‐oriented frameworks provide a useful environment for significant reuse and reduction in design effort. In contrast to other application domains, there has been relatively little work on an application framework for the design of real‐time systems. Facing the growing need for real‐time applications, we propose a novel application framework called SESAG, which consists of five components, namely Specifier, Extractor, Scheduler, Allocator, and Generator. Within SESAG, several design patterns are proposed and used for the development of real‐time applications. A new evaluation metric called relative design effort is proposed for evaluating SESAG. Experiences in using SESAG show a significant increase in design productivity through design reuse and a significant decrease in design time and effort. Two complex application examples have been developed using SESAG and evaluated using the new evaluation metric. The examples demonstrate relative design efforts of at most 18% of the design efforts required by conventional methods. Copyright

Framework approach for system on chip software development

The demands for new embedded system products that provide new functionality are booming. The system on chip (SoC) technologies enables further cost, feature size reduction and makes embedded system product much more affordable accordingly. However, the software development for SoC product pushes the challenge further in reducing time to market. We propose a framework approach for embedded SoC software development that would (a) enable the parallel development in hardware and software, and (b) provide software framework for cross platform software reuse. Our approach is based on a tunable embedded software development platform (TESDP) that integrates an embedded software framework (ESF) and a simulated hardware framework (SHF). ESF provides a set real-time software frameworks that support cross platform reuse. SHF helps in decoupling the hardware and software development and enable the parallel development in software development parallel with the SoC hardware development. We demonstrate the feasibility of the TESDP approach with the development of a car-borne modular mobile data terminal (MMDT). MMDT provides data communication and global positioning capability for applications in the cargo truck fleet dispatching and monitoring. MMDT can also be applied in the domain related to intelligent transportation system (ITS).