Architectural Refactoring of Real-Time Software Design for Predictable Controls of Artificial Heart

Abstract

Time-Triggered Architecture (TTA), one of real-time software design paradigms which executes tasks in timely manner, has long been advocated as being better suited in fore-sighting system behavior than event-triggered architecture (ETA). To gain this valuable feature of TTA, however, precise task designing process is mandatory. Alternatively, ETA tries to execute tasks whenever paired events are occurred. It provides intuitive and flexible basement to add/remove tasks and, moreover, better response time performance. However ETA is difficult to analyze because system behavior might be different depending on the order of interrupts detected by the system. Many previous researches recommended TTA when developing safety-critical real-time systems, but cost problem of task designing process and insufficient consensus for applying rigorous software engineering practice are still challenging in practice. This paper describes software refactoring process which applying TTA approach into ETA based embedded software in artificial heart system. We implemented dedicated interrupt monitoring program to capture existing tasks' real-time characteristics. Based on the captured information, proper task designing process is done. Real-time analysis using RMA (Rate-Monotonic Analysis) verified that new design guarantees timeliness of the system. Empirical experiments revealed that revised design is as efficient, when measured in terms of system's external output, as the old design and enhances predictability of the system behavior as well.