Pcanel - Based Model-driven Embedded System Design Platform

The complexity of embedded applications is growing rapidly. Mainstream technology of embedded operation systems and software development is facing serious challenges. While reliability standards for embedded software remain very high, many new requirements of embedded software are desirable, such as rapid development and update, much more dynamic reconfiguration, low-power mobile computing, multimedia signal processing, etc. In order to address the problems of functional complexity, non-functional aspects, engineering cost and quality assurance, entirely new design approaches for embedded systems are needed that embrace physicality and deliver flexibility and robustness.Software engineering has experienced major improvements through four phases, initially from primal "pure coding" to "visual programming", then "model-code interactivity", finally "model driven" fashion. The advances of engineering technology greatly help software development. Methodologies and environments i.e. the Model-Integrated-Computing methodology and the MetaH toolset, include typically a modeling process and a runtime layer. These architectures claim enhancing component-based software development with model in all phases. Model can abstract aspects of embedded system, middleware, and application specific requirement. Some modeling tools for academic research i.e. Ptolemy II, provide design platforms and models of computation for embedded/hybrid system. However, prevailing abstractions of computational systems leaves out these "non-functional" aspects of embedded systems such as limited performance, memory, and real-time restrictions, so that the methods used for general purpose software require considerable adaptation for embedded software.In this thesis, we propose a model-driven approach and its design platform, Pcanel, for designing embedded software. Pcanel emphasizes modeling, not any more: interface definition, functional customization and hardware management; The innovations of the work are manifold. First, we show clearly the necessaryidentification of functional and non-functional aspects for building embedded software system. Software models should integrate with modeling exterior environments of embedded systems. The problems of different aspects are resolved at hierarchies of abstract models. Secondly, we propose a model-driven component-based design methodology for embedded systems, which permeates the entire design process of a whole system. Thirdly, we define abstract semantics of a meta model. The meta model is used to describe components and architectures under models with different characteristics. The meta model supports hierarchical composition of heterogeneous models and provides the solution of multi-model design interacting integration. Last, we probe into practical issues of the model-driven design methodology in a case of electronic throttle control design for automotive system. Our experience shows, the essential design problems of embedded systems can be solved by modeling and analysis during hierarchical composing. The methodology addresses the problems of non-functional aspects including precise timing, massive concurrency, verifiable correctness, reactivity, heterogeneity and canonical structure.The dissertation is organized as follows. In Chapter 1, we introduce the research background, including intrinsic characters of embedded systems, interactivity between systems and physical world, and challenges for modern embedded system development technologies. Chapter 2 describes related conceptions of our research, including component, procedure, software service, software framework and model driven architecture. In Chapter 3, we outline related research fields and survey their current status. The fields cover embedded operation system, embedded component model, component-based operating system, and model driven architecture. Chapter 4 presents our Pcanel platform. We analyze the problems Pcanel addresses. And then we present our design objectives and basic ideas. In Chapter 5, we give detailed description of the de...