F6COM: A component model for resource-constrained and dynamic space-based computing environments

Abstract

Component-based programming models are wellsuited to the design of large-scale, distributed applications because of the ease with which distributed functionality can be developed, deployed, and validated using the models' compositional properties. Existing component models supported by standardized technologies, such as the OMG's CORBA Component Model (CCM), however, incur a number of limitations in the context of cyber physical systems (CPS) that operate in highly dynamic, resource-constrained, and uncertain environments, such as space environments, yet require multiple quality of service (QoS) assurances, such as timeliness, reliability, and security. To overcome these limitations, this paper presents the design of a novel component model called F6COM that is developed for applications operating in the context of a cluster of fractionated spacecraft. Although F6COM leverages the compositional capabilities and port abstractions of existing component models, it provides several new features. Specifically, F6COM abstracts the component operations as tasks, which are scheduled sequentially based on a specified scheduling policy. The infrastructure ensures that at any time at most one task of a component can be active -eliminating race conditions and deadlocks without requiring complicated and error-prone synchronization logic to be written by the component developer. These tasks can be initiated due to (a) interactions with other components, (b) expiration of timers, both sporadic and periodic, and (c) interactions with input/output devices. Interactions with other components are facilitated by ports. To ensure secure information flows, every port of an F6COM component is associated with a security label such that all interactions are executed within a security context. Thus, all component interactions can be subjected to Mandatory Access Control checks by a Trusted Computing Base that facilitates the interactions. Finally, F6COM provides capabilities to monitor task execution deadlines and to configure component-specific fault mitigation actions.

ROSMOD: A Toolsuite for Modeling, Generating, Deploying, and Managing Distributed Real-time Component-based Software using ROS

“…In the past, our team has designed, implemented and tested the F6COM/DREMS component model [45] for tackling software engineering challenges in distributed real-time embedded systems. Each DREMS component supports four basic types of ports for interaction with other collaborating components: Facets, Receptacles, Publishers and Subscribers.…”

“…Communication between publishers and subscribers is contingent on the compatibility of their associated topics (i.e., data types). More details on this component model can be found in [45].…”

Distributed and Managed: Research Challenges and Opportunities of the Next Generation Cyber-Physical Systems

“…The C and C++ run-time support libraries (based on uClibc 3 and libstdcpp 4 implement the conventional support services needed by the typical C and C++ programs. The C run-time library has entry points to access the DREMS OS system calls.…”

Towards a resilient deployment and configuration infrastructure for fractionated spacecraft

“…Upon receiving reconfiguration commands from the F6FM, the F6DM will invoke those commands on different entities that needs to be reconfigured. Following is the list of fault mitigation commands/actions that can be issues for a faulty component: [2]. However, as part of reconfiguration, the only component states that we are concerned with are (a) active state, and (b) inactive state.…”

“…These components conform to a novel component model called F6COM [2], which allows developers to design various software components that can operate in the real-time embedded environment of a fractionated spacecraft.…”