Validation Support for Distributed Real-Time Embedded Systems in VDM++

Hooman

2006

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The development of complex embedded control systems can be improved significantly by applying formal techniques from control engineering and software engineering. It is shown how these approaches can be combined to improve the design and analysis of high-tech systems, both in theory and practice. The semantics of the integration of two established rigorous techniques has been defined formally in this work. The strength of this integrated semantics is demonstrated by means of a significant industrial case study: the embedded control of a printer paper path, whereby the full development life-cycle from model to realization is covered. The resulting model-driven design approach fits the current engineering practice in industry and is both flexible and effective.

Section: Future Work and Outlookmentioning

confidence: 98%

Modeling and Validating Distributed Embedded Real-Time Systems with VDM++

Verhoef

Hooman

2006

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“…Further extensions have provided facilities for description and analysis of distributed real-time embedded systems [26,27,28], including explicit modelling of alternative system architectures and deployment of functionality to computation and communication resources.…”

Section: Background: Vdmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Balancing Insight and Effort: The Industrial Uptake of Formal Methods

Fitzgerald

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This paper is a contribution to the Festschrift marking the 70th birthdays of Prof. Dines Bjoerner and Prof. Zhou Chaochen. Our goal is to help the developers of computer-based systems to make informed design decisions on the basis of insights gained from the rigorous analysis of abstract system models. The early work on model-oriented specification has inspired the development of numerous formalisms and tools supporting modelling and analysis. There are also many stories of successful industrial application, often driven by a few champions possessing deep a priori understanding of formalisms. There are fewer cases of successful take-up or adoption of the technologyin the long term.We argue that successful industrial adoption of this technology requires that potential users strike a balance between the effort expended in producing and analysing a model and insight gained. In order to support this balancing act, tools need to offer a range of levels of effort and insight. Further, educators need to recognise that training in formal development techniques must support this trade-off process. AbstractThis paper is a contribution to the Festschrift marking the 70th birthdays of Prof. Dines Bjoerner and Prof. Zhou Chaochen. Our goal is to help the developers of computer-based systems to make informed design decisions on the basis of insights gained from the rigorous analysis of abstract system models. The early work on modeloriented specification has inspired the development of numerous formalisms and tools supporting modelling and analysis. There are also many stories of successful industrial application, often driven by a few champions possessing deep a priori understanding of formalisms. There are fewer cases of successful take-up or adoption of the technology in the long term. We argue that successful industrial adoption of this technology requires that potential users strike a balance between the effort expended in producing and analysing a model and insight gained. In order to support this balancing act, tools need to offer a range of levels of effort and insight. Further, educators need to recognise that training in formal development techniques must support this trade-off process. About the authorJohn Fitzgerald is Reader in Computing Science at Newcastle University. His research concerns the use of formal methods to support the design of systems that reconfigure in response to threats. He is co-Investigator in the Trustworthy Ambient Systems project and is Chairman of Formal Methods Europe. Peter Gorm Larsen is Professor of Computer Technology and Embedded Systems at The Engineering College ofAarhus, Denmark and an independent consultant. An authority on system modelling, particularly the Vienna Development Method, he has pioneered the development of industrial-strength tool support for model-oriented specification languages, heading the group that initially developed VDMTools(R) now owned by CSK. Abstract. Our goal is to help the developers of computer-based systems to make informed design decisions...

“…A necessary activity is to develop forms of ranking and visualisation for test outcomes in order to support model selection. Further, a means of validating systemlevel timing properties by stating validation conjectures is required [9]. Finally, collaborative modelling and co-simulation have the same strengths and weaknesses as all formal modelling.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is a selfbalancing personal transporter, much akin to the well-known Segway 9 . The device has two wheels, mounted on either side of a base platform on which the rider can stand, holding on to a handlebar ( Figure 6).…”

Section: Towards the Exploration Of Design Alternativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Collaborative Modelling and Co-simulation in the Development of Dependable Embedded Systems

Fitzgerald

Pierce

et al. 2010

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Abstract. This paper presents initial results of research aimed at developing methods and tools for multidisciplinary collaborative development of dependable embedded systems. We focus on the construction and analysis by co-simulation of formal models that combine discrete-event specifications of computer-based controllers with continuous-time models of the environment with which they interact. Basic concepts of collaborative modelling and co-simulation are presented. A pragmatic realisation using the VDM and Bond Graph formalisms is described and illustrated by means of an example, which includes the modelling of both normal and faulty behaviour. Consideration of a larger-scale example from the personal transportation domain suggests the forms of support needed to explore the design space of collaborative models. Based on experience so far, challenges for future research in this area are identified.