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Timing consistency checking for UML/MARTE behavioral models

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Abstract

UML/MARTE model-driven development approaches are gaining attention in developing real-time embedded software (RTES). UML behavioral models with MARTE annotations are used to describe timing behaviors and timing characteristics of RTES. Particularly, state machine, sequence, and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations are appropriate to understand and analyze timing behaviors of RTES. However, to guarantee software correctness and safety, timing inconsistencies in UML/MARTE should be identified in the design phase of RTES. UML/MARTE timing inconsistencies are related to modeling errors and can be hazards throughout the lifecycle of RTES. We propose a systematic approach to check timing consistency of state machine, sequence, and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations for RTES. First, we present how state machine, sequence, and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations specify the behaviors of RTES. To overcome informal semantics of UML/MARTE models, we provide formal definitions of state machine, sequence, and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations. Second, we present the timing consistency checking approach that consists of a rule-based and a model checking-based timing consistency checking. In the rule-based timing consistency checking, we validate well formedness of UML/MARTE behavioral models in timing aspects. In the model checking-based timing consistency checking, we verify whether timing behaviors of sequence and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations are consistent with the timing behaviors of state machine diagrams with MARTE annotations. We support an automated timing consistency checking tool UML/MARTE timing Consistency Analyzer for a seamless approach. We demonstrate the effectiveness and the practicality of the proposed approach by two case studies using cruise control system software and guidance and control unit software .

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The 1st R&D Institute, Agency for Defense Development (ADD), Yuseong P.O. Box 35, Daejeon, 34188, Republic of Korea

    Jinho Choi

  2. School of Computing, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea

    Eunkyoung Jee & Doo-Hwan Bae

Authors
  1. Jinho Choi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jinho Choi.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Rules for rule-based timing consistency checking

1.1 Intra-model consistency checking rules

SMD-MARTE ExecTime

SMD-MARTE ExecTime rule defines that an execution time of an SMD/MARTE should be greater than or equal to an execution time of the following two conditions:

  1. 1.

    An execution time of each state.

  2. 2.

    Execution times of execution paths from a state with a receiving message in a incoming transition to a state with a sending message in a outgoing transition only if all states in execution paths have an execution time. ⌟

Rule. SD-MARTE ExecTime

SD-MARTE ExecTime rule defines that an execution time of a lifeline in an SD/MARTE should be greater than or equal to an execution time of each execution specification in the lifeline. ⌟

Rule. TD-MARTE ExecTime

TD-MARTE ExecTime rule defines that if duration of a state represents an execution time, an execution time of a lifeline in a TD/MARTE is greater than or equal to the following two conditions:

  1. 1.

    An execution time of each state.

  2. 2.

    Execution times of execution paths from a state with a receiving message to a state with a sending message. ⌟

Rule. SMD-MARTE Deadline

Rule. SD-MARTE Deadline

Rule. TD-MARTE Deadline

SMD-MARTE Deadline, SD-MARTE Deadline, and TD-MARTE Deadline rules define that deadline should be greater than or equal to an execution time of a UML/MARTE model. ⌟

Rule. SD-MARTE TimeObservation

SD-MARTE TimeObservation rule defines that a time observation value in an SD/MARTE is the sum of a time observation value and an execution time of the previous execution specification in the SD/MARTE. ⌟

Rule. TD-MARTE TimingRuler

TD-MARTE TimingRuler rule defines that the timing ruler values in a TD/MARTE should be increased at regular intervals. ⌟

1.2 Inter-model consistency checking rules

Rule. SD-SMD MARTE

SD-SMD MARTE rule defines that MARTE annotation linked to a lifeline in an SD/MARTE should be the same as a MARTE annotation linked to an SMD/MARTE of the lifeline. ⌟

Rule. SD-SMD Lifeline

SD-SMD Lifeline rule defines that a lifeline in an SD/MARTE should have a corresponding SMD/MARTE. ⌟

Rule. SD-SMD Message

SD-SMD Message rule defines that a receiving message and a sending message of lifelines in an SD/MARTE should be defined in events and actions in an SMD/MARTE of the lifeline, respectively. ⌟

Rule. SD-SMD ExecTime

SD-SMD ExecTime rule defines that an execution time of an execution specification in an SD/MARTE is greater than or equal to an execution time of a state in an SMD/MARTE for the following three conditions:

  1. 1.

    An execution time of an execution specification with only a receiving message in an SD/MARTE should be greater than or equal to an execution time of a state with the same receiving message in an SMD/MARTE of the lifeline.

  2. 2.

    An execution time of an execution specification with only a sending message in an SD/MARTE should be greater than or equal to an execution time of a state with the same sending message in an SMD/MARTE of the lifeline.

  3. 3.

    An execution time of an execution specification with a receiving message and a sending message in an SD/MARTE should be equal to an execution time of a path from a state with the same receiving message to a state with the same sending message in an SMD/MARTE of the lifeline. ⌟

Rule. TD-SMD MARTE

TD-SMD MARTE rule defines that a MARTE annotation linked to a lifeline in a TD/MARTE should be equal to a MARTE annotation linked to an SMD/MARTE of the lifeline. ⌟

Rule. TD-SMD Lifeline

TD-SMD Lifeline rule defines that a lifeline in a TD/MARTE should have a corresponding SMD/MARTE. ⌟

Rule. TD-SMD Message

TD-SMD Message rule defines that a receiving message and a sending message of lifelines in a TD/MARTE should be defined in events or actions of an SMD/MARTE of the lifeline, respectively. ⌟

Rule. TD-SMD State

TD-SMD State rule defines that states of a lifeline in a TD/MARTE should be defined in an SMD/MARTE of the lifeline. ⌟

Rule. TD-SMD ExecTime

TD-SMD ExecTime rule defines that an execution time of a state of a lifeline in a TD/MARTE is the same as an execution time of a state in an SMD/MARTE of the lifeline. ⌟

Rule. SD-TD MARTE

SD-TD MARTE rule defines that MARTE annotation of a lifeline in an SD/MARTE should be the same as a MARTE annotation of the lifeline in a TD/MARTE. ⌟

Rule. SD-TD Lifeline

SD-TD Lifeline rule defines that a lifeline of an SD/MARTE and a lifeline of TD/MARTE should be the same only if MARTE annotations of an SD/MARTE and a TD/MARTE are same and a message of the lifeline in an SD/MARTE is included in messages of the lifeline in a TD/MARTE. ⌟

Rule. SD-TD ExecTime

SD-TD ExecTime rule defines that an execution time of an execution specification of a lifeline in an SD/MARTE is the same as an execution time of a state in a TD/MARTE only if the execution specification of a lifeline has a receiving and sending message, and the lifeline in a TD/MARTE also have the same receiving and sending message. ⌟

Appendix 2: SMDs/MARTE for CCS software

See Figs. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35.

Fig. 30
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SMD/MARTE for SettingController

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Fig. 31
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SMD/MARTE for CruiseController

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Fig. 32
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SMD/MARTE for display

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Fig. 33
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SMD/MARTE for SpeedCounter

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Fig. 34
figure 34

SMD/MARTE for SpeedController

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Fig. 35
figure 35

SMD/MARTE for user

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Choi, J., Jee, E. & Bae, DH. Timing consistency checking for UML/MARTE behavioral models. Software Qual J 24, 835–876 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11219-015-9290-6

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